Public Transport in Hong Kong

Hong Kong's public transport is able to satisfy all the needs of tourists. The land transport in Hong Kong comprises taxis, MTR (Mass Transit Railway), buses, minibuses, tramways. On the sea travelers may use ferries. Also, travelers can pay their trips by cash or buy the Octopus Card and use its to travel on the MTR, buses, ferries or trams. If you are stayed in city center, then many areas of Hong Kong Island or Kowloon you can easily get around on foot or on MTR, but a few attractions can be reached only on buses or taxi, such as Ocean Park, Repulse Bay, Stanley Market or Jumbo Kingdom.

MTR

MTR (Mass Transit Railway) is the most popular public transport and very convenient way of traveling in Hong Kong. It connects Hong Kong Island, Kowloon, the New Territories and Lantau Island. There are ten lines in the MTR system with more then 70 stations: Island Line, Kwun Tong, Tsuen Wan, Tung Chung, Tseung Kwan O, Ma on Shan, East Rail, West Rail, the Airport Express, Disneyland Resort. It also comprises Light Rail networks that operate in the North West New Territories. Sign of the MTR is a red circle with a Chinese sign. The trains run every 2-4 minutes from 6:00 am till 1:00 am. Stations are located in all needed places and each of them has several exits. Exits from MTR lead to the most meaningful buildings. Fare starts from HK$3.2 and depends of the final route. For example: fare from Mongkok to Causeway Bay costs HK$9.9, from Mongkok to Tsim Sha Tsui costs HK$4.6.**

Taxi

As in other cities, taxi in Hong Kong is very convenient and inexpensive way of point-to-point travel throughout the city. They are easily available in Hong Kong. But in the beginning you may be confused because of extra charges, which are added to the counter readout for driving through paid underground tunnels and baggage. There are three types of taxi: red taxis operate in urban areas (if you prefer a taxi instead of the MTR, then most of your trips will be on red taxis), while green taxis serve the New Territories and blue taxis operate only on Lantau Island. All taxis provide the service to/from the Hong Kong International Airport. Almost all drivers are able to speak English. Fare for red taxi starts from HK$18 and covers the first two kilometers. Each 200 meters thereafter or each 1 minute of waiting will cost HK$1.5. When the amount reaches HK$70.5, each subsequent 200 meters or 1 minute will cost HK$1.

Additional Charges:
Every baggage - HK$5
Every hiring arranged through telephone booking - HK$5
Also additional payment is taken for drive through tunnels.

Buses & Minibuses

Buses are another kind of public transport in Hong Kong and very popular among residents. Bus routes cover almost all areas of Hong Kong, except outlying islands. Also, it is the major public transport for traveling to the southern side of Hong Kong Island (Ocean Park, Repulse Bay and Stanley Market), because the MTR covers only the northern side of the Island. Bus services start from early morning till midnight and the frequency is high. Usually double-decker buses are used on the routes and route direction is written on the front window of the bus. Most buses are air conditioned. The cost of a trip depends on the distance traveled. You need to pay by cash or Octopus Card, when you get on the bus. There are boxes inside, where you have to put your coins or notes in, better if no change. No change is given on buses, so any overpayment will not be refunded.

Minibuses: There are two types of minibuses: red top and green top. Minibuses are 16-seat public vans. They are faster than usual buses, but cost a little bit higher. Minibuses are more suitable for those who are familiar with Hong Kong and have a certain amount of local knowledge. You pay when you get on or get off the minibus, depending on the type (green or red).

Tramway & Peak Tram

Tramway line was opened in 1904 and operates only on the northern side of Hong Kong Island. It's one of the oldest public transport in Hong Kong. The route is shown on the plate with the last destination point. The double-decker tramways run between Kennedy Town on the west and Shau Kei Wan on the east. Almost all routes pass through the city center (Central, Admiralty, Wan Chai and Causeway Bay). The fare is very cheap and costs only HK$2.3 for adults, HK$1.2 for children and HK$1 for senior citizens, regardless of distance. Tramways in Hong Kong perform not only transportation functions, but also became a popular sightseeing attraction. They are very comfortable for short distance or if you would like to explore the city. No change is given on trams, so any overpayment will not be refunded. route map

Peak Tram: A cable tram going up to Victoria Peak from Central district.

Star Ferry

Star Ferry is very good and cheap mode of transportation between Hong Kong Island and Kowloon Peninsula, and began operations since 1898. Also, it is one of the best ways to view panorama of Victoria Harbour and Hong Kong skyscrapers. There are two decks; the upper deck offers the best views and fresh air, while the lower deck is cheaper. The rides take approximately seven-eight minutes and run from 6:30 am till 11:30 pm. The fare from Tsim Sha Tsui to Central or vice versa costs HK$2 for lower deck (Monday-Friday), HK$2.5 for upper deck (Monday-Friday), HK$2.4 and HK$3 on weekends and Public Holidays.

The fare from Tsim Sha Tsui to Wan Chai or vice versa costs HK$2.5 (Monday-Friday), HK$3 on weekends and Public Holidays.

Octopus Card

Octopus system is really comfortable. Octopus Card is a prepaid electron card which is devoted as a payment on public transport. Fares on MTR, Star Ferry, buses, and trams can be paid by Octopus Card. This is very useful, because no change is given on buses and trams if you pay by cash (coins or notes). Also, you can use its as a payment for your goods bought in 7-Eleven. If you stay in Hong Kong for a couple of days, it's recommended to purchase its. Usually you can buy it from cash desks at MTR or in 7-Eleven.