Millions of us go to school, to work or to and from the Mainland on the Kowloon-Canton Railway (KCR), but do you know when the service began, and how different it is now compared with the old days?
The British section of the KCR began as a single-track system in 1910. Rail was a completely novel means of transport and communication between Canton and Hong Kong in those days, and there were only four permanent stations from Tsim Sha Tsui to Lowu - Tai Po Market, Fanling, the northern terminus at Lowu, and the Kowloon terminus at Tsim Sha Tsui.
The old clock tower near the Tsim Sha Tsui Star Ferry concourse is all that remains of the original Kowloon Terminus, which moved to Hung Hom in 1975. The tower is one of Kowloon's major landmarks, and serves as a fitting memento to the age of steam.
All of the KCR locomotives were steam powered initially, but diesel power was introduced gradually in the 1950s. The last of the steam locomotives was taken out of service in 1962.
An ambitious modernisation programme began in 1973 with the double-tracking and electrification of the railway. By 1983, the single track system had been completely replaced, and the KCR was fully electrified.
The new, 12-car units greatly increased capacity and passenger comfort.
