Lok Ma Chau station

(Redirected from Lok Ma Chau Station)

Lok Ma Chau is the northwestern terminus in Lok Ma Chau on the Lok Ma Chau Spur Line, a branch line of the East Rail line of Hong Kong's MTR network, which was built to alleviate the immigration checkpoint between Hong Kong and mainland China's Shenzhen at Lo Wu station. MTR Corporation promotes use of Lok Ma Chau as a direct connection with Line 4 of the Shenzhen Metro, which is also operated by the MTR Corporation alongside Line 10.

Lok Ma Chau

落馬洲
MTR MTR rapid transit station
Platform 2 (foreground)
General information
LocationBorder Road, Lok Ma Chau
Yuen Long District, Hong Kong
Coordinates22°30′52″N 114°03′57″E / 22.5144°N 114.0657°E / 22.5144; 114.0657
Owned byKowloon-Canton Railway Corporation
Operated byMTR Corporation
Line(s)
Platforms2 (1 island platform)
Tracks2
Connections
Construction
Structure typeElevated
Platform levels1
AccessibleYes
Other information
Station codeLMC
History
Opened15 August 2007; 16 years ago (2007-08-15)
Passengers
201260,000 daily entries and exits[1]
Services
Preceding station MTR MTR Following station
Sheung Shui
towards Admiralty
East Rail line Terminus
Future
Kwu Tung
towards Admiralty
East Rail line Terminus
Across mainland China–Hong Kong boundary
Preceding station SZM Shenzhen Metro Following station
Fumin
towards Niuhu
Line 4
transfer at Futian Checkpoint
Terminus
Terminus Line 10
transfer at Futian Checkpoint
Fumin
Preceding station MTR MTR Following station
Proposed
San Tin Northern Link Terminus
Track layout
2
1
Location
Hong Kong MTR system map
Hong Kong MTR system map
Lok Ma Chau
Location within the MTR system
Lok Ma Chau station
Chinese落馬洲
Cantonese Yalelohk mah jau

On 4 February 2020, MTR temporarily closed this station and suspended train service to and from this station following the Government's measures to contain the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic. The station reopened on the 8th January, 2023.

History edit

Lok Ma Chau station, together with the spur line, opened on the afternoon of 15 August 2007. The adjoining Futian Checkpoint station on Line 4 of the Shenzhen Metro opened on 28 June 2007. Like Lo Wu station, this station is located in the Frontier Closed Area, hence access is restricted to passengers with a permit or a passport and visa to mainland China.

On 2 December 2007, this station was leased to the MTR Corporation, along with the entire KCR network, by the Kowloon-Canton Railway Corporation, for a period of 50 years, giving Lok Ma Chau station the shortest station life under KCR operation.

Station layout edit

L3
T
Ticket office Ticket machines, shops, automatic teller machines
L2
A/P
Footbridge Footbridge (Mainland China to Hong Kong)
Arrival hall Hong Kong Immigration Department and Customs and Excise Department checkpoints, shops, washrooms
Platform 1      East Rail line towards Admiralty (Sheung Shui)
Island platform, doors will open on the left or right
Platform 2      East Rail line towards Admiralty (Sheung Shui)
L1
D
Footbridge Footbridge to mainland China's Shenzhen Futian Immigration Control Point
Departure hall Hong Kong Immigration Department and Customs Checkpoints, shops
Lower concourse Fare adjustment, shops, automatic teller machines, washrooms
G Ground level Exits, transport interchange

[2]

Lok Ma Chau Spur Line Control Point edit

The Lok Ma Chau Spur Line Control Point (Chinese: 落馬洲支線管制站) is an immigration control point connected with the Lok Ma Chau station. It is the second control point along the land border of Hong Kong to have a railway access. The control point is connected via a pedestrian footbridge to the Futian Port, an immigration port of entry of the PRC, and from there to Shenzhen Metro's Futian Checkpoint station.

The control point was opened on 15 August 2007 together with the opening of the KCR Lok Ma Chau Spur Line between Lok Ma Chau and Sheung Shui station. The crossing consists of a cable-stay double-deck pedestrian bridge across the Sham Chun River, which forms the border between Hong Kong and the rest of the PRC. The lower deck handles pedestrians heading from Hong Kong to Futian Port, while the upper deck handles those coming from Futian Port to Hong Kong. Immigration facilities are located within the station building on both ends of the bridge. Electricity to the Hong Kong half of the bridge is provided by CLP Power, and Hong Kong's jurisdiction and law enforcement on the bridge also terminate at the midpoint, as on the Lo Wu Bridge.

The control point is open between 06:30 and 22:30, unlike the 24-hour vehicle Lok Ma Chau Control Point nearby. Later pedestrian crossing can be made at Lo Wu Control Point, until 00:00.

Although the Lok Ma Chau Spur Line Control Point is often referred to as a railway crossing, it is in fact a pedestrian crossing, unlike the Lo Wu Control Point, where no bus or any other public transport can reach. Furthermore, there is no through-train service, as the railway line is not connected with the railways in mainland China. And although the bulk of the users are train passengers, the Lok Ma Chau pedestrian crossing can also be reached by bus, taxi and mini bus from various parts of the New Territories.

The Lok Ma Chau transport interchange is located to the east of Lok Ma Chau station and is connected with the station via footbridges. The entrance and exit between the station and the interchange are guarded by the police as the area is located within the Frontier Closed Area.

The checkpoint has 2 road public transport services both to/from the West (MTR trains to the checkpoint run to/from the East). Those road services are:

  • Bus B1
  • Green minibus 75

Both run to/from Yuen Long town centre from where other destinations in Western New Territories can be reached by road and rail. Among public transport destinations from Yuen Long is also bus 968 to Hong Kong Island via the Western Harbour Crossing.

Bus B1 and green minibus 75 operate via San Tin PTI. San Tin PTI offers many more connections than Lok Ma Chau Spur Line Checkpoint. KMB bus routes 76K, 276B, B1, N73, A43P, R41, X43, 178R (R41, X43 and 178R available Events Only) and all serve San Tin Public Transport Interchange.[3]

See also edit

References edit

  1. ^ "LCQ6 Annex II – Services of MTR East Rail Line and Ma On Shan Line and KMB in North District: Patronage and Train Loading of the MTR East Rail Line and Ma On Shan Line in the Past Five Years" (PDF). HKSAR Government. 20 February 2013. Retrieved 10 February 2014.
  2. ^ "Lok Ma Chau Station layout" (PDF). MTR Corporation. Retrieved 14 February 2015.
  3. ^ "Lok Ma Chau Station street map" (PDF). MTR Corporation. Retrieved 14 February 2015.

External links edit