1. Yau Ma Tei Station Ghost Story
Intrigue and trepidation surround a haunting incident that has solidified its place among Hong Kong’s urban legends. On November 11, 1981, the enigmatic episode at Yau Ma Tei MTR station—a tale of a “suicide girl’ leaping onto the tracks—remains shrouded in mystery, igniting fervent discussions and endless speculation even today.
On that day, a train leaving Central and nearing Yau Ma Tei station unexpectedly came across a girl in red who leapt onto the tracks. The train driver distinctly felt as though the train wheels had struck someone and even noted a scent of blood shortly afterward. However, when firefighters and police searched the track thoroughly, they discovered no bodies or bloodstains. Numerous witnesses reported seeing the girl getting hit and hearing desperate screams, contributing to an eerie atmosphere.

It is perplexing that the driver exhibited no previous history of mental illness and articulated the details of the incident in a clear and convincing manner. However, no evidence of a victim or blood was ever discovered. The police hypothesised that the witnesses might have encountered a collective illusion, suggesting that the girl could have concealed herself in the gap beneath the platform prior to the train’s arrival and subsequently seized the opportunity to flee amid the ensuing chaos.Years later, a spiritual master claimed to have received information suggesting that after being hit After the train, the girl in red simply returned home but unexpectedly fell ill and died there. This tale, shared through oral tradition, remains unverified and open to interpretation—whether it is truth or myth is a matter of personal judgment.

This story is indeed captivating and has become a chilling aspect of Hong Kong’s folklore, showcasing society’s fascination with and fear of the mysterious and supernatural. Regardless of its authenticity, this chapter of history continues to send chills down people’s spines, reminding us that some mysteries might never be completely understood.

2. Choi Hung Station Ghost Story

The legend claims that during the construction of the Rainbow MTR station, workers drilling through the central tracks broke into the “Gate of Hell,” marking a threshold between the living world and the afterlife. Consequently, the government opted to abandon the tracks, leaving them unused for many years to avert any potential accidents.

Online rumor number one:
During a track trial led by a foreign engineer and his team, a train was set to run from Rainbow Station to Kowloon Bay Station. However, after more than ten minutes, the train failed to arrive, and radio communication was lost.
After another ten minutes, the train finally appeared. Engineers who investigated the delay discovered that all passengers looked dazed and unresponsive, as if they had witnessed something horrifying.

Online rumor number two:
The passengers were swiftly taken to hospitals but mysteriously succumbed within two days, leaving doctors baffled regarding the cause of death. There are rumours that senior MTR management hired a geomancer—a feng shui expert and spiritual diviner—to investigate. The geomancer claimed that the track’s alignment faced the “Gate of Hell,” suggesting the passengers had crossed this boundary and were engulfed by overwhelming fear. The master advised rerouting the tracks as the sole solution. Ultimately, the MTR company opted to build a new track. After testing, everything appeared normal. Consequently, the central section of the tracks was left unused and abandoned.

3. Sheung Wan Station Ghost Story

The tale of Lamsi Station centres on the eerie deaths of construction workers during its construction.

According to the tale, the MTR originally intended for Lamsi Station to be the primary terminus for the Hong Kong Island Line. However, during its construction, several workers passed away under mysterious circumstances, and numerous witnesses reported sightings of ghosts on the platform. Consequently, the MTR opted to halt the construction of the Lamsi platform and instead developed Sheung Wan station at a lower elevation, which became the new terminus for the Hong Kong Island Line. The main hall of the completed station was also relocated from Sheung Wan Station.

The supernatural occurrences continued even after the platform closed. Reports indicate that each late night, terrifying screams echo from behind the stones in the unused tunnel. There are stories of passengers who ventured onto the abandoned tracks only to later die under mysterious circumstances, which led the MTR to enclose the deserted platform to avert additional incidents.

These narratives have their roots in the history of urban planning in Hong Kong. The Hong Kong government first published the Hong Kong Mass Transit Studies in 1967, followed by the Hong Kong Mass Transit Further Studies in 1970. These reports detailed plans for five transit lines, including the East Kowloon Line and the Hong Kong Island Line (highlighted in bold), with proposed stations like Lamsi.

Early planned stations included:

• East Kowloon Line: Diamond Hill, Kai Tak, Ma Tau Wai, To Kwa Wan, Homantin, Hung Hom, Ma Lian Na, Lamsi.
• Hong Kong Island Line: Kennedy Town, Shek Kip Mei, Sai Ying Poon, Sheung Wan Market, Pitcairn, HK Military Shipyard, Wanchai, Happy Valley, Tin Hau, North Point, Quarry Bay, West Bay, Shau Kei Wan, Chai Wan Ferry, Chai Wan.

When construction began at Sheung Wan Station, the project followed the initial designs, which included stations at Lamsi on the East Kowloon Line and Sheung Wan Market on the Hong Kong Island Line. A notable mention is a 1982 article from Ta Kung Pao that reported contract awards to the Japanese company Nishimatsu Construction for building a four-story underground station. This structure encompassed the platforms, ticket halls on Yung Lok Street, Lamsi, machine rooms, and future provisions for the East Kowloon Line, indicating that the Lamsi platform was part of the original design.

The Sheung Wan Station was completed and opened on May 23, 1986. On that same day, additional reports indicated that the MTR had stopped the line’s extension into the Western District due to profitability issues and referenced local superstitions regarding the area being haunted.

Legends and cultural background:

• The region surrounding Sheung Wan and Sai Ying Poon is frequently regarded as haunted. Notably, there is the Cheung Fuk Yi Temple, constructed in 1851 at 40 Sheung Wong Street, which, in the early days of Hong Kong’s development, functioned as a shelter, a hospital, and occasionally, a place for the dying. 
• Po Yin Street, once a burial ground, had its remains relocated to the Western Mount Cemetery in Sai Ying Poon. The numerous ancient burial sites and haunted houses in the Western District contribute to local legends, with prevalent tales of railways or skyscrapers disturbing the earth and awakening spirits.

Essentially, the city’s growth and its infrastructure—such as excavations, railway construction, or skyscrapers—are inextricably linked to its haunting history. These narratives showcase the conflict between advancement and reverence for the past, serving as a reminder that development frequently carries spectral tales derived from the city’s intricate history of life and death.