title: Fo Tan station
text: # Fo Tan station
  
  Fo Tan (Chinese: 火炭; Cantonese Yale: Fó taan) is a station on the East Rail line of the Mass Transit Railway (MTR) system in Hong Kong. It is located in the Fo Tan area of Sha Tin District, between Sha Tin and University stations on the East Rail line's main branch. The Racecourse is located parallel to Fo Tan, on the line's Racecourse branch.
  
  The passenger station serves some apartment buildings, villages, and a medium-sized industrial zone, as well as the Fo Tan Railway House [zh] of the MTRC. During rush hour, some northbound trains terminate at this station before departing southwards. Some trains do not run through this station on race days, and are instead diverted to stop at the Racecourse.
  
  ## History
  
  Fo Tan station opened on 15 February 1985, two years after the total electrification of the railway. It was featured at the end of the 1989 film Mr. Coconut, starring Tony Leung Ka-fai.
  
  ## Fo Tan Goods Yard
  
  In addition, two tracks spur off at the northeast of the station, and lead into a goods yard north of the station. Freight trains stopped there regularly before their demise on the East Rail line in 2010; the yard has since been used occasionally for rolling stock deliveries.
  
  ## Station layout
  
  The station has three tracks, with two island platforms between.
  
  Trains normally stop at platforms 1 and 4. The centre track is used in the following occasions:
  
  * for special southbound departures during morning peak hours,
  * for southbound stopping when there are trains heading to/from the depot, or Racecourse station during race days, or
  * to serve as a buffer so that non-stop through trains can overtake local trains.
  
  | C | Southern Concourse | Exit A & B, Customer Service Centre |
  | - | - | - |
  | C | Southern Concourse | Shops, vending machines, ATMs & toilets |
  | C | Northern Concourse | Exit C & D, Customer Service Centre |
  | C | Northern Concourse | Shops, vending machines & ATMs |
  | Platforms (G/F) | Platform 1 | → East Rail line towards Lo Wu or Lok Ma Chau (University) → |
  | Island platform, doors will open on the left, right ||
  | Platforms (G/F) | Platform 2 ↑ / 3 ↓ | → East Rail line towards Lo Wu or Lok Ma Chau (University) → ← East Rail line towards Admiralty (Sha Tin) (For special departures in either direction during specific times) |
  | Island platform, doors will open on the left, right ||
  | Platforms (G/F) | Platform 4 | ← East Rail line towards Admiralty (Sha Tin) |
  
  ## Entrances/exits
  
  Originally, the southern concourse was the only concourse in this station. Because the two concourses were built in separate years, they were not originally interconnected. MTR renovated the station in 2015, connecting the two concourses in the process. The new link opened on 12 December 2015.
  
  ### Southern concourse
  
  * A: Fo Tan Railway House
     * Fo Tan Railway House, IVE (Sha Tin), Hong Kong Sports Institute, Jockey Club Ti-I College, Sha Tin Rowing Centre
  * B: Sui Fai Factory Estate
     * Sui Fai Factory Estate, Fo Tan Road, Fo Tan Tsuen, Shan Mei Street, Shatin Galleria, Sui Wo Court, Chun Yeung Estate
  
  ### Northern concourse
  
  * C: The Palazzo
     * The Palazzo, Ficus Garden, Immigration and Registration of Persons, Jubilee Court, Jubilee Garden, Lok Lo Ha Village, Plaza Ascot, Royal Ascot
  * D: Au Pui Wan Street
     * Au Pui Wan Street, MTR Ho Tung Lau Depot, Wo Liu Hang Village
  