bodyType

customContents

entityId

entityUuid

articlePageQuery

filter

article

articleBaseAdvertisingInfoArticle

articleListArticle

articleSeoArticle

hooksArticleAcknowledgementGateOverlayArticle

hooksTrackPageViewArticle

hooksContentInterestArticle

articleLinkingDataContent

hooksAmpRedirectArticle

articleSchemaContent

liveArticle

advertZone

sentiment

contentLock

topics

types

sections

paywallTypes

createdDate

publishedDate

sponsorType

urlAlias

moreOnThisArticles

commentCount

authorLocations

authors

corrections

displaySlideShow

multimediaEmbed

printHeadline

seriesContainer

articleSpeeches

socialHeadline

headline

images

flag

firstTopic

glossary

flattenTypeIds

image

relatedLinks

relatedNewsletters

__typename

sponsor

pdfFiles

seriesReverseOrder

series

disableOffPlatformContent

published

updatedDate

summary

subHeadline

body

keywords

readingTime

customTimezone

liveContents

Karen Zhang

Hong Kong’s railway giant slashed its fares by half on Saturday in a weekend offer to compensate users for its worst ever service failure, which hit hundreds of thousands of commuters during rush hour last month.
“Adult Octopus holders enjoy child concessionary fares while other Octopus holders pay HK$1 [13 US cents] only for every journey,” the MTR Corporation said in a notice posted on its website.
Similar notices were displayed at MTR stations for the discounts, available on Saturday and Sunday.
The city’s sole rail operator offered the special fares as “a small token of the MTR’s gratitude”, operations director Adi Lau Tin-shing told a Legislative Council meeting on Monday.

Child concessionary fares are around 50 per cent cheaper. Those already enjoying discounts such as the elderly, children and students pay HK$1 per trip regardless of travel distance.
The special fares did not apply to the Airport Express, MTR feeder buses, journeys to or from Lo Wu and Lok Ma Chau stations and the East Rail Line first class premium.
‘No one gave an order’: rogue computers blamed for MTR chaos
The severe breakdown on four of the city’s rail lines – Island, Kwun Tong, Tseung Kwan O and Tsuen Wan – caused six hours of serious delays and commuter turmoil during morning rush hour on October 16. Preliminary findings showed the incident was caused by a system failure.
However, the discount failed to impress passengers.
At Causeway Bay station, MTR user Anthony Leung said he knew about the offer, but it would not make up for the losses he suffered.

For work, he commuted from Tseung Kwan O to Mong Kok but had to take a day’s annual leave on October 16.
“I don’t think they can make up for anything by providing this special discount. It’s just a few dollars,” he said. “They should check the system to ensure such problems don’t happen again.”
University student Marco Pong said offering a discount at the weekend did not make sense as the breakdown happened during rush hour on a weekday.
Discounts? Most MTR users want reliable services
A frequent MTR user surnamed Wong said the discount was better than nothing – but what the company really needed to do was update its old system and enhance transparency.
“The city relies heavily on the system, even a five-minute delay could cause a lot of trouble,” he said.
Lau previously said the MTR was concerned that discounts on weekdays might lead to an increase in passengers.




Hong Kong consumers need not be at sea when it comes to oysters

Is it time to call an end to Hong Kong’s boar war?

Service failures show MTR has work to do to uphold its reputation

6.5 million people to pass through Hong Kong borders during coming holiday

MTR Corporation

Hong Kong rail giant MTR slashes weekend fares as compensation over huge service disruption but move fails to impress train users

The two-day offer on cheap fares was implemented on Saturday. Photo: Edward Wong

Commuter is seen queuing between Hong Kong Station and Central Station when there is a signal fault on the MTR underground lines. The incident causes a six-hour disruption to the underground transport network and large number of commuters has to use alternate transport methods. 16OCT18 SCMP / Sam Tsang

Commuter queuing up at Mong Kok Station at about 9AM this morning. A signaling fault on the train network caused a six-hour disruption to the MTR services. 16OCT18 SCMP/ Felix Wong

News

Hong Kong

Transport

Company offers discount as ‘small token of gratitude’ to passengers after severe breakdown on four of the city’s rail lines caused six hours of delays


Company offers discount as ‘small token of gratitude’ to passengers after severe breakdown on four of the city’s rail lines caused six hours of delays.


Hong Kong rail giant MTR slashes weekend fares as compensation over huge service disruption but move fails to impress train users

.css-1mniedq{color:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-size:inherit;font-family:inherit;line-height:inherit;}Company offers discount as ‘small token of gratitude’ to passengers after severe breakdown on four of the city’s rail lines caused six hours of delays

Company offers discount as ‘small token of gratitude’ to passengers after severe breakdown on four of the city’s rail lines caused six hours of delays