Fo Tan station

Fo Tan (Chinese: 火炭; Cantonese Yale: Fó taan) is a station on the East Rail line of the Mass Transit Railway (MTR) system in Hong Kong. It is located in the Fo Tan area of Sha Tin District, between Sha Tin and University stations on the East Rail line's main branch. The Racecourse is located parallel to Fo Tan, on the line's Racecourse branch.

Fo Tan 火炭
MTR rapid transit station
Exit B of Fo Tan station in July 2023
Chinese name
Chinese	火炭
Jyutping	Fo2 taan3
Hanyu Pinyin	Huǒtàn
Transcriptions Standard Mandarin Hanyu Pinyin Huǒtàn Yue: Cantonese Yale Romanization Fó taan IPA [fɔ˧˥.tʰan˧] Jyutping Fo2 taan3
General information
Location	Lok King Street, Fo Tan Sha Tin District, Hong Kong
Coordinates	22°23′43″N 114°11′54″E
Owned by	Kowloon-Canton Railway Corporation
Operated by	MTR Corporation
Line(s)	East Rail line
Platforms	4 (2 island platforms)
Tracks	3
Connections	Bus, minibus
Construction
Structure type	At-grade
Platform levels	1
Accessible	Yes
Other information
Station code	FOT
History
Opened	15 February 1985; 39 years ago (1985-02-15)
Services
Preceding station MTR Following station Sha Tin towards Admiralty East Rail line University towards Lo Wu or Lok Ma Chau
Track layout Legend to University 4 3 2 Fo Tan Goods Yard 1 to Racecourse or Ho Tung Lau Depot to Sha Tin
Location Fo Tan Location within the MTR system

The passenger station serves some apartment buildings, villages, and a medium-sized industrial zone, as well as the Fo Tan Railway House [zh] of the MTRC. During rush hour, some northbound trains terminate at this station before departing southwards. Some trains do not run through this station on race days, and are instead diverted to stop at the Racecourse.

History

Fo Tan station opened on 15 February 1985, two years after the total electrification of the railway. It was featured at the end of the 1989 film Mr. Coconut, starring Tony Leung Ka-fai.

Fo Tan Goods Yard

In addition, two tracks spur off at the northeast of the station, and lead into a goods yard north of the station. Freight trains stopped there regularly^[1] before their demise on the East Rail line in 2010; the yard has since been used occasionally for rolling stock deliveries.^[2]

Station layout

The station has three tracks, with two island platforms between.

Trains normally stop at platforms 1 and 4. The centre track is used for special departures during peak hours or heading to the depot.

C	Southern Concourse	Exit A & B, Customer Service Centre
		Shops, vending machines, ATMs & toilets
	Northern Concourse	Exit C & D, Customer Service Centre
		Shops, vending machines & ATMs
Platforms (G/F)	Platform 1	→      East Rail line towards Lo Wu or Lok Ma Chau (University) →
	Island platform, doors will open on the left, right
	Platform 2 ↑ / 3 ↓	→      East Rail line towards Lo Wu or Lok Ma Chau (University) → ←      East Rail line towards Admiralty (Sha Tin) (For special departures in either direction during specific times)
	Island platform, doors will open on the left, right
	Platform 4	←      East Rail line towards Admiralty (Sha Tin)

^[3]

Entrances/exits

Fo Tan Railway House in January 2009

Originally, the southern concourse was the only concourse in this station. Because the two concourses were built in separate years, they were not originally interconnected. MTR renovated the station in 2015, connecting the two concourses in the process. The new link opened on 12 December 2015.^[4]

Southern concourse^[5]

• A: Fo Tan Railway House
  • Fo Tan Railway House, IVE (Sha Tin), Hong Kong Sports Institute, Jockey Club Ti-I College, Sha Tin Rowing Centre
• B: Sui Fai Factory Estate
  • Sui Fai Factory Estate, Fo Tan Road, Fo Tan Tsuen, Shan Mei Street, Shatin Galleria, Sui Wo Court, Chun Yeung Estate

Northern concourse^[5]

• C: The Palazzo
  • The Palazzo, Ficus Garden, Immigration and Registration of Persons, Jubilee Court, Jubilee Garden, Lok Lo Ha Village, Plaza Ascot, Royal Ascot
• D: Au Pui Wan Street
  • Au Pui Wan Street, MTR Ho Tung Lau Depot, Wo Liu Hang Village

References

1. Wong, Marcus (18 October 2011). "Rail freight yards in Hong Kong". Checkerboard Hill. Retrieved 8 July 2023.
2. "New trains for SCL". MTR - Shatin to Central Link. MTR Corporation. Archived from the original on 8 November 2016. Retrieved 8 November 2016.
3. "Fo Tan Station layout" (PDF). MTR Corporation. Retrieved 17 November 2014.
4. "MTR Listening‧Responding Programme Brings New Look to Fo Tan Station Two Concourses Become One" (PDF). MTR Corporation. 11 December 2015.
5. "Fo Tan Station street map" (PDF). MTR Corporation. Retrieved 17 November 2014.