Hong Kong Airport Terminal 2 Train Breakdown Delays Travellers
SCMP · 1 SOURCESabout 22 hours ago2 MIN
Summary
Scores of travellers at Hong Kong International Airport were delayed on Thursday after the automated train serving Terminal 2 broke down and was temporarily taken out of service . Passengers were redirected to walkways or shuttle buses to reach boarding gates, with some social media users saying they waited at least 20 minutes and received no announcement during the disruption . The incident drew attention because Terminal 2’s revamped departure facilities only reopened on May 27 as part of the airport’s HK$141.5 billion three-runway system expansion .
Key Points
- Photos shared on social media Thursday morning showed crowds gathering outside platform doors as signs warned the Terminal 2 train was temporarily unavailable .
- Travellers heading to gates 10 to 230 were told to use walkways on the departures level instead of the automated people mover .
- A Threads user said passengers waited at least 20 minutes for the train, adding that no public announcement explained the lengthy delay .
- Another passenger posting around 7.50am said the train suddenly broke down, and travellers to gates 201 to 230 were sent to gate 520 for shuttle buses .
- The driverless electric train links Terminal 2, Terminal 1 and the Midfield Concourse, normally departs every few minutes, and can carry about 7,200 passengers hourly .
Why It Matters
The breakdown disrupted a major passenger transfer system at one of Asia’s busiest aviation hubs, affecting travellers who had already completed check-in, security and immigration at Terminal 2 . It also raises questions about operational resilience at newly reopened airport facilities tied to the city’s multibillion-dollar three-runway expansion project .