Construction website The B1M has published a non-critical video about the building of the recently opened Sha Tin to Central MTR link.
The video and associated article entitled Hong Kong’s $11BN Underwater Railway Explained gives a broad overview of the SCL project and while the construction scandal and subsequent judicial inquiry are mentioned. It sadly reinforces the impression at the time that the corruption involved was ignored and covered up.
Even though almost everyone who wants to vote can easily walk to their polling station the government (scared of a low voter turnout?) has arranged free travel for all on Sunday 19 December, LEGCO election day.
“Members of the public will be able to enjoy free rides on the MTR, franchised buses and the tram.”
As the government puts it: “The above-mentioned public transport operators will provide free rides from the first to the last departure on that day. Services will be maintained at the normal level and be enhanced for busier routes and during peak periods subject to passenger demand and actual traffic conditions. The public transport operators will separately announce further details of the arrangement.”
The exact details of the free travel will be confirmed by the relevant companies.
The Hong Kong government’s bypassing of Legco to unilaterally introduce a ‘mask law’ is an insult to all HongKongers and a violation of our rights under both the Basic Law and Hong Kong law.
Carrie Lam has ignored millions of HongKongers marching peacefully, she has ignored the input of the people invited to attend the community discussions that she instigated.
Instead of listening to the people she claimed to represent when elected, and looking to attempt to defuse the volatile situation she created with the Extradition Law, Lam has instead trampled over the rights and freedoms of all HongKongers.
There was no violence or masks at the original protests against the extradition law.
The violence was instigated and initiated by the HK Police who actively and deliberately choose to use excessive force to disperse peaceful protestors and who allowed triads to attack the public.
Masks arrived because of the police’s excessive, indiscriminate and illegal use of tear gas and pepper spray.
The ‘mask law’ does not affect those Lam labels as ‘violent’ protestors, the penalties for ‘unlawful assembly’ far exceed those of the ‘mask law’.
The newly instigated law looks to intimidate and shutdown the peaceful protestors who are freely expressing their opinions as enshrined in the Basic Law and allowed under HK Law.
It also appears to be worded to suppress and interfere with the Freedom of the Press and the media’s ability to cover the protests and the excessive violence of the HK Police against protestors and members of the public. It is after all hard to film and report when you have a faceful of tear gas and/or pepper spray.
The protestors violence directly stems from the police’s own actions.
The damage to the MTR stems from it’s own injunction turning passengers into criminals and from picking sides rather than remaining neutral and simply moving people around.
The only way ‘healing’ and peace can come is from the government and the new ‘mask law’ shows Lam has no interest in resolving the violent situation she created. Beijing only understands force, subjugation and repression of freedoms.
Lam will go down in history as woman who destroyed Hong Kong, we can only hope that the blood on her hands gives her nightmares for the eternity.
The new Guangzhou-Shenzhen-Hong Kong High Speed Rail (Hong Kong Section) will finally start operation on the 23 September 2018. Ticket pre-sales starts on the 10 September 2018 for the short haul journeys to and from the Hong Kong West Kowloon Station and the six Mainland stations Futian, Shenzhenbei, Guangmingcheng, Humen, Qingsheng and Guangzhounan, as well as medium to long haul journeys connecting to destinations across China.
The first departure is at 7am with the last train leaving at 11pm and according to the MTR train frequency depends on demand. There are four ticket classes: Second, First, Premium and Business and for example the prices of a one-way trip to Guangzhou are $247, $371, $423, $519 respectively.
All classes appear to enjoy a basic set of facilities which includes free wi-fi, power sockets (either individual seat sockets or per row) and free hot water if you bring your own cup. Trains have 68 first and 511 second class seats spread across 8 compartments.
Note: Just to fully show who is in control ticket prices are set in Renminbi (RMB) and will vary depending on the HK$/RMB exchange rate! So prices will change daily if you pay in HK$.
Tickets can be bought up to 30 days in advance. Onlineticketing is here www.highspeed.mtr.com.hk, with ticket sales closing 2 hours before departure. At West Kowloon Station you can buy tickets up to 45 minutes before departure. Partial refunds are available and you can change your ticket times once based on the purchase deadlines.
bc has asked the MTR for clarification on the fares, how to buy return tickets – which appear to unavailable, you have to buy two single tickets – but the MTR have refused to reply.
The high speed rail was sold to HongKongers (we paid for it all) as reducing the journey time to Guangzhou but according to the published timetable most trains from HK only go Shenzhen – again the MTR have refused to respond to clarification on this.
If you have to change trains in Shenzhen to trains which do not have the features sold with your ticket (the last high speed train bc took in China, had no power sockets or free wifi in second class) what really is the point of the billions of taxpayer dollars spent on building the line.
Looking to avoid too deep an inspection of its profits and fare structure the MTR is offering discounted travel on 1 and 2 October 2017.
Adults using an Octopus card to travel on the MTR on these two days will enjoy discount fares equal to the Child Octopus fares for their trip. Concessionary Octopus holders will enjoy a flat fare of $1 per domestic journey (except the Airport Express, MTR Feeder Bus, journeys to or from Lo Wu and Lok Ma Chau stations and East Rail Line First Class Premium).
More details www.mtr.com.hk
The MTR announced today that passenger service on the extended Kwun Tong Line to the new Ho Man Tin and Whampoa stations will start on the 23 October.
When the new service begins, Whampoa Station will become the terminal station of the Kwun Tong Line – although not all trains will actually terminate there, some will finish at Ho Man Tin.
The estimated journey time between Whampoa and Yau Ma Tei stations will be approximately 5 minutes. While a trip from Whampoa to Admiralty will take approximately 15 minutes.
The frequency of trains during peak periods for Ho Man Tin Station will be approximately 2 minutes while for Whampoa Station it will be approximately 4 minutes.
Additional reporting: MTR
Travel this Lunar New Year is cheaper as the MTR reduce fares. On the 9 and 10 February adult Octopus holders will enjoy child concessionary fares and holders of other octopus card will pay just $1 per journey.
Other existing MTR discounts such as the Interchange Discount, the Fare Saver Discount and the 25% discount for connecting journeys with the Monthly Pass Extra etc will still function – unless the resulting fare is $0. There are no completely free trips.
The main exclusions for the discounted Lunar New Year travel are the Airport Express, MTR Feeder Bus, journeys to or from Lo Wu and Lok Ma Chau stations and East Rail Line First Class Premium.
Full Terms and Conditions here: http://www.mtr.com.hk/en/customer/main/cny_festive_discount_2016.html
