Yau Tong station was originally built as a part of the MTR Tseung Kwan O extension to make a cross-platform interchange between Kwun Tong line and the newly built Tseung Kwan O line, and to provide nearby residents in Lei Yue Mun and Sze Shan (Chinese: 四山; lit.

Ultimately the interchanges were built in two new stations, Yau Tong and Tiu Keng Leng.

This resulted in certain routings needing to change trains twice when crossing the Victoria Harbour.

The new station extended travel times between Lam Tin and Quarry Bay by four minutes.

Passengers travelling on the Kwun Tong line travelling towards Tiu Keng Leng can cross over to Platform 4 to change to the Tseung Kwan O line to cross the harbour to North Point.