What are the components of the Northern Link project?
Kwu Tung Station on the East Rail Line
Between Lok Ma Chau and Sheung Shui stations, Kwu Tung Station on the East Rail Line will be located at the junction of the existing Ma Tso Lung Road and Ho Sheung Heung Road, which is also the town centre of the future Kwu Tung North New Development Area. Once the Northern Link is completed, Kwu Tung Station will be upgraded to an interchange station, allowing passengers to easily transfer between the East Rail Line and the Northern Link.
Construction of the East Rail Line’s Kwu Tung Station commenced in 2023. The project is currently progressing at full speed as scheduled and is expected to be completed in 2027. The future Kwu Tung Station will be the public transport hub in the area, providing efficient and convenient railway services to residents living in the Kwu Tung North New Development Area.
Northern Link Main Line
The Northern Link Main Line is a 10.7-km-long railway, linking the existing Kam Sheung Road Station of the Tuen Ma Line and the future Kwu Tung Station, with two terminal and three intermediate stations in San Tin, Ngau Tam Mei and Au Tau. It will provide efficient and reliable railway services in the Northern New Territories to meet the transport demand of new population along the railway alignment in the Northern Metropolis. It will also form a railway loop with the existing Tuen Ma Line and East Rail Line, thereby greatly improving the transport connectivity between New Territories East and New Territories West.
Northern Link Spur Line
The Northern Link Spur Line will be a cross-boundary bifurcation of the Northern Link Main Line, linking San Tin Station on the Northern Link Main Line with the new Huanggang Port in Shenzhen. The total length of the spur line is 6.2 kilometres with three new stations to be established along the Spur Line, including Chau Tau Station and the Loop Station in Hong Kong as well as the new Huanggang Port Station in Shenzhen, providing direct connectivity between Hong Kong and Shenzhen. Following the East Rail Line's Lo Wu and Lok Ma Chau stations, Huanggang Port Station will become the third cross-boundary railway checkpoint, offering another option for cross-boundary travel.
Let's watch a video to check out the composition of the Northern Link project!
A Fully Underground Alignment
The Northern Link Main Line and Spur Line will have a total length of about 17 kilometres, making it the largest in scale among the multiple railway projects currently being undertaken by the Corporation.
After comprehensively considering future development and balancing expectations for community benefits, the project team decided to adopt a "fully underground alignment" for the entire line. There are three main reasons for this:
• Releasing Land and Development Space: In a city as dense as Hong Kong, building the railway in underground tunnels frees up precious surface land, allowing for more flexible planning for housing, economic, and community facilities in the Northern Metropolis;
• Reducing Construction Impact: Compared to above-ground or elevated alignments, underground construction significantly reduces the impact on existing communities, commercial activities, and road traffic;
• Protecting the Ecology: An underground railway alignment helps to protect the area's ecological resources as much as possible and minimises disturbance to the surface ecosystem.
The geological condition of Hong Kong is complex and varied, with hard rock formations as well as softer alluvial deposits or mixed ground, not all of which are suitable for railway tunnel construction. Technically, new railway tunnels must also meet various design standards, such as avoiding steep gradients and sharp curvatures to ensure the safety of the railway. The engineering team also needs to adopt different underground construction methods based on varying geological conditions to minimise surface excavation and reduce the impact on the community and road traffic.
Progressing the Main Line and Spur Line Simultaneously with the target of Opening Both Lines No Later than 2034
To enhance the efficiency of railway development, the Government and the Corporation are now jointly implementing an integrated planning approach for the Northern Link's Main Line and Spur Line, leveraging synergies to enhance efficiency in terms of time and cost. The Corporation is progressing at full speed with the construction works of the Northern Link Main Line and the detailed planning and design of the Spur Line. The goal is to have both lines opened simultaneously no later than 2034, contributing to the development of the Northern Metropolis and shaping the future of Hong Kong.
Let's watch a video to check out the blueprint of the Northern Link project!
*Station names are working titles only.
