Island Line (MTR) - Route Description

Route Description

The Island Line is the MTR line that resembles the deep-level lines of the London Underground the most, as most of the route and stations along the line are deep underground and consist of cylindrical tunnels. This is the result of a lack of available land, as the construction plans for the line required it to be built under major roads.

The major roads that the Island Line runs under are:

• Des Voeux Road Central (Sheung Wan and Central)
• Queensway (Admiralty)
• Hennessy Road (Wanchai and Causeway Bay)
• Causeway Road (Between Causeway Bay and Tin Hau)
• King's Road (Between Tin Hau and Tai Koo)
• Shau Kei Wan Road (Sai Wan Ho and Shau Kei Wan)

Only the segment of the line east of Shau Kei Wan has space for track expansion and thus the line emerges to the surface at Heng Fa Chuen Station, and then on a viaduct, where is next to Shing Tai Road, and which goes through Chai Wan Park and Island Eastern Corridor above the ground, all the way to Chai Wan.

The route of the underground section of the line (as well as the proposed extension to Kennedy Town) is also served by local trams at surface level. This brought concerns that the tram system might be abolished when the MTR line was to be built (See Hong Kong Tramways for more information about the concern).

Because of the depth of the line, most underground stations on this line (except Admiralty, Shau Kei Wan and Tai Koo) have curved walls on the platforms, which are due to the routes' cylindrical tunnels, only with a greater diameter. Of the underground stations not bearing this feature, Tai Koo Station is itself a large tube containing both the concourse and the platform, while Shau Kei Wan, Admiralty, Central stations are built using the cut-and-cover method.

Because most stations were built under roads, most of the platforms are curved, the platform gaps are large. (Only North Point Station, Quarry Bay Station, Tai Koo Station, Heng Fa Chuen Station and Chai Wan Station do not have large gaps)

All but two of the stations along the route have their station names written in Chinese calligraphy as part of the stations' livery. The only stations that do not have this feature are Heng Fa Chuen and Chai Wan, which are also the only above-ground stations. A retired architect involved in the design of the Island Line explained that calligraphy are written in large fonts to alleviate the psychological effect caused by the narrow platforms and the curvature of the walls, in addition to remind passengers what this stop is. This explains why Heng Fa Chuen and Chai Wan stations do not have calligraphy forming part of its livery, as they are built above-ground. This feature is also shared amongst some newer MTR stations such as those on the Tseung Kwan O Line and Lam Tin Station on the Kwun Tong Line.

Also, due to geographical problems, the platforms of stations on this line (Central(Tsuen Wan line platforms use island platforms), Wan Chai, Causeway Bay, Tin Hau, North Point(Before Tseung Kwan O Line was extended to North Point), and Sai Wan Ho) are located on two different levels, this also makes the platform and concourse separated in two parts, so there are some passageways and long escalators on those stations to link between the platform and concourse.