Transportation in Hong Kong

   

The territory of Hong Kong has a highly developed and sophisticated transportation network, encompassing both public and private transport.

Escalators and moving sidewalks

Hong Kong Island is dominated by steep, hilly terrain, which required the development of unusual methods of transport up and down the slopes. In Central and Western district there is an extensive system of escalators and moving sidewalks. The Midlevels Escalator is the longest outdoor covered escalator system in the world, operating downhill until 10 in the morning for communters going to work, and working uphill until midnight.

The Midlevels Escalator is 800 meters long, and climbs 135 vertical meters. Total travel time is 20 minutes, but most people walk while the escalator moves to shorten the travel time. Due to its vertical climb, the same distance is equivalent to several miles of zigzagging roads if travelled by car. It consists of 20 escalators and 3 moving sidewalks. Daily traffic exceeds 35.000 people. It has been operating since 1993. It cost HK$ 240 million (USD 30 million) to build.

Railways

Hong Kong has an efficient train network. Public transport trains are operated by two companies, the Mass Transit Railway Corporation (MTR) and the Kowloon-Canton Railway Corporation (KCRC). The MTR operates the metro network of Hong Kong, while the KCRC connects the New Territories with the rest of Hong Kong.

KCRC

Three lines. There are several extensions planned and under construction, including the Ma On Shan Rail, Lok Ma Chau Spur line, Tsim Sha Tsui Extension, Kowloon Southern Link, and the Sha Tin to Central Link.

MTR

Six lines, and 50 stations.

Trams

Note that the KCRC Light Rail system (see above) has many of the attributes of a tramway, including street running.

Bridges and Tunnels

There are 12 vehicular tunnels in Hong Kong. They include three cross-harbor tunnels and nine road tunnels.

The cross-harbor tunnels, connecting Hong Kong Island and Kowloon Peninsula across Victoria Harbour, are:

  • Cross Harbour Tunnel (1972)
  • Eastern Harbour Crossing (1989)
  • Western Harbour Crossing (1997)

The other road tunnels are:

Major bridges include:

Buses

See Also: History of Bus transport in Hong Kong

In 2004, five separate companies operate franchised public bus services in Hong Kong. There are also a variety of non-franchised public buses services, including feeder bus services to railway stations operated by the railway companies, and residents' services for residential estates (particularly those in the New Territories).

Public Light Buses (Minibuses)

Public light buses are minibuses that typically serve areas less accessible by buses. They can be broken down into two different types: Red minibuses and green minibuses.

Red buses run on non-scheduled service. They can operate anywhere, except where special prohibitions apply, without control over routes or fares. In most red minibusses, passengers are asked to pay when they are going to alight. Payment is accepted in cash, when change is available. Only a few red buses accept Octopus card payment.

Green buses operate scheduled service, with fixed routes and fixed fares. There are currently around 250 green public light buses routes with route numbers assigned. Payment can be made in exact fare, and most also accept Octopus card.

Public light buses hold 16 passengers at maximum, and have no standing space. They are slightly more expensive than buses but run much more frequently and take a more direct route than buses. Passengers wishing to get on a minibuses usually call the public light bus like a taxi, indicating their desire to board to the driver, and the bus stops. To get off, passengers have to shout to the driver to tell them wherethey wish to stop. Therefore, using public light buses can be difficult for foreign passengers.

Taxis

Different coloured taxis serve different areas. Red taxis serve all urban areas, except most of Lantau Island. Green taxis only serve the northern part of the New Territories, and Blue taxis serve Lantau island only. All taxis are authorised to serve the airport.

Taxi fare is charged according to the taximeter, however addtional charges in fare table may apply, such as tolls. Red urban taxis are the most expensive, while Blue Lantau taxis are the cheapest. The standard of services among different kinds of taxis are mostly the same.

As of 2003, there are 18,138 taxis in Hong Kong, of which 15,250 are urban taxis, 2,838 are New Territories taxis, and 50 are Lantau taxis. Everyday they serve about 1.1 million, 207,900, and 1,400 people respectively.

Private cars

There are 517,000 cars licensed in Hong Kong, 64% of which are private cars.

Ferries

Hong Kong

Most ferry services are provided by licensed ferry operators. As of September 2003, there were 27 regular licensed passenger ferry services operated by 11 licensees, serving outlying islands, new towns and inner-Victoria Harbour. The two routes operated by the Star Ferry are franchised. Additionally, 78 "kaito" ferries are licensed to serve remote coastal settlements.

The following companies operate ferries in Hong Kong:

Star Ferry:

New World First Ferry:

Hong Kong & Kowloon Ferry:

HKR International Limited:

Park Island Transport Company Ltd.:

Between Hong Kong and Other Places

Fastferry hydrofoil and catamaran service is available at all times of the week between Hong Kong and Macau.

TurboJet provides 24-hour services, connecting Central and Macau. Its highest frequency is servie every 15 minutes. It also provides the following regular services:

  • Hong Kong International Airport to Shenzhen Airport / Macau / Guangzhou (East River Guangzhou Ferry Terminal)
  • Tsim Sha Tsui to Guangzhou
  • Central / Tsim Sha Tsui to Shenzhen Airport
  • Macau to Shenzhen Airport
  • New World First Ferry (Macau) provides an 14-hour service daily between Tsim Sha Tsui and Macau, with highest frequency of 30 minutes.


The following companies operate ferries to locations outside of Hong Kong:

Airports

Hong Kong has one active international airport since the famous Kai Tak International Airport was retired in favour of the recently constructed Hong Kong International Airport, also known as Chek Lap Kok International Airport. The airport now serves as a transportation centre for South-East Asia, and as the hub for Cathay Pacific Airways.

Shek Kong Airfield, located near Yuen Long, is a military airfield for the People's Liberation Army.

Heliports

Hong Kong has three heliports. One heliport is located in the Hong Kong-Macau Ferry Terminal, by the Shun Tak Centre, in Sheung Wan, on Hong Kong Island. Another is located in Southwest Kowloon, near Kowloon station. The other is located Inside Hong Kong International Airport.

East Asia Airlines operates regular helicopter service between the Macau Ferry Terminal in Macau and the Shun Tak Centre. There are around 16 flights daily. Flights take approximately 20 minutes in the eight-seater aircraft.

There are also a number of helipads across the territory, including the roof of the Peninsula Hotel, which is the only rooftop helipad in the territory, excluding the rooftop heliport of Shun Tak Centre and those in hospitals, and Cheung Chau Island, between Tung Wan Beach and Kwun Yam Beach

See also

External links


zh:香港交通

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