The 4.6-mile subway operates like some AirTrains in the U.S. that automatically whisk travelers between airport terminals without drivers and with platform screen doors at stations for enhanced safety. Where is the new line located?
Similar to the Second Avenue Subway that took almost a century between conception and opening of the 2-mile first phase on New Year's Day, this line was also subject to delay, though on a more reasonable scale, before finally opening on Christmas Eve, December 28.
"More than nine years after the HK$16.9 billion [US$2.18 billion] project was confirmed and after its completion date was twice postponed, the MTR’s South Island Line finally began operations on Wednesday, giving Hongkongers a long-awaited choice to beat worsening traffic congestion in Southern district," report
Related on Planetizen:
- Screened Subway Platforms Ruled-Out for NYC, December 12, 2012: The front page photo, "Doomed" on the New York Post on Dec. 4 of pushed subway rider, Ki Suk Han, attempting to lift himself from the tracks as a train approaches has captivated many - yet a proposal to prevent it from repeating it is doomed as well.
-
World's Most Successful Subway?, March 15, 2009: This video takes a look at what may be the world's best subway system - Hong Kong's MTR. Riders hold shares in the public-private entity. And, as the video explains, it is profitable.
FULL STORY: It’s an early start as Hong Kong’s HK$16.9 billion South Island Line opens smoothly

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