Chai Wan

Chai Wan (/ˌtʃaɪ ˈwɑːn/; Chinese: 柴灣), formerly mistakenly known as Sai Wan (西灣), lies at the east end of the urban area of Hong Kong Island next to Shau Kei Wan. The area is administratively part of the Eastern District, and is a mosaic of industrial and residential areas. The population was 186,505 in 2001.

Geography

Chai Wan is built on land reclaimed from the bay and extends west from Lei Yue Mun in Heng Fa Chuen (see below) and east to Siu Sai Wan. Mount Collinson and Pottinger Peak on the south and Mount Parker on the west, restrict further development. Shek O Country Park is at the south of Chai Wan.

Panorama

History

Chai Wan was formerly known as Sai Wan (西灣). At the beginning of the 18th century, the area consisted of six villages: Dai Ping Village, Law Uk, Luk Uk, Nam Uk, Sai Village, Sing Uk.

In 1845, the British military built a fort and a barracks in Siu Sai Wan which operated until the 1980s. Sai Sau Wan become an area for new population.

In 1929, the Boy Scouts Association, Hong Kong Branch purchased land for the Chai Wan Campsite where Chai Wan Park is now situated. The land returned to Hong Kong Government for development in the early 1970s.

Chai Wan Station

Chai Wan is the eastern terminus of the MTR Island Line on Hong Kong Island, Hong Kong. It is the only station on the Island Line that is elevated. The station is located at the junction of Chai Wan Road and Island Eastern Corridor, and it serves Siu Sai Wan and Chai Wan, a primarily residential and industrial town, and the bus terminus nearby has bus and minibus routes to Siu Sai Wan and Stanley, as well as the nearby residential developments. It is also the southernmost railway station in Hong Kong, and the southernmost rapid transit station in China.

There are no platform screen doors at this station, but the MTR Corporation has retrofitted automatic platform gates on both platforms.

Timetable

Station layout

Passengers from Chai Wan going to Kennedy Town can board trains on either platforms. The platform from which a train will leave first is indicated on a display board.

An overrun track is present to allow trains to stop and reverse direction if they travel beyond Chai Wan Station. However, this set of tracks is rarely used, as trains arriving at Chai Wan Station leave for Kennedy Town by pulling out of the same platform.