Hundreds more MTR train services to ease crush on Island and Kwun Tong lines

More train services will operate on the Island and Kwun Tong MTR lines to ease the evening rush-hour crowds from next month, pushing the two lines close to the maximum usage their signalling systems allow.

The public transport operator, which is under pressure from the government to boost capacity, will also add more trains during off-peak hours on several other lines. But the MTR said it would be impossible to add more trains on most busy lines during the morning rush hour until an upgrade of the signalling system, due to take place between 2018 and 2022, could be completed.

Trains on the Island Line will arrive every two minutes between 5pm and 7pm from April 7, an improvement of between six and 32 seconds on the present situation. In total, 18 daily train journeys will be added to the line. On the Kwun Tong Line, four trips will be added between 5pm and 7pm, improving frequencies by four seconds to every two minutes and 20 seconds.

Further services on the lines would depend on train availability, as well as the limitations of the signalling system, it added.

The MTR said the changes were being introduced as a result of public feedback. It comes after the government last month changed the measure it uses to assess capacity. Instead of a maximum of six passengers per square metre, the maximum is now four per square metre.

Watch: Hong Kong's MTR during peak hours