Seating onboard MTR trains

With eight carriages long trains operating on most lines of the MTR, the interior of the passenger saloon seems to keep on going, and going, and going.

An almost empty train on Hong Kong's MTR?

As for seating, longitudinal bench seats are the order of the day, of two different types. The ex-KCR fleet has horrible seating that is just flat benches: slouching is out of the question because your bum slides right off, and the lack of defined individual seats means your neighbour might end up a little too close for comfort.

Inside a Metro Cammell EMU

On the original MTR fleet the seats are a bit better, with each bench being broken up into individual seats.

'Seats' on Hong Kong's MTR trains

However on some of the busier lines even bench seats take up too much room, so ‘bum racks’ have been installed in their place. I believe the Island Line is the only one to have trains so fitted.

Wheelchair area on a MTR train

If you want a plush seat, then trains on the Disneyland Resort Line might be more up your alley.

Onboard a Disneyland Resort Line train

First class on the East Rail Line takes the level of comfort up another notch, for an additional fee.

First class seating in a refurbished Metro Cammell EMU

But the Airport Express is the fanciest at all. (and you would hope so given the HK$100 fare!)

Onboard the Airport Express train

Footnote

The walk through design of MTR trains also makes evacuation easy – at each end is an emergency exit that leads into a cab, where a ramp can be lowered from the front of the train onto the track, allowing passengers to walk along the tracks in the tunnel to safety.

Emergency exit on a MTR train in Hong Kong

Unfortunately in the case of Hong Kong’s newest Chinese-built trains, the emergency exit design has run into many problems.

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2 Responses to Seating onboard MTR trains

  1. Matthieu says:

    The old East Rail trains have a tiny bit of latitude seating in regular carriages, they are just as uncomfortable.

    https://www.flickr.com/photos/hongkongviews/8583006385/

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