Central (MTR)
Encyclopedia
Central station is an MTR
MTR
Mass Transit Railway is the rapid transit railway system in Hong Kong. Originally opened in 1979, the system now includes 211.6 km of rail with 155 stations, including 86 railway stations and 69 light rail stops...

 station located in the Central
Central, Hong Kong
Central is the central business district of Hong Kong. It is located in Central and Western District, on the north shore of Hong Kong Island, across Victoria Harbour from Tsim Sha Tsui, the southernmost point of Kowloon Peninsula...

 area of Hong Kong Island
Hong Kong Island
Hong Kong Island is an island in the southern part of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region. It has a population of 1,289,500 and its population density is 16,390/km², as of 2008...

. The station's livery
Livery
A livery is a uniform, insignia or symbol adorning, in a non-military context, a person, an object or a vehicle that denotes a relationship between the wearer of the livery and an individual or corporate body. Often, elements of the heraldry relating to the individual or corporate body feature in...

 is firebrick red, except for the station's Tsuen Wan Line platform where its livery is dark brown. The station is the southern terminus
Terminal Station
Terminal Station is a 1953 film by Italian director Vittorio De Sica. It tells the story of the love affair between an Italian man and an American woman. The film was entered into the 1953 Cannes Film Festival.-Production:...

 for the Tsuen Wan Line and also connects with the Island Line
Island Line (MTR)
The Island Line is one of 10 lines of the MTR, the mass transit system in Hong Kong. It runs from Sheung Wan in the Central and Western District to Chai Wan in the Eastern District. The line first opened in 31 May 1985...

, and also the Tung Chung Line and the Airport Express
Airport Express (MTR)
The Airport Express is one of the lines of the Mass Transit Railway serving Hong Kong. It links the principal urban areas of Hong Kong to Hong Kong International Airport and the associated AsiaWorld-Expo exhibition and convention centre....

 via Hong Kong station.

The Station was once known as Chater Station.

Chater station was initially conceived to cater for average daily traffic of 330,000 passengers, and was to have been 380 metres long - amongst the longest station in the world. More than 200,000 passengers use this station daily. The longest distance between two subway exits is approximately 700 m.

History

Early plans
Central Station was in the Hong Kong Mass Transport Study, a system proposed in Sept 1967. Together with Western Market Station, it was to serve as the interchange station of the Kwun Tong Line and Island Line. In the recommended system, Tsuen Wan Line would end in Admiralty
Admiralty (MTR)
Admiralty station is an MTR station located on Hong Kong Island, in an area often referred to as Admiralty. The station's livery is dodger blue...

 rather than Central. Its designated position was originally under Des Voeux Road Central between Jubilee Street
Jubilee Street
Jubilee Street is a street in Central, Hong Kong Island, Hong Kong. The street links Queen's Road Central, Des Voeux Road Central and Connaught Road Central. It is where Central Market and the headquarters of Hang Seng Bank locates...

 and Pedder Street
Pedder Street
Pedder Street is a major thoroughfare in the core of Hong Kong’s Central District. It runs south-north from Queen's Road Central, continues through Des Voeux Road Central, and ends at its intersection with Connaught Road Central.-History:...

 (between Queen Victoria Street
Queen Victoria Street, Hong Kong
Queen Victoria Street is a street in Central, Hong Kong Island, Hong Kong. The street links Queen's Road Central, Des Voeux Road Central and Connaught Road Central. It is where Central Market and the headquarters of Hang Seng Bank locates....

 and Theatre Lane).

Subsequently, it is also included in the Hong Kong Mass Transit Further Studies, in 1970. However, the 1967 Central Station was replaced with two separate but connected stations, namely Chater Station (遮打站, under Chater Road) and Pedder Station (必打站, under Pedder Street), which would serve the Kong Kow Line (now Tsuen Wan Line) and Island Line
Island Line
Island Line can refer to:*Island Line , one of the ten lines of the MTR metro system in Hong Kong*Island Line, Isle of Wight, a railway line on the Isle of Wight, England*Island Line Trains, a train operating company in the United Kingdom...

 respectively.

Modified Initial System and opening
The station first opened as Chater Station in Feb 10, 1980 as the terminus of the Modified Initial System (MIS). Since then, people can travel on a direct train between Central and Kwun Tong. Only part of the station came into operation as the Island Line were not in operation yet.

The Island Line was built with 2 phases, with Central being opened at a later date than most ofn he other stations. Construction carried out in early 1983' by connecting the new Island line platforms with the original structure. The line was extended to Sheung Wan in 23 May, 1986, and the whole station came into service.

At first, although the station is named "Chater", the Chinese name was "中環". This would be misleading as many thought that the Chinese
Chinese language
The Chinese language is a language or language family consisting of varieties which are mutually intelligible to varying degrees. Originally the indigenous languages spoken by the Han Chinese in China, it forms one of the branches of Sino-Tibetan family of languages...

 name would be "遮打" (Chinese translation of "Chater"). The English name was renamed "Central" along with several stations on the Tsuen Wan Line, which is the English equivalent of "中環", when the section between Admiralty and Chai Wan of the Island Line opened on May 31, 1985. When the Island line part opened in 1986, it is known as one station as "Central".

Passageway to Hong Kong Station
One of the components of the Airport Core Programme between 1991 and 1998 is a railway connecting the new airport to the city center. In order to link Central with the nearby Hong Kong Station, southern terminus of the new Tung Chung Line and the Airport Express, a passageway has been built under Connaught Road
Connaught Road
Connaught Road refers to one major road and its western extension on the north shore of Hong Kong Island, Hong KongConnaught Road Central is a main thoroughfare that runs the length of Central, parallel to the north shore...

 to connect the two stations. The Pedder Street concourse, where the passageway starts, has also been refurbished with a design similar to Hong Kong Station.


Station layout

Central Station has 4 platforms on three levels, excluding those of Hong Kong
Hong Kong (MTR)
Hong Kong Station is the eastern terminus of the Tung Chung Line and Airport Express of the Hong Kong MTR metro system, situated between Man Cheung Street and Harbour View Street, Central, Hong Kong Island, and sits underneath the International Finance Centre...

 Station. Hong Kong Station and Central Station are linked by a pedestrian passage.
Ground - Exits
Penthouse Chater Rd Concourse -
L1
Concourse
Pedder St Concourse Customer Service, MTRShops
Hang Seng Bank
Hang Seng Bank
Hang Seng Bank Limited is the second largest bank in Hong Kong. It is a listed company but it is majority owned by the HSBC Group via The Hongkong and Shanghai Banking Corporation. Hang Seng is also one of the constituent shares of the Hang Seng Index...

, vending machines
Octopus promotion machine
Chater Rd Concourse Customer Service, MTRShops
ATM
Automated teller machine
An automated teller machine or automatic teller machine, also known as a Cashpoint , cash machine or sometimes a hole in the wall in British English, is a computerised telecommunications device that provides the clients of a financial institution with access to financial transactions in a public...

L2
Platforms
Chater Rd Concourse Customer Service, MTRShops
Hang Seng Bank
Hang Seng Bank
Hang Seng Bank Limited is the second largest bank in Hong Kong. It is a listed company but it is majority owned by the HSBC Group via The Hongkong and Shanghai Banking Corporation. Hang Seng is also one of the constituent shares of the Hang Seng Index...

, vending machines
Pedder St Concourse Customer Service, MTRShops
Subway to Hong Kong Station
Hong Kong (MTR)
Hong Kong Station is the eastern terminus of the Tung Chung Line and Airport Express of the Hong Kong MTR metro system, situated between Man Cheung Street and Harbour View Street, Central, Hong Kong Island, and sits underneath the International Finance Centre...

 for &
Octopus promotion machine, i-centre internet service
Side platform, doors will open on the left
Platform 3 towards Chai Wan
Chai Wan (MTR)
Chai Wan is the eastern terminus of MTR Island Line on Hong Kong Island, Hong Kong. It is the only station on the Island Line that is elevated...

L3
Platforms
Platform 1 towards Tsuen Wan
Tsuen Wan (MTR)
Tsuen Wan is the northern terminus of the MTR Tsuen Wan Line in Hong Kong. It is the only station on the line that is at ground level. It is located at the northern central part of Tsuen Wan New Town, and its next station is Tai Wo Hau....

Island platform, doors will open on the left/right
Platform 2 towards Tsuen Wan
Tsuen Wan (MTR)
Tsuen Wan is the northern terminus of the MTR Tsuen Wan Line in Hong Kong. It is the only station on the line that is at ground level. It is located at the northern central part of Tsuen Wan New Town, and its next station is Tai Wo Hau....

L4
Platform
Side platform, doors will open on the right
Platform 4 towards Sheung Wan
Sheung Wan (MTR)
Sheung Wan is the western terminus of the Hong Kong MTR Island Line.It was originally built in 1970 as Western Market but its construction was discontinued after further planning for the new lines. Upon the construction of the Island Line, the station was finally constructed and opened in May...



Platforms 1 and 2 are situated on a shared island platform on the middle level. They are served by the Tsuen Wan Line and were built directly under Chater Road
Chater Road
Chater Road is a three-lane road in Central, Hong Kong. It begins at its intersection with Pedder Street and Des Voeux Road Central in the west, and ends at Murray Road in the east. It is named after Sir Paul Chater.-Events:...

, extending from Des Voeux Road Central to Club Street
Club Street
Club Street is a street located in Chinatown within the Outram Planning Area in Singapore. Club Street links Cross Street with Ann Siang Hill, which leads to South Bridge Road....

. These platforms make up the southern terminus of the Tsuen Wan Line.

Platforms 3 and 4 are built beneath Des Voeux Road Central at the intersection of Pedder Street
Pedder Street
Pedder Street is a major thoroughfare in the core of Hong Kong’s Central District. It runs south-north from Queen's Road Central, continues through Des Voeux Road Central, and ends at its intersection with Connaught Road Central.-History:...

, stretching from World-Wide House
World-Wide House
World-Wide House is an office building in Central, Hong Kong. It is located between Connaught Road Central, Pedder Street and Des Voeux Road Central.-History:The site is situated on land reclaimed at the turn of the 20th century....

 to Alexandra House. Platform 3 is situated on the upper level, whilst platform 4 is on the lowermost level, and they sandwich Platforms 1 and 2. They are side platforms built on the northern side of the road, with Platform 3 on top of Platform 4. Escalators are provided between the 3 levels, to facilitate passengers who interchange.

Most of the platforms are straight. However, the east parts (near Admiralty Station
Admiralty (MTR)
Admiralty station is an MTR station located on Hong Kong Island, in an area often referred to as Admiralty. The station's livery is dodger blue...

) of platform are curved, the gap is large.

As part of the Airport Core Programme
Airport Core Programme
The Hong Kong Airport Core Programme was a series of infrastructure projects centred around the new Hong Kong International Airport during the early 1990s...

 (http://www.info.gov.hk/napco/index-e.html) during the 1990s, an underground passage was built between Central and Hong Kong
Hong Kong (MTR)
Hong Kong Station is the eastern terminus of the Tung Chung Line and Airport Express of the Hong Kong MTR metro system, situated between Man Cheung Street and Harbour View Street, Central, Hong Kong Island, and sits underneath the International Finance Centre...

 stations to allow transfers from the Island Line
Island Line (MTR)
The Island Line is one of 10 lines of the MTR, the mass transit system in Hong Kong. It runs from Sheung Wan in the Central and Western District to Chai Wan in the Eastern District. The line first opened in 31 May 1985...

 and Tsuen Wan Line to the Airport Express
Airport Express (MTR)
The Airport Express is one of the lines of the Mass Transit Railway serving Hong Kong. It links the principal urban areas of Hong Kong to Hong Kong International Airport and the associated AsiaWorld-Expo exhibition and convention centre....

 and Tung Chung Line. The passage opened in 1998 with the opening of these two new lines of the MTR
MTR
Mass Transit Railway is the rapid transit railway system in Hong Kong. Originally opened in 1979, the system now includes 211.6 km of rail with 155 stations, including 86 railway stations and 69 light rail stops...

.

Exits

Central Station stretches across the entire length of Chater Road to Statue Square
Statue Square
Statue Square is a public pedestrian square in Central, Hong Kong.-History:The square was built at the end of the 19th century. The idea of a square of statues dedicated to royalty was conceived by Sir Catchick Paul Chater. It derives its name from the fact that it originally contained the statue...

 in the east, and along Des Voeux Road to Li Yuen Street East in the west. The distance between the easternmost and westernmost exits is approximately 700 m.

Transport Connections

Central is also one of the transport hubs of Hong Kong. The area around Central (and Hong Kong stations) has a wide range of transport options that includes tramways, buses, ferries, minibuses and more. These are all the connections the commuter can refer to when travelling to areas not served by the MTR network from Central.

The area is a major transport hub for Hong Kong (see also Transport in Hong Kong
Transport in Hong Kong
Hong Kong has a highly developed and sophisticated transport network, encompassing both public and private transport. Over 90% of the daily journeys are on public transport, making it the highest rate in the world....

).
  • Bus
    Buses in Hong Kong
    Bus services in Hong Kong have a long history. As of 2005, five companies operate franchised public bus services. There are also a variety of non-franchised public buses services, including feeder bus services to railway stations operated by MTR, and residents' services for residential estates...

    • KMB
      Kowloon Motor Bus
      The Kowloon Motor Bus Company Limited , a company of the Transport International Holdings Limited, is the largest franchised bus operators in Hong Kong, and one of the largest privately owned public bus operators in the world...

      , serving only cross-harbour
      Victoria Harbour
      Victoria Harbour is a natural landform harbour situated between Hong Kong Island and the Kowloon Peninsula in Hong Kong. The harbour's deep, sheltered waters and strategic location on the South China Sea were instrumental in Hong Kong's establishment as a British colony and its subsequent...

       routes on Hong Kong Island
      Hong Kong Island
      Hong Kong Island is an island in the southern part of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region. It has a population of 1,289,500 and its population density is 16,390/km², as of 2008...

    • First Bus
      New World First Bus
      New World First Bus Services Limited , abbreviated as First Bus and "NWFB", is the third largest public bus operator in Hong Kong.NWFB was established in 1998, taking over China Motor Bus's franchise on 1 September 1998 to provide bus services on Hong Kong Island together with Citybus...

    • Citybus
      Citybus (Hong Kong)
      Citybus Limited is one of the three major bus operators in Hong Kong. It provides both franchised and non-franchised bus service. The franchised route network serves mainly Hong Kong Island, cross-harbour routes , Ocean Park, North Lantau and Hong Kong International Airport...

    • Nearby bus termini:
      • Central (Exchange Square) Bus Terminus (access by footbridge connecting Exit A or Hong Kong Station)
      • Central (City Hall) Bus Terminus (access by Exit K then tunnel)

  • Minibus
    Public light bus
    A Public light bus is a common public mode of transport in Hong Kong. It mainly serves the area that standard Hong Kong bus lines cannot reach as efficiently. It is also colloquially known as a minibus or a van, defined as a kind of share taxi....


  • Train
    Rail transport in Hong Kong
    Hong Kong's rail network comprises public transport trains operated by MTR Corporation Limited . The MTRC operates the metro network of Hong Kong and the commuter rail network connecting the northeastern and northwestern New Territories with the rest of Hong Kong...

    s and Tram
    Hong Kong Tramways
    Hong Kong Tramways is a tram system in Hong Kong and one of the earliest forms of public transport in Hong Kong. Owned and operated by Veolia Transport, the tramway runs on Hong Kong Island between Shau Kei Wan and Kennedy Town, with a branch circulating Happy Valley...

    s
    • MTR
      MTR
      Mass Transit Railway is the rapid transit railway system in Hong Kong. Originally opened in 1979, the system now includes 211.6 km of rail with 155 stations, including 86 railway stations and 69 light rail stops...

       - Island Line
      Island Line (MTR)
      The Island Line is one of 10 lines of the MTR, the mass transit system in Hong Kong. It runs from Sheung Wan in the Central and Western District to Chai Wan in the Eastern District. The line first opened in 31 May 1985...

      , Tsuen Wan Line, Tung Chung Line, Airport Express
      Airport Express (MTR)
      The Airport Express is one of the lines of the Mass Transit Railway serving Hong Kong. It links the principal urban areas of Hong Kong to Hong Kong International Airport and the associated AsiaWorld-Expo exhibition and convention centre....

       at Hong Kong
    • Tram
      Hong Kong Tramways
      Hong Kong Tramways is a tram system in Hong Kong and one of the earliest forms of public transport in Hong Kong. Owned and operated by Veolia Transport, the tramway runs on Hong Kong Island between Shau Kei Wan and Kennedy Town, with a branch circulating Happy Valley...

       (exits B, C and K)
    • Peak Tram
      Peak Tram
      The Peak Tramway is a funicular railway in Hong Kong, which carries both tourists and residents to the upper levels of Hong Kong Island. Running from Central district to Victoria Peak via the Mid-Levels, it provides the most direct route and offers good views over the harbour and skyscrapers of...

       (exit J3)

  • Ferries - Commuters can access walk across the bus terminus to their respective pier from the exit near the In Town Check-in Counters in Hong Kong station. Passengers who wish to use the Star Ferry can get out at Exit A and walk across the Central Elevated Walkway
    Central Elevated Walkway
    The Central Elevated Walkway is an extensive footbridge network spanning Admiralty and Central, near Victoria Harbour in Hong Kong.The system was built in phases by the Hong Kong Government and various developers, such as Hongkong Land, Jardine Matheson Holdings and Shun Tak Holdings. It has...

     to the Star Ferry Pier.
    • New World First Ferry
      New World First Ferry
      New World First Ferry Services Limited is a ferry service company in Hong Kong. The company was established in November 1999, when it took over the 8 licensed ferry routes transferred from the Hongkong and Yaumati Ferry...

      , to Silvermine Bay (Mui Wo
      Mui Wo
      Mui Wo is a rural town on the eastern coast of Lantau Island in Hong Kong. The main beach in Mui Wo is known as Silver Mine Bay .-History:...

      ), Peng Chau
      Peng Chau
      Peng Chau is a small island located off the north-eastern coast of Lantau Island, Hong Kong, which has an area of 0.99 km².Peng Chau is known for its small island lifestyle, accessibility to fresh seafood, and several temples located around the island...

       and Cheung Chau
      Cheung Chau
      Cheung Chau is a small island 10 km southwest of Hong Kong Island, is nicknamed as the 'dumbbell island' for its shape. It has been inhabited for longer than most other places in the territory of Hong Kong, with a population of about 23,000 up to 2006...

    • Hong Kong & Kowloon Ferry
      Hong Kong & Kowloon Ferry
      Hong Kong & Kowloon Ferry Ltd was incorporated in Hong Kong in February 1998.Other than regular ferry service, HKKF offers services to:*Correctional Services Department...

      , to Sok Kwu Wan
      Sok Kwu Wan
      thumb|250px|Sok Kwu Wan viewed from [[Lamma Island]] walkSok Kwu Wan or Picnic Bay is a bay in the Middle East coast of Lamma Island, Hong Kong...

       and Yung Shue Wan
      Yung Shue Wan
      Yung Shue Wan is the main population centre on Lamma Island, Hong Kong. It has a population of approximately 6,000.-Features:The village is a mix of residential properties, shops and restaurants. Yung Shue Wan gives a Mediterranean feeling when walking through it...

       on Lamma Island
      Lamma Island
      Lamma Island , also known as Pok Liu Chau or simply Pok Liu , is the third largest island in Hong Kong. Administratively, it is part of the Islands District.-Name:...

    • Star Ferry
      Star Ferry
      The Star Ferry, or The "Star" Ferry Company, is a passenger ferry service operator in Hong Kong. Its principal routes carry passengers across Victoria Harbour, between Hong Kong Island and Kowloon...

      , to Tsim Sha Tsui
      Tsim Sha Tsui
      Tsim Sha Tsui , often abbreviated as TST, is an urbanized area in southern Kowloon, Hong Kong. The area is administratively part of the Yau Tsim Mong District. Tsim Sha Tsui East is a piece of land reclaimed from the Hung Hom Bay now east of Tsim Sha Tsui...

       and Hung Hom
      Hung Hom
      Hung Hom is an area of Kowloon, in Hong Kong, administratively part of the Kowloon City District, with a portion west of the railway in the Yau Tsim Mong District. Hung Hom serves mainly residential purposes though is mixed with some industrial buildings in the north.-Geography:Hung Hom is located...

    • Discovery Bay
      Discovery Bay
      Discovery Bay is a mixed, primarily residential, development comprising a residential development and private and public recreational facilities in Hong Kong. It is situated on the north-eastern coast of Lantau Island in the New Territories. The development spans an area of 650 hectares , and...

       Ferry, to Tsim Sha Tsui East and Discovery Bay
      Discovery Bay
      Discovery Bay is a mixed, primarily residential, development comprising a residential development and private and public recreational facilities in Hong Kong. It is situated on the north-eastern coast of Lantau Island in the New Territories. The development spans an area of 650 hectares , and...

    • Park Island Ferry

Neighbouring stations

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