MTR will start to run new generation Q-Train EMUs on Hong Kong’s 16.3km Island Line on January 28. They will replace the first-generation M-Train fleet, which has operated on the Island Line since it opened in 1985.
The eight-car trains were tested extensively on the Island Line, one of Hong Kong’s 10 metro lines, last year. They are part of a $HK 6bn ($US 767m) order for 93 trains placed in 2015 with CRRC Qingdao Sifang.
Improvements on the M-Trains trains include: increased interior space, additional grab poles and straphangers, ergonomically-designed seats, dynamic route maps, LED lighting and real-time remote monitoring of vehicles.
The first Q-Trains entered service on the Kwun Tong Line in November 2022. They will also be introduced on the Tsuen Wan and Tseung Kwan O lines after the Island Line rollout is completed.
“We have a comprehensive train asset renewal plan,” says Ms Jeny Yeung, managing director of MTR’s Hong Kong Transport Services division.
“The passenger facilities and smart features of the new trains have both been enhanced, enabling us to provide an improved travelling experience and railway service to passengers through a smart railway.”
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