Lo Wu station

This article is about the rapid transit station in Hong Kong. For the Shenzhen Metro interchange across the border, see Luohu station.

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.

Lo Wu 羅湖
MTR rapid transit station
Platform 2
Chinese name
Traditional Chinese	羅湖
Simplified Chinese	罗湖
Jyutping	lo4wu4
Hanyu Pinyin	Luóhú
Transcriptions Standard Mandarin Hanyu Pinyin Luóhú Yue: Cantonese Yale Romanization Lòwù IPA [lɔː˩wuː˩] Jyutping lo4wu4
General information
Location	Lo Wu Station Road, Lo Wu North District, Hong Kong
Coordinates	22°31′42″N 114°06′48″E / 22.5283°N 114.1134°E / 22.5283; 114.1134
Owned by	Kowloon-Canton Railway Corporation
Operated by	MTR Corporation
Line(s)	East Rail line
Platforms	4 (Spanish solution: 2 side platforms and 1 island platform)
Tracks	2 (East Rail Line) 1 (Non-stop intercity through trains)
Connections	Lo Wu Control Point Shenzhen railway station      Line 1 (Luohu)
Construction
Structure type	At-grade
Platform levels	1
Accessible	Yes
Other information
Status	Operational since the 6th of February 2023.
Station code	LOW
History
Opened	14 October 1949; 74 years ago (1949-10-14)
Electrified	15 July 1983; 40 years ago (1983-07-15)
Passengers
2012	240,000 daily entries and exits^[1]
Services
Preceding station MTR Following station Sheung Shui towards Admiralty East Rail line Terminus Across mainland China–Hong Kong border Preceding station 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 Legend to Shenzhen Hong Kong SAR border 2 4 1 3 Lo Wu freight yard to Sheung Shui
Location
Lo Wu Location within the MTR system

History

Initial opening

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

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

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

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

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

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

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 arrivals concourse at L1, and the side platforms are connected to the departures concourse at L2. 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.

L2 Departure Concourse	Upper Level Concourse (Mainland China to HK)	Hong Kong Immigration Department and Customs and Excise Department checkpoints, Customer Service, HK Tourism Commission Office, Starbucks Coffee
L1 Arrival Concourse	Lower Level Concourse (HK to mainland China)	Fare adjustment, Immigration Department and Customs and Excise Department checkpoints, duty-free shop, Lo Wu resident exit
G Platforms
	-	← Track for non-stop intercity through trains →
	Side platform (boarding), doors will open on the right
	Platform 1 ↑ / 2 ↓	←      East Rail line towards Admiralty (Sheung Shui)→
	Island platform (alighting), doors will open on the left, right
	Platform 3 ↑ / 4 ↓	←      East Rail line towards Admiralty (Sheung Shui)
	Side platform (boarding), doors will open on the left

^[5]

 

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

•  

  Platform 1 (left) and 2 (right) (April 2019)

•  

  Platform 3 (left) and 4 (right) (April 2019)

•  

  Tracks towards Shenzhen seen from platform 2

•  

  A locomotive heading towards a reversing siding. Lo Wu station in the background (January 2019)

Exits

The station has three exits:

• 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]
• 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]
  • A1: Tak Yuet Lau, Liu Pok Village
  • A2: Lo Wu Village, Sandy Ridge Cemetery

•  

  Passage restricted only to Lo Wu residents, featuring an Intercity Through Train in the background. (2013)

•  

  Exit fare gates for leaving Lo Wu station and towards the Luohu Port border checkpoint. On the left is Exit A, available only to permit holders of Lo Wu residents. (January 2019)

•  

  Exit A seen from the departure concourse

Incidents

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

See also

• Lo Wu
• Lo Wu Bridge
• Lo Wu Control Point
• Luohu (Shenzhen side)
• Luohu station (Shenzhen side)

References

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 : "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. from the original on 4 February 2023. Retrieved 4 February 2023.
5. "Lo Wu Station layout" (PDF). MTR Corporation. Retrieved 14 November 2014.
6. "Lo Wu Station street map" (PDF). MTR Corporation. Retrieved 14 November 2014.
7. "Explosives found at train station on Hong Kong's border with mainland China". South China Morning Post. 2 February 2020. Retrieved 29 February 2020.

External links

•   Media related to Lo Wu Station at Wikimedia Commons