MTR Chief Looks To Boost Passenger Experience

The MTR Corporation's chief executive officer, Lincoln Leong, said on Tuesday that the railway operator is looking at ways to improve passengers' travel experience even before they get on the train, with the help of technology.

Leong told the Asia Pacific Rail conference that, among other things, the rail giant is studying how to better disseminate information, such as informing passengers how crowded each carriage is, so that they can plan which one to get into.

He also gave examples of how using technology to provide information could help passengers even before they reach the stations.

"As they walk to their stations, if a particular train station is a bit busy at that time, can we leverage on information to ping details of wait times to that passenger, to ping information to that passengers about other alternatives, to ping coupons to that passengers to buy a Starbucks on the way – to take a bit more time to the station?" he told the audience.

Leong also said Hong Kong is the most important market in its business and the rail company will continue to grow through rail expansion. However, he said the company is seeing expansion in all the countries it is currently engaged in.