Mixed Reviews For New MTR Line On Full Opening Day

The MTR's Tuen Ma Line has drawn mixed reviews on the first day of its full operation, with rail enthusiasts and residents happy about the convenience it offers, but others worried about a loss of business.

With the opening of two new stations, Sung Wong Toi and To Kwa Wan, the existing West Rail and Ma On Shan lines have now been merged - making the 56-kilometre Tuen Ma line Hong Kong's longest.

Trains on the route will run between Wu Kai Sha and Tuen Mun, with 27 stations in total.

Hundreds of people boarded a packed special train that left Sung Wong Toi station at 5:50 on Sunday morning to celebrate the line's full opening.

The crowd of fans waited outside the station since early morning and happily rushed to the platform when the station opened.

"I came here at around 4 am because I want to see the first train leave the station and experience taking that train. I am a rail enthusiast. I feel very happy. I live in Tuen Mun and I woke up at around 3 am, but it’s worth it," said an eight-year-old boy who took the first train.

Many fans shared his excitement.

"Everything is so new. The platform at Hung Hom station is new, and the Sung Wong Toi and To Kwa Wan stations are both new. I feel quite excited and this has made travels more convenient, because the line has linked the East and West New Territories. We haven’t been able to travel elsewhere due to the pandemic. If I want to explore Hong Kong, this has made things much more convenient," said a passenger.

But some people living in the areas near the two new MTR stations weren't impressed.

A resident of To Kwa Wan said she had decided to take a bus to Tsim Sha Tsui after her husband tried the new MTR line and didn't like it.

Another resident also said she prefers taking the bus as it takes her directly to her destination. But the woman said she would consider taking the MTR when she goes to school in Tiu Keng Leng to avoid the rush hour traffic jam.

Meanwhile, a man who owns a bakery near a bus stop expects business to drop after the opening of the new To Kwa Wan station, saying his customers usually bought from him before they board buses.

However, he said he was not too worried about rent hikes due to the opening of the new station.

Kellis Ltd, which operates minibuses in the area, said two of its routes overlap with places covered by the Tuen Ma Line.

It said there was already a clear drop in customers on Sunday morning, and expects business to drop by 70 percent in future.

As of noon, over 18,000 people had boarded trains from the two new stations.

The MTR said it would deploy more staff to help passengers, and reminded the public to plan their journeys when they go to work on Monday.