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Lo Wu station

Coordinates: 22°31′42″N 114°06′48″E / 22.5283°N 114.1134°E / 22.5283; 114.1134
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Lo Wu

羅湖
MTR MTR rapid transit station
Platform 2
Chinese name
Traditional Chinese
Simplified Chinese
Jyutpinglo4wu4
Hanyu PinyinLuóhú
Transcriptions
Standard Mandarin
Hanyu PinyinLuóhú
Yue: Cantonese
Yale RomanizationLòwù
IPA[lɔ˩wu˩]
Jyutpinglo4wu4
General information
LocationLo Wu Station Road, Lo Wu
North District, Hong Kong
Coordinates22°31′42″N 114°06′48″E / 22.5283°N 114.1134°E / 22.5283; 114.1134
Owned byKowloon-Canton Railway Corporation
Operated byMTR Corporation
Line(s)East Rail line
Platforms4 (Spanish solution: 2 side platforms and 1 island platform)
Tracks
  • 2 (East Rail Line)
  • 1 (Non-stop intercity through trains)
Connections Exit A2 Exit A1,B
Construction
Structure typeAt-grade
Platform levels1
AccessibleYes
Other information
StatusOperational since the 6th of February 2023.
Station codeLOW
History
Opened14 October 1949; 75 years ago (1949-10-14)
Electrified15 July 1983; 41 years ago (1983-07-15)
Passengers
2012240,000 daily entries and exits[1]
Services
Preceding station MTR MTR Following station
Sheung Shui
towards Admiralty
East Rail line Terminus
Across mainland China–Hong Kong border
Preceding station SZM Shenzhen Metro Following station
Guomao
towards Airport East
Line 1
transfer at Luohu
Terminus
Ludancun
towards Qianwan
Line 9
transfer at Renmin South
Xiangxicun
towards Wenjin
Former services
Preceding station KCR Following station
Sheung Shui
towards Kowloon
KCR British section Terminus
Track layout
2
4
1
3
Lo Wu freight yard
Location
Hong Kong MTR system map
Hong Kong MTR system map
Lo Wu
Location within the MTR system

Lo Wu is the northern terminus of the East Rail line (Kowloon-Canton Railway) of Hong Kong, located in Lo Wu within the Closed Area on Hong Kong's northern frontier. The station serves as a primary checkpoint for rail passengers between Hong Kong and mainland China and vice versa, rather than serving a specific area. It is also the northernmost railway station in Hong Kong.

History

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Initial opening

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When the Kowloon–Canton Railway (KCR) first went into service, trains did not stop at Lo Wu, as there was no border patrol at the time.[2] However, shortly after the People's Republic of China was created in October 1949, the KCR announced that trains would terminate at Lo Wu, and that passengers would be able to cross the border on foot.

After the economic reformation of China, through trains re-commenced running in 1979,[3] and cross-border traffic increased substantially. During the 1980s, Lo Wu station was completely redeveloped. On 15 January 1987, the new Lo Wu station was formally opened.

Station concourse in 1997.

Refurbishment work

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Refurbishment work of the station started in 2002, and new facilities such as a group waiting area and new ticket gates were introduced. Since 28 December 2004, this station also serves as the interchange station for the Shenzhen Metro Luohu station, which shares the same Chinese name.

In 2009, platform gap fillers were trialled on platforms.

Closure during COVID-19

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Following the Government's measures to contain the outbreak of COVID-19, this station was closed from 4 February 2020. This station provided 30-minute-interval train services between Lo Wu and Sheung Shui stations for Lo Wu residents only. This station remained closed to border crossing passengers as construction around the area was not completed yet. Instead, from 8th January 2023, border crossing residents were asked to use Lok Ma Chau station instead.

Opening during Ching Ming and Chung Yeung Festivals

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To make it easier to go to Sandy Ridge for grave sweeping, for a month around Ching Ming Festival and Chung Yeung Festival, some East Rail line trains operated to/from this station from the start of service until 7 pm every day.

Re-opening of station for Cross-Border Travel

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Starting from the 6th of February 2023, the MTR resumed Cross-Border Travel with the Mainland at Luohu Port, with train frequencies ranging from four to eight minutes.[4]

Station layout

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The station has three tracks. Two tracks serve the East Rail line as its terminus. The other track serves intercity through train services which do not stop at this station and continues northward across the border into mainland China. The through trains do not have platforms on this station.

Platforms

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The East Rail station features two tracks with two side platforms and an island platform arranged in a Spanish solution. The island platforms (2 and 3) serve alighting passengers, while the side platforms (1 and 4) serve boarding passengers. The island platform connects to the departure concourse at G, and the side platforms are connected to the arrvial concourse by escalators and lifts at L1. Both concourses are connected to the Lo Wu Control Point, through the Lo Wu Bridge which has moving walkways.

Trains entering the station will first open doors facing the island platform to allow passengers to alight. After station staff has confirmed that all passengers have alighted, the doors will close and doors facing the side platforms (1 and 4) will be opened for boarding passengers.

Prior to the implementation of the Spanish solution, passengers on both tracks would use the island platforms for both boarding and alighting, resulting in the platform overcrowding. In 2004, platform 1 (which had previously been rarely used) was rebuilt and platform 4 was constructed to improve the passenger flow for boarding passengers.

Located inside the paid area of the arrivals concourse (L2) are two separate passageways providing access to escalators, lifts, and stairs to one of the two side platforms (1 and 4). Large glass sliding doors ahead of each passageway begin automatically closing around 5 minutes before the train is set to depart the station. This is done to control the number of boarding passengers allowed on each narrow side platform to prevent overcrowding and reduces the chance of passengers falling onto the tracks. Once a set of automatic doors are shut, the other set will open, allowing access to the other side platform.

L1
Arrival Concourse
Upper Level Concourse
(Mainland China to Hong Kong)
Hong Kong Immigration Department and Customs and Excise Department checkpoints, Customer Service, HK Tourism Commission Office, shops
G
Departure Concourse
Ground Level Concourse
(Hong Kong to mainland China)
Fare adjustment, Immigration Department and Customs and Excise Department checkpoints, duty-free shop, Luohu Port, Lo Wu resident exit
Platforms ← Decommissioned track and locked to prevent unauthorised access →
Side platform (boarding), doors will open on the right for entering
Platform 1 ↑ / 2 ↓      East Rail line towards Admiralty (Sheung Shui)
Island platform (alighting), doors will open on the left, right for exit
Platform 3 ↑ / 4 ↓      East Rail line towards Admiralty (Sheung Shui)
Side platform (boarding), doors will open on the left for entering

[5]

Panorama of the central passageway from the platform to the border checkpoint

Exits

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The station has three exits:

Exit Destinations Note
Departure Exit Lo Wu Immigration Control Point, Luohu Port The Lo Wu Immigration Control Point, where passengers must go through the border checkpoint in order to enter mainland China. Passengers must have valid travel documents to use this exit.[6]

Luohu Port (Shenzhen Metro      Line 1: Luohu station,

     Line 9: Renmin South station and Shenzhen railway station)

Arrival Exit
A1 Tak Yuet Lau, Liu Pok Village Two exits out to the Lo Wu area. These two exits are guarded by Hong Kong police officers. To use this exit, one must possess a Lo Wu Resident Card or a Closed Area Permit, which can be obtained at the Sheung Shui Police Station in Fanling.[6]
A2 Lo Wu Village, Sandy Ridge Cemetery

Incidents

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On 2 February 2020, two explosive devices were found at Lo Wu station.[7]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ "LCQ6 Annex II – Services of MTR East Rail Line and Ma On Shan Line and KMB in North District: Patronage and Train Loading of the MTR East Rail Line and Ma On Shan Line in the Past Five Years" (PDF). HKSAR Government. 20 February 2013. Retrieved 10 February 2014.
  2. ^ Archived at Ghostarchive and the Wayback Machine: "KCR History before 1980". YouTube.
  3. ^ Wong, Michelle (12 April 2019). "When Guangzhou-Hong Kong through trains resumed service after a 30-year gap". Post Magazine. Retrieved 18 March 2021.
  4. ^ Corporation Limited, MTR (4 February 2023). "RE-OPENING OF LO WU STATION ON 6 FEBRUARY". mtr.com.hk. Archived from the original on 4 February 2023. Retrieved 4 February 2023.
  5. ^ "Lo Wu Station layout" (PDF). MTR Corporation. Retrieved 14 November 2014.
  6. ^ a b "Lo Wu Station street map" (PDF). MTR Corporation. Retrieved 14 November 2014.
  7. ^ Mok, Danny; Cheng, Lilian (2 February 2020). "Explosives found at train station on Hong Kong's border with mainland China". South China Morning Post. Retrieved 29 February 2020.
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