The Kai Tak Smart Green Collective Transport System bid has closed, attracting attention from MTR

Rail Transit Exhibition News: The Hong Kong Kai Tak Smart Green Collective Transport System officially closed bidding at 12:00 noon on August 14. MTR has confirmed its participation in the bidding. According to Hong Kong media reports, the market's focus on the bidding portfolio includes MTR and the BYD consortium, as well as consortia related to Sun Hung Kai Properties; Meanwhile, CRRC Hunan CRRC Zhixing Technology, a subsidiary of CRRC, also expressed its desire to participate in the project as a system supplier.

Project Overview: The contract number for the Kai Tak Smart Green Mass Transportation System is ED/2025/18. The project is approximately 3.5 kilometers long, with plans to include six stations connecting Kai Tak Cruise Terminal with MTR Kai Tak Station, and linking key facilities such as Kai Tak Sports Park, Shing Fung Road Park, and Kai Tak Sky Garden.

According to the bidding plan, the system mainly uses dedicated elevated corridors, and includes the construction of six elevated stations and one elevated train depot. In the future, the winning franchise company will need to undertake project financing, design, construction, testing, operation, and maintenance. The project has an exclusive operation period of 20 years, with a target operation date of 2031.

Bidding status: According to on-site reports from Hong Kong media, as of 12:00 noon on August 14, the project had received at least two bids. MTR Corporation sent personnel to the Hong Kong SAR Government headquarters to submit the bid, but the identity of another bidder was not disclosed on site.

Multiple Hong Kong financial media reported that several companies are competing for the project in the form of consortiums, including a consortium formed by MTR and BYD, as well as consortia related to Sun Hung Kai Properties and Transport International. However, as of now, the Hong Kong SAR government has not officially announced all bidders and the composition of the consortium, and the final list is subject to official disclosure.

MTR Participation: MTR CEO Yang Meizhen clearly stated at the company's interim results press conference on August 13 that MTR will participate in the bidding for the Kai Tak Smart Green Mass Transport System.

Yeung Mei Chun stated that MTR has always actively participated in the construction of Hong Kong's transportation infrastructure, having already established Kai Tak Station and Sung Wong Toi Station in the Kai Tak district. It also has operational experience in various public transport systems in Hong Kong and overseas, and hopes to participate in the development of Kai Tak's transport system through new thinking and innovative technology.

According to Hong Kong media reports, MTR may form a consortium with BYD this time and will use BYD's independently developed "SkyShuttle" system to compete. BYD's "Yunba" is a medium-capacity urban rail transit system that uses rubber wheels and can operate on elevated dedicated right-of-way.

Technical solutions: As projects enter the bid evaluation stage, different smart green transportation technology solutions have also become market focal points. In addition to "Yunba," CRRC Hunan CRRC Zhixing Technology, a subsidiary of CRRC, recently expressed its willingness to participate in the Hong Kong Smart Green Collective Transport System project.

Yang Tao, General Manager of CRRC Zhixing Technology Region in Hunan, stated that the company intends to participate in three smart green collective transport system projects in Kai Tak, East Kowloon, and Hung Shui Kiu/Ha Tsuen. At this stage, it prefers to cooperate with local developers, operators, and investors in Hong Kong, participating as equipment and system suppliers.

CRRC Zhiguan runs on rubber tires, eliminating the need for traditional rails. It can operate along the "virtual track" via road signage and intelligent guidance systems, and can adopt either independent or shared right-of-way modes according to project requirements. Because it does not require traditional rails and catenary wires, its infrastructure configuration differs significantly from that of conventional trams.

Yang Tao previously stated that CRRC Zhixing hopes to enter the project by forming a team with local Hong Kong partners, rather than bidding solely as a specialized company. There is currently no official confirmation regarding which bidding consortium CRRC will ultimately participate in.

Financial Support: To enhance the commercial feasibility of the project, the Hong Kong SAR Government plans to grant the property development rights for three plots of land at Future Concession Company at symbolic land prices: Area 4B No. 5, Area 4C No. 4, and No. 5 Area 4C at a symbolic land price to support the project.

The project was originally scheduled to close bidding on July 3. Since bidders need more time to prepare related documents, the Hong Kong SAR Government previously extended the tender period to August 14, stating that the extension would not affect the overall project progress, with the goal still to award contracts within 2026.

Next steps: With the official closing of bids for the Qide Smart Green Collective Transport System, the project has entered the bid evaluation stage. Whether the consortium of MTR, BYD, Hong Kong real estate and transportation operators, and other technologies such as CRRC Smart Rail can enter the final solution will become a key focus in the next phase of Hong Kong's smart green transport market.

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