Hong Kong opens Mickey Mouse train line

Hong Kong yesterday officially opened what is being described as the world’s first railway dedicated to a theme park. According to The Guardian, the two-mile line, which was built at a cost of £135 million, will serve around 10,000 passengers an hour as they travel to Hong Kong Disneyland, which is scheduled to open on 12 October. The line is actually a branch line from the subway to central Hong Kong, and will connect the city to Lantau Island, where the park is being constructed. The newspaper publishes a photo of one of the train’s carriages, complete with Mickey Mouse-shaped windows and walls brightly painted in red, yellow, purple and blue. CK Chow, head of Hong Kong’s mass Transit Rail Corporation, which financed the development, is quoted as saying: “Disneyland Resort line will take visitors to a magical world. The 3.5-minute train journey is not to be missed for all Disneyland visitors who wish to enjoy the full experience.” Report by Tim Gillett, News From Abroad Ltd www.newsfromabroad.com