Eastern Harbour Crossing

The Eastern Harbour Crossing (), abbreviated as "EHC" () is a combined road-rail tunnel that crosses beneath Victoria Harbour in Hong Kong. Opened on 21 September 1989, it is the second harbour-crossing tunnel built and the longest amongst the three. It connects Quarry Bay on Hong Kong Island and Cha Kwo Ling in Kowloon East.

History

Initially, the Government of Hong Kong had plans to build a bridge across the eastern portion of the harbour but due to fears of the bridge blocking planes landing at Kai Tak airport, this was shelved in favour of a tunnel.

In 1986, the New Hong Kong Tunnel Company Limited won the bidding for this contract, and was given the right to run the road tunnel on a 30-year franchise, and the train tunnel on an 18-years-and-6 months franchisee counting from the first rail operating date. Construction started on 25 September 1986, and was commissioned on 21 September 1989, four months earlier than the original planned finishing date. The first person to cross the tunnel was the then-Governor of Hong Kong Sir David Wilson.

The tunnel was officially opened by the then Prince of Wales Charles on the 8th of November of the same year during his and Princess of Wales Diana's Royal Tour to Hong Kong.

In February 2008, the 18-years-and-6 months franchise for the train tunnel expired and was transferred to the government. The government continued leasing the tunnel to the MTR Corporation until 2013, when it was acquired by the MTR Corporation for only HK$1,000, a deal made in the 2000 when the MTR Corporation was undergoing its partial privatisation process.

On 7 August 2016, the 30-year franchisee for the road tunnel expired and the ownership was transferred to the government. The Eastern Harbour Crossing Ordinance was repealed alongside the franchisee's expiry and is instead replaced by the Road Tunnels (Government) Ordinance as the tunnel is now owned by the government. Pacific Infrastructure Limited was granted a new contract to continue operating the tunnel.

On 27 August 2023, the HKeToll was implemented for the Eastern Harbour Crossing. The toll plaza on the Kowloon side was subsequently demolished gradually.

Tunnel Composition The tunnel consists of two components, the road part and the rail part: The road part of the tunnel is branded by the operator as the Eastern Harbour Tunnel, although the government refers to the tunnel itself as the Eastern Harbour Crossing. The tunnel was governed by the Eastern Harbour Crossing Ordinance until 7 August 2016, which it was repealed when the 30-year franchisee expired. It is now instead governed by the Road Tunnels (Government) Ordinance as it is now owned by the government. The road part links the Island Eastern Corridor on Hong Kong Island, Lei Yue Mun Road, Tseung Kwan O Tunnel, Tseung Kwan O——Lam Tin Tunnel and the Kwun Tong Bypass in Kowloon East. The rail part, lying to the southeast of the road part, runs between Quarry Bay and Yau Tong stations of the MTR Tseung Kwan O line. It is owned and operated by the MTR Corporation.

Usage The Eastern Harbour Crossing is the second most-used tunnel in Hong Kong.

YearTotal TrafficAverage Daily Traffic 2022 26,087,021 71,471 2021 28,988,802 79,421 2020 26,376,844 72,068 2019 28,823,264 78,968 2018 28,485,605 78,043 2017 28,173,747 77,188 2016 27,730,541 75,767 2015 27,546,065 75,469 2014 26,657,699 73,035 2013 26,317,796 72,104 2012 25,883,548 70,720 2011 25,374,790 69,520 2010 24,648,289 67,530 2009 22,990,195 62,987 2008 23,137,619 63,218 2007 23,361,921 64,005 2006 22,268,743 61,010 2005 23,310,701 63,865 2004 26,893,049 73,478 2003 26,018,772 71,284 2002 26,789,599 73,396 2001 27,227,360 74,596 2000 26,435,435 72,228 1999 25,116,703 68,813 1998 25,914,641 70,999 1997 31,321,427 85,812 1996 32,256,922 88,134 1995 31,530,828 86,386 1994 31,778,701 87,065 1993 29,192,003 79,978 1992 24,983,737 68,262 1991 17,794,630 48,752 1990 11,733,837 32,147 1989 2,326,493 23,035

Tunnel Tolls Tolls are collected by HKeToll in both directions on both sides.

Current Tolls Category Vehicle Type Tolls 1 Motor cycles & motor tricycles HK$8–16 2 Private cars HK$20–40 3 Taxis HK$25 4 Public and Private light buses HK$50 5 Light goods vehicles 6 Medium goods vehicles 7 Heavy goods vehicles 8 Public and Private Single-decked buses 9 Public and Private Double-decked buses 10 Each additional axle in excess of two Free

Historical Tolls Category Vehicle Type 21 September 1989to31 December 1997 1 January 1998to30 April 2005 1 May 2005to16 February 2019 17 February 2019to1 August 20232 August 2023to27 August 2023

(4am) 27 August 2023(5am)to17 December 2023(5am) From17 December 2023(5am) 1 Motor cycles & motor tricycles HK$5 HK$8 HK$13 HK$8–16 2 Private cars HK$10 HK$15 HK$25 HK$30 HK$20–40 3 Taxis HK$25 HK$25 4 Public and Private light buses HK$15 HK$23HK$38HK$50 5 Light goods vehicles 6 Medium goods vehicles HK$20 HK$30 HK$50 7 Heavy goods vehicles HK$30 HK$45 HK$75 HK$50 8 Single-decked buses Non-franchised HK$20 HK$30 HK$50 HK$50 Franchised Free 9 Double-decked buses Non-franchised HK$30 HK$45 HK$75 HK$75 HK$50 FranchisedFree 10 Each additional axle in excess of two Franchised buses HK$10 HK$15 HK$25 Free Free Other Vehicles HK$25

Interchanges Eastern Harbour Crossing Westbound exitsExit numberEastbound exits End of Route 2intersects with Island Eastern Corridor End Eastern Harbour Crossing Start Eastern Harbour Crossing Tai Koo Shing, Sai Wan Ho, Shau Kei Wan, Chai Wan, Siu Sai Wan, Stanley, Shek OIsland Eastern Corridor 1A no exit Quarry Bay, North Point, Causeway Bay, Happy Valley, AberdeenIsland Eastern Corridor 1B no exit no exit 1C Tseung Kwan O, Lam Tin InterchangeTseung Lam Highway Eastern Harbour Crossing Start Eastern Harbour Crossing End Eastern Harbour Crossing continues as Lei Yue Mun Road

Transport

, there are 46 bus routes passing through the tunnel.

Controversies In June 2005, CITIC decided to raise the toll for using Eastern Harbour Crossing from HK$15 to HK$25 for private vehicles and up to 67% for other classes of vehicles, under the fare adjustment mechanism derived from the build-operate-transfer (BOT) model. This increase aroused criticisms that the model was detrimental to the public interest, with the increase shifting more traffic to the already congested Cross-Harbour Tunnel.

Notes

Eastern Harbour Crossing

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