The Tung Chung Line Extension project includes a 2.5km-long westward and eastward extension of the Tung Chung Line in Hong Kong and the addition of two new stations.
MTR, a state-owned company that also operates the 31km-long Tung Chung railway line, is developing the extension. The Tung Chung line connects Hong Kong and Tung Chung on Lantau Island. It began operations in 1998.
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A ground-breaking ceremony was held in May 2023 to mark the start of construction of the Tung Chung line extension. The construction is expected to be completed by 2029.
Construction of the airport railway extended overrun tunnel (AREOT), which is also part of the agreement signed for the Tung Chung Line Extension project, is expected to start in 2025 and be completed in 2032.
Project timeline
The Tung Chung Line Extension is among the seven proposed railway projects under the Hong Kong government’s railway development scheme-2014 (RDS-2014).
MTR submitted a proposal based on an ownership model to the Transport and Housing Bureau for the Tung Chung Line Extension in 2018.
Project planning, design, environmental impact assessment, ground investigation and local consultation were all initiated in 2020.
The environmental impact assessment report was approved in July 2022, while the environmental permit was obtained in August the same year.
The Hong Kong government and MTR signed a project agreement in February 2023 for the finance, design, construction, operation and maintenance of the project.
Tung Chung Line Extension project details
The project includes a 1.3km-long westward underground extension of the railway line from the existing Tung Chung station to the new Tung Chung West station.
1.2km of above-ground railway track section between the existing Sunny Bay Station and Tung Chung station will be realigned and diverted towards the Tung Chung East reclamation area.
The project also includes the construction of the Tung Chung West and Tung Chung East stations.
It will support the potential housing developments in the Tung Chung East reclamation area and Tung Chung West as part of the Tung Chung new town extension.
The railway stations are key to the development of the transport infrastructure to support the Tung Chung new town extension development. The town extension project aims to develop the Tung Chung new town into a comprehensively planned new town to accommodate a larger population, as well as increase the land supply to meet the country’s housing and economic needs.
The Tung Chung Line Extension also includes the construction of the remaining stretch of the 460m-long AREOT.
The AREOT will include an eastward extension of the existing overrun tunnels from the Hong Kong station. It will enhance the capacity and efficiency of the Tung Chung line.
Location of new stations
The Tung Chung West station is being built as a terminal station located to the west of Yat Tung Estate. It will cater to the residents of the Mun Tung Estate, Yat Tung Estate and other housing developments in the adjacent area.
The Tung Chung East station is being built as an intermediate station between the existing Sunny Bay station and Tung Chung station. It will serve the new housing and commercial developments in the surrounding reclamation area.
Tung Chung East station details
The Tung Chung East station will be an above-ground facility with an elevated concourse.
The station is designed with high headroom to enable the entry of more natural light.
Elevated walkways will be built to connect the exit and entry points of the station to the new development area.
Tung Chung West station details
The Tung Chung West will be an underground station. The exit and entrance points will be located near the Yat Tung shopping centre and the Mun Tung estate.
The external design of the station will integrate easily with the local neighbourhood and landscape.
Green features will be installed in the above-ground facilities of the station. The entrances to the station will be designed to allow daylight.
Funding for the project
The investment in the project is estimated to be HK$19.5bn ($2.49bn). The government has agreed to provide funding for the project under the rail-plus-property model.
The funding support will bridge the project’s funding gap, which was estimated at HK$15.5bn ($1.98bn), based on the net present value (NPV) as of July 2022.
MTRC has been awarded the property development rights of Tung Chung area 113, which is part of the newly reclaimed land under the Tung Chung new town extension project. Spanning 7.6ha, Tung Chung area 113 is located close to the proposed Tung Chung East station.
The government approved a financial arrangement that includes the deduction of a fixed lump sum amount of HK$18.36bn ($2.34bn) in today’s prices from the property development site’s full market value (FMV) land premium. The model requires MTR to pay to the government the FMV land premium less the fixed lump sum amount.
Contractors involved
A joint venture (JV) between SNC-Lavalin’s Atkins business and Arup received the detailed planning and design contract from MTR for the Tung Chung line extension project in July 2020.
A JV between Bouygues Travaux Publics and Dragages Hong Kong received a contract in May 2023 for the construction of the Tung Chung West station and the 1.3km westward expansion of the Tung Chung line.
MTR awarded a contract to the JV between Paul Y Engineering and China Railway Construction (CRCC) to perform civil works for the Tung Chung East station and related enabling works for the new 1.2 km track section.
Slaughter and May, an international law firm based in the UK, advised MTR on the project agreement with the Hong Kong government for the design, financing, construction, completion, operation and maintenance of the Tung Chung Line Extension project.
