A relatively smaller city, Hong Kong’s diminutive size packs a great punch. With much to see and do, you probably can’t wait to dive right into the city famously known as “Fragrant Harbour”. Before you hit the ground running though, it’s important to figure out how to get where you’re going. Luckily, you’ll never lack for transport options in Hong Kong.
Check out the list below for ways to explore Hong Kong City.
Mass Transit Railway (MTR)
The Mass Transit Railway (MTR) is one of the easiest ways to get around Hong Kong. The heavy and light rail serves up to 4.84 million commuters every day, encompassing up to 93 stations and 10 lines across the city, including an airport extension line and even a special line to Disneyland Hong Kong.
You can purchase an octopus card from the airport, or at several stations in Hong Kong. Hong Kong offers Tourist Octopus cards for HK$39 without any initial store value, and you can refund the ticket for it’s remaining value at the end of your stay. You can also opt for an On-Loan Octopus card which requires an initial deposit of HK$50, and choose from options like Child, Adult and Eldery.
If you’re planning to travel around Hong Kong for the majority of your stay, you can consider buying a MTR Tourist pass from wegonative.com. The tourist pass offered by Native is a day pass that covers unlimited travel on the MTR. You can also use it on trams and buses.
Buses
The MTR only covers the northern side of Hong Kong City, so if you’re looking to head down south and head to places like Ocean Park, Repulse Bay and Ap Lei Chau Island, get on a bus. Buses are clean, comfortable and convenient, with a majority of them air-conditioned. Double decker buses are popular amongst tourists as climbing onto the upper deck allows you to get great views of the city as the bus drives around. Buses accept cash payment, but there is no change offered for overpayment, so be sure to calculate your fare before boarding. You can use your octopus card on most buses as well.
There are also minibuses on the roads of Hong Kong, which can only sit up to nineteen people. The Green minibuses operate on specific routes, whilst the Red minibuses do not adhere to fixed routes. The buses will not stop if all nineteen seats are full, and you pay when you alight. Travelling around by minibus is a great way to pick up a bit of cantonese and befriend some locals.
Taxi
Hong Kong’s iconic red cabs can be spotted along the city’s many streets at any hour, with over 18,138 licensed taxis operating in Hong Kong making it easy to flag one down to take you where you want to go. Unsurprisingly, Hong Kong is said to be the most taxi-dense cities in the world, even rivalling the yellow cabs that trawl New York.
Here’s a fun fact: the taxis are actually colour coded based on the locations they cover- red for the urban areas, green for the nature of the new territories and blue for the seaside of Lantau Island. Most of them are Toyota Crowns, though recently Ford Transits and Toyota Prius have been spotted.
Introduced in 1940, taxis have earned a place in Hong Kong’s cultural landscape.They certainly inspired Hong Kong raised artist Chow Chun Fai, whose first collection was a series of paintings featuring taxis. For locals, taxis are more than means of transport- they are a source of artistic inspiration, a symbol of home and an inextricable part of their cultural identity.
Prices for taxis in Hong Kong are fixed at HK$24.00, after which the kilometer charge is HK$6.00- HK$8.50, depending on the distance covered.
Tram
Hong Kong is one of the few cities in Asia to have a fully functioning tram system, which traverses the north corridor of Hong Kong Island. Having first hit the streets in 1904 whilst Hong Kong was under British rule, today the trams are part of a conscious effort to preserve the historical landscape of Hong Kong. Inexpensive and exciting, heritage trams are a great way to get to know the city of Hong Kong. Settle into a window seat on the upper deck and watch the city whizz by. The trams or “Ding Ding”s run daily from early morning to late-night and are also known for being environmentally friendly,
If you’ve got time to spare during your trip, board the antique style tram car no.68 from Western Market or Causeway Bay. Tram car no. 68 offers sight-seeing tours specifically for tourists. It also has an open-air balcony and a historical exhibit on board, detailing the extensive history of Hong Kong’s tram system. You can also buy unique tram souvenirs to take home.
Trams operate based on a flat fee. Tickets are priced at HK$2.60 for adults and HK$1.30 for children. Senior citizens enjoy a concession charge of HK$1.20 and you can pay by cash or octopus card.
The Peak Tram
Not to be confused with the regular tram service, the Peak tram only operates to take commuters to the upper island of Hong Kong. The route runs from Garden Road Admiralty to Victoria Peak. Opened in 1888, it was initially reserved only for the use of the former British governor and his guests, while today the Peak tram is used by locals and tourists alike.
The train passes by four intermediate stations on the way, but does not stop unless the passengers have pushed the buttons on the carriage or at the platform. It is the fastest way to get from the central to the peak, taking a mere seven minutes. It runs every ten minutes, from seven in the morning to midnight.
Choose a seat on the right side of the train for dazzling views, and get a glimpse of the Peak Tram Effect, a phenomenon studied by researchers at the University of Hong Kong. According to the study, those on the train will observe high rise buildings fall forward toward the Peak. This is due to the vertical angle at which the train climbs The Peak making for a spectacular optical illusion.
The Peak itself is a popular tourist attraction in Hong Kong, home to various shopping and dining areas. The Peak Tower is an architectural marvel, packed full of restaurants and shops. On the highest floor is Sky Terrace 428 a 360° viewing platform 428 metres above sea level that offers incredible views of the city.
The Star Ferry
Modelled after the Star Ferries that once dotted along Victoria Harbour, the Star Ferry now refers to the fleet of twelve ferries that fetch passengers across Tsim Sha Tsui harbour. The distinctive green and white ferry is one of the oldest modes of transport in the city and has been operating for over one hundred and twenty years.
Ride the Star Ferry from Tsim Sha Tsui, Kowloon side to get to Hong Kong Island. The best time to do this is around 8pm at night. Not only will you get to see the beautiful night skyline of Hong Kong, you will also get to see “A Symphony of Lights” an unforgettable light show that turns the waterfront into a stage.
National Geographic of Traveler named the Star Ferry as one of the “fifty places of a lifetime” . Those onboard with the idea can buy tickets on weekdays for HK$2 and HK$3.40 for weekends. The ferry runs from 7.20AM to 10:30PM daily, and you can also pay using your Octopus card.
