LegCo Panel on Transport
Connecting Transport Arrangements for the new Airport
Introduction
This paper briefs Members on connecting transport arrangements for the new Airport which came into operation on 6 July.
Background
2. Our strategy on public transport services for the new Airport is to provide a wide range of public transport services to serve the new Airport. These include the Airport Railway (AR), franchised bus, ferry and taxis.
Airport Railway
3. The AR connects Central District with the new Airport and Tung Chung New Town. The Airport Express Line (AEL) provides a dedicated airport express service linking Central, West Kowloon and Tsing Yi with the new Airport. The Tung Chung Line (TCL) provides a domestic mass transit service linking Central, West Kowloon and Tsing Yi with Tung Chung New Town, stopping at Hong Kong, Kowloon, Olympic, Lai King, Tsing Yi and Tung Chung Stations. All stations are connected to existing road networks and within easy access for motorists.
4. Both services operate from 6.00 a.m. to 1.00 a.m. of the following day. By 20 July, 95% of the AEL journeys between Central and the new Airport took 30 minutes or less, and the AEL train frequency was 12 minutes. The average daily patronage is about 27,400. The total number of passengers entering the TCL stations was 55,000 passengers on an average weekday. Considering also entries at other stations but exits at the TCL stations, the TCL service attracted about 90,000 passengers on a weekday.
5. Up to 23 July, there had only been a number of minor train incidents involving the routing of trains to inappropriate platforms and the trains' inability to receive start signal from the train control system. Though causing inconvenience to passengers, they did not have any safety implications. These teething problems have been or being addressed and the MTR Corporation is carrying out the necessary improvement work.
6. On 23 July 1998, the Tung Chung Line service was seriously disrupted and the frequency of service on the Airport Express was reduced, due to an incident involving damage to a rail crossing at Tsing Yi Station. The train involved in the incident carried no passengers and was being driven in manual mode at slow speed and there were no safety implications on passengers. There is a separate paper on the incident.
Operation of AEL Stations
7. Operation of the Hong Kong, Kowloon and Tsing Yi Stations has generally gone well, with the exception of ticketing facilities during the first week of operation of the AEL. Initially the machines were introduced for Single Journey Tickets, and accepting notes only but with no change. The software has been revised and all machines now accept notes and give change satisfactorily. Full coin acceptance functions are being introduced in stages and will be available at all Ticket Machines by early August.
8. Additional signs have been erected to provide clearer guidance to users. To ensure adequate supply of taxis at AEL Stations, MTR Corporation has made the necessary arrangements with taxi companies. If there is a shortage of taxis, MTR staff will call for more taxis through taxi consoles.
In-town Check-in (ITCI)
9. ITCI facilities of AEL have served an average of 3,050 passengers and 2,660 pieces of baggage per day. The average baggage processing time from check-in counters at ITCI hall to airport is about 58 minutes.
AR Feeders
10. At present, over 70 feeder bus routes and 10 green minibus routes are serving the TCL and AEL Stations. Among them are eight new feeder routes serving Hong Kong, Kowloon and Tsing Yi Stations are operated with buses equipped with luggage facilities.
Franchised Bus
11. A total of 27 bus routes, details as set out in Annex A, are serving the new Airport -
- seven airbus routes providing more direct and premium services to the Air Passenger Terminal;
- eight external routes serving not only the Air Passenger Terminal, but also the Tung Chung New Town and the major employment areas within the new Airport;
- four overnight services;
- six shuttle services from Tung Chung Station to various parts of the new Airport; and
- two shuttle services within Chek Lap Kok.
12. In the first two weeks from 6 July, franchised buses carried an average of 107,300 passengers daily. Since the implementation of the bus network to the new Airport, service adjustments have been made to routings and stopping arrangements at the new Airport for smooth traffic circulation. Service adjustments in terms of operating hours and frequencies have also been made to better suit demand at the new Airport.
Ferry
13. A high-speed ferry service operates between Tuen Mun Ferry Pier and Chek Lap Kok Ferry Pier from 6.00 a.m. to 10.00 p.m. at a peak frequency of 20/30-minutes. The journey time is about 10 minutes and the fare is $15. It carries about 6,800 passengers daily. The frequency and capacity are adequate to meet passenger demand. Ferry passengers can interchange with the three shuttle bus services to gain access from the ferry pier to Tung Chung, the Air Passenger Terminal and different parts on Chek Lap Kok.
Taxis
14. All three types of taxi services, as follows, are available for the new Airport -
- Urban taxis operate in all areas at the new Airport and Tung Chung New Town;
- Lantau taxis operate in all areas at the new Airport and Lantau; and
- New Territories taxis serve the Air Passenger Terminal, Ground Transportation Centre (GTC) and AEL Tsing Yi Station.
15. The supply of taxis at the new Airport has been sufficient to meet demand. About 70-100 urban taxis and 20-50 NT taxis have been observed waiting for hire at the GTC at most time of the day.
Airport Express Hotel Shuttle
16. The Airport Express hotel shuttle service is offered free of charge by the MTR Corporation to AEL passengers travelling to and from Hong Kong and Kowloon Stations to designated hotels. There are a total of four routes and daily patronage of each route ranges from 200 to 1,000 passengers.
Parking facilities
17. Travellers to the new Airport can also drive via the Lantau Link and North Lantau Highway. There are more than 3,000 parking spaces near the Passenger Terminal Building, of which 1,750 is inside multi-storey carpark. The hourly charges of the parking fees range from $13 to $16. Daily charge of $130 is offered for parking over 10 hours.
18. As regards the AEL Stations in Hong Kong, Kowloon and Tsing Yi, there are a total of 900 parking spaces. MTR Corporation adopts a pricing strategy to encourage the use of the carpark by AEL users. For example, the Corporation offers a concessionary rate of $5 per hour for a maximum of four hours, provided that the user has a stamp on their parking ticket at the Airport Station.
Publicity
19. To publicise the provision of public transport services for the new Airport, 500,000 copies of colour information pamphlets showing various public transport means to the new Airport, at Annex B, have been produced for free distribution to the public, through Transport Department's Licensing Offices, District Offices, and road tunnels. For motorists, 100,000 copies of road maps to the new Airport, at Annex C, have also been distributed via the above channels.
20. In addition to the franchised bus and ferry companies' enquiry services, a hotline was set up at the Transport Department to receive and answer public enquiries from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily. This service has been well patronised, with about 800 enquiries received during the first two weeks.
Conclusion
21. Since the commissioning of the new Airport, the capacity of the public transport services connecting the new Airport is generally adequate to meet passenger demand and the service performance has been satisfactory. Since the new Airport has just been commissioned and the demand of the services has yet to stabilize, Transport Department is closely monitoring and reviewing the demand for the public transport services. Service adjustments and improvements will be made as and when necessary.
Advice sought
22. Members are invited to note the contents of this paper.
July 1998
Transport Bureau
Government Secretariat
Annex A
Franchised Buses to the Airport
7 Airbus routes
|
Route No.
|
Destinations
|
Fare
($)
|
Freq.
(mins)
|
Operating hours |
|
A11
|
Causeway Bay (Moreton Terrace) - Airport (Ground Transportation Centre)
|
40.0
|
12
|
0600 -0000 |
|
A12
|
Sai Wan Ho Ferry Pier - Airport (Ground Transportation Centre)
|
45.0
|
15
|
0600 -0000 |
|
A21
|
Kowloon KCR Station - Airport (Ground Transportation Centre)
|
33.0
|
10
|
0600 - 0000 |
|
A22
|
Lam Tin MTR Station - Airport (Ground Transportation Centre)
|
39.0
|
15
|
0600 -0000 |
|
A31
|
Tsuen Wan (Discovery Park) - Airport (Ground Transportation Centre)
|
17.0
|
15
|
0600 - 0000 |
|
A35
|
Mui Wo - Airport (Ground Transportation
Centre)
|
14.0
(23.0 on Sun & PH)
|
30/60
|
0600 - 0005 |
|
A41
|
Sha Tin (Yuen Chau Kok ) - Airport (Ground Transportation Centre)
|
20.0
|
20
|
0600 - 0000 |
8 External routes
|
Route No.
|
Destinations
|
Fare
($)
|
Freq.
(mins)
|
Operating hours |
|
E11
|
Causeway Bay (Moreton Terrace) - Airport (Ground Transportation Centre)
|
21.0
|
10/15
|
0520 - 0000 |
|
E22
|
Kowloon City Ferry Pier - Airport (Chek Lap Kok Ferry Pier)
|
18.0
|
7/8
|
0530 - 0010 |
|
Route No.
|
Destinations
|
Fare
($)
|
Freq.
(mins)
|
Operating hours |
|
E23
|
Lam Tin (North) - Airport (Ground Transportation Centre)
|
18.0
|
12/15
|
0530 -0000 |
|
E32
|
Kwai Fong MTR Station - Chek Lap Kok Ferry
|
10.0
|
7/15
|
0530 - 0000 |
|
E33
|
Tuen Mun Town Centre - Airport (Ground Transportation Centre)
|
13.0
|
11/20
|
0530 - 0000 |
|
E34
|
Tin Shui Wai Town Centre - Airport (Ground Transportation Centre)
|
13.0
|
7/15
|
0530 - 0000 |
|
E41
|
Tai Po Tau - Airport (Ground Transportation Centre)
|
13.0
|
12/20
|
0530 - 0000 |
|
E42
|
Shatin (Pok Hong) - Airport (Ground Transportation Centre)
|
13.0
|
10/15
|
0530 - 0000 |
4 Overnight services
|
Route No.
|
Destinations
|
Fare
($)
|
Freq.
(mins)
|
Operating hours |
|
N11
|
Causeway Bay (Moreton Terrace) - Airport (Ground Transportation Centre)
|
35.0
|
20
|
0020 - 0500 |
|
N21
|
Mong Kok KCR Station - Airport (Ground Transportation Centre)
|
23.0
|
20
|
0000 - 0500 |
|
N22
|
Star Ferry - Airport (Ground Transportation Centre)
|
28.0
|
20
|
0010 - 0510 |
|
N31
|
Tsuen Wan (Discovery Park) - Airport (Ground Transportation Centre)
|
20.0
|
20
|
0020 - 0500 |
6 Shuttle services from Tung Chung Station to airport
|
Route No.
|
Destinations
|
Fare
($)
|
Freq.
(mins)
|
Operating hours |
|
S51
|
Tung Chung MTR Bus Terminus - Airport (Passenger Terminal Building) (via Cargo Terminal) (Circular)
|
4.0
|
7/8
|
0530 - 0000 |
|
S52
|
Tung Chung MTR Bus Terminius - Airport (Aircraft Maintenance Area)
|
4.0
|
12/15
|
0530 - 0000 |
|
S61
|
Tung Chung MTR Bus Terminus - Airport (Passenger Terminal Building) (via Tung Chung Ferry Pier) (Circular)
|
3.5
|
5/10
|
0545 - 0000 |
|
S62
|
Tung Chung MTR Bus Terminus - Airport (Cargo Terminal Area) (Circular)
|
3.0
|
8/15
|
0545 - 0000 |
|
S63
|
Tung Chung MTR Bus Terminus - Airport (Aircraft Catering Area) (Circular)
|
3.0
|
6/10
|
0545 - 0000 |
|
S64
|
Tung Chung MTR Bus Terminus - Chek Lap Kok Ferry Pier
|
3.5
|
5/9
|
0545 - 0000 |
2 Shuttle services within Chek Lap Kok
|
Route No.
|
Destinations
|
Fare
($)
|
Freq.
(mins)
|
Operating hours |
|
S53
|
Chek Lap Kok Ferry Pier- Airport (Passenger Terminal Building) (Circular)
|
3.0
|
15
|
0600 - 0000 |
|
S54
|
Chek Lap Kok Ferry Pier- Airport (Aircraft Maintenance Area)
|
7.0
|
15
|
0600 - 0030 |
