The Kowloon-Canton Railway Corporation has extended its 34-kilometer link with the mainland one kilometer further into the heart of Kowloon's commercial and shopping district, CCTV reported Monday.

With the railway now running direct from the Lo Wu border crossing at Shenzhen into the heart of the city, Chinese tourists and businessmen will have even faster access to everything Hong Kong has to offer. The extension is also expected to bring benefits to Hong Kong people moving about the region, and traveling to the mainland.

An opening ceremony was held at the newly built East Tsim Sha Tsui Station on Sunday to celebrate the commissioning of the Tsim Sha Tsui Extension. Hong Kong Secretary for Environment, Transport and Works Sarah Liao, and Chairman of the Kowloon-Canton Railway Corporation Michael Tien were guests of honor at the opening ceremony.

Construction of the Tsim Sha Tsui Extension commenced in 2001. The one-kilometer link cost 4.1 billion Hong Kong dollars, or US$525 million. The extension begins at Hung Hun South, the original end of the Kowloon-Canton Railway, and runs to East Tsim Sha Tsui, the heart of Kowloon's commercial and shopping district.

The new East Tsim Sha Tsui Station is expected to become one of the busiest on the Kowloon-Canton Railway network. Officials hope that as passenger numbers grow, there will also be less traffic congestion on the region's roads and less air pollution too.

2004/10/26
Source: CCTV.com