HKIA Adds Eight Automated People Mover Cars to Link Two Passenger Terminals, New SkyPier

(HONG KONG, 3 July 2009) ― Hong Kong International Airport (HKIA) is adding eight new Automated People Mover (APM) cars to its existing 20-car APM fleet. An investment of about HK$90 million, the new cars will provide efficient and convenient connection among the permanent SkyPier, Terminal 1 (T1) and Terminal 2 (T2) by the end of 2009. The expanded fleet will also help HKIA meet future demand growth and maintain the safe and high-level service of APM.

The new APM cars are loaded in the underground APM depot at HKIA in three batches.  As the depot is located directly below the coach station at T2, works have been carried out to open a hatch on the ground level of the coach station, via which the new cars can be lowered to the depot by electric hoists.

The new APM cars and associated electric and mechanical equipment will undergo a series of comprehensive functional and running tests before being deployed to serve passengers in the fourth quarter of this year.

“A fleet of 20 APM cars – a driverless electric train system – is now running between T1 and T2 every two to four minutes. When the permanent SkyPier opens, the expanded APM fleet will extend its service to the new pier, significantly enhancing the level of service from the existing bonded bus service,” said Ricky Leung, General Manager, Technical Services of the Airport Authority Hong Kong.

Targeted to open by the end of the year, the permanent SkyPier will replace the temporary facility at HKIA and continue to provide cross-boundary ferry services that connect HKIA with seven ports in the Pearl River Delta, with enhanced facilities and additional capacity.

At present, air-to-sea and sea-to-air passengers using the temporary SkyPier are served by bonded buses, which run an average number of 200 trips between the facility and T1 every day.

The 3.8-kilometre APM system will efficiently connect the permanent SkyPier with T1 and T2, providing fast, comfortable and reliable in-terminal transportation.