Hong Kong Transportation

Hong Kong is the main gateway to China and much of East Asia. Therefore, the international air service is excellent and the fierce competition keeps the fares relatively low compared to the neighboring countries.

Hong Kong Air Transport

Hong Kong International Airport, located in Lantau Island, 40 km away from the urban area is one of the 10 big harbor airports in the world. There are daily services to almost every corner of the world, which includes America, Europe, Canada, the mainland of china, South African, and Indonesia, Japan, the Middle East, Austria and Southeastern Asia Nations. The main airline companies in Hong Kong are Guotai and Ganglong companies.

Hong Kong City - Airport

The Airport Express line is the fastest and most expensive way to get to/from the airport. You can also go by bus, taxi and underground.

Airport Express Line (AEL)

Airport express is the special railway for the airport. It is convenient and reliable. The 35.3km journey between the Airport and the city takes as long as 24 minutes. Trains run by the Airport Express Line depart from Hong Kong Station every 10 minutes from 5:50 to 0:48. And it stops at the Kowloon Station and Tsing Yi Station en route.

Tips

It takes about 24 minutes by the airport express to Hong Kong station from the airport. If you take the airport express with an Octopus Card to the urban area, you can take the MTR for free.

Airport bus

There are more than 30 special bus lines serving the International Airport. The most useful ones for travelers are the A11 and A12 which go past major hotel areas in Hong Kong Island and A 21 which serves hotel areas in Kowloon.

Taxi

The taxi station is just outside the main airport building on the left. And it would cost about 335 HK$ from the airport to the Mid District and 270 HK$ to Tsim Sha Tsui.

The most economical way from the airport to the urban area

First, take the S1 bus to Tung Chung MTR underground station from the Airport bus station at a cost of 3.5 HK$, and then take the underground to the urban area.

Hong Kong Train Transport

The Kowloon-Canton Railway (KCR) Trains

The Kowloon-Canton Railway (KCR) mainly runs on three local lines from Kowloon to the New Territories and three outlines from Kowloon up to the mainland. It is the main transportation channel that connects Kowloon, New Territories with the mainland.

Serving Area:

Kowloon-Canton Eastern Railway: Luohu, north New Territories, Shatian to Kowloon (Hung Hom Station)

Kowloon-Canton Western Railway: West New Territories to Kowloon, ( Nam Cheong st. Sham Shui Po)

Light Transit Railway: Tuen Mun in west New Territories to Yuen Long

Cantoon-Kowloon Through Railway: Guangdong to Kowloon (Hung Hom Station)

Shanghai-Kowloon Through Railway: Shanghai to Kowloon (Hung Hom Station)

Beijing-Kowloon Through Railway: Beijing to Kowloon (Hung Hom Station)

Operating time: operating time varies based on different lines. It is from 5:30 in the morning to 12:30 at midnight for Kowloon-Canton Eastern Railway and Western Railway.

Tips: There are light transit railways running between New Territories, Tuen Mun and Yuen Long, and buses to those relatively remote areas as well.

Hong Kong Hung Hom Railway Station

Location: Hong Kong Hung Hom Railway Station is located in Cheong Wan Road, Yau Tsim Mong District, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region.

Hung Hom Station, formerly Known as Kowloon Station is the terminal station of both the East Rail Line and West Rail Line in Hong Kong. At the same time, it is also the center of the Hong Kong Metro Railway Station. Hung Hom Station, located in the West Rail Line, was opened in 1914. It is 2,407 kilometers from Beijing West Railway Station and 35 kilometers from Shenzhen Railway Station.

Hong Kong Ferry - from Downtown and Airport

All main ports in Hong Kong have ferries. There are ferries running inside Hong Kong Island (between Hong Kong Island and Kowloon) and outside (between the urban the outlying islands).

The main ferry running inside the island is the star ferry which operates every several or dozens of minutes. It has ports at Central, Wan Chai and Tsim Sha Tsui. Commuting by ferry is surprisingly cheap, only costing HK$ 2.2 for seats on the above floor and HK$ 1.7 for seats on the below floor from Central or Wan Chai to Tsim Sha Tsui. It is the cheapest way of getting around.

Servicing Areas: Four types

• Between Hong Kong Island and Kowloon
• Between Hong Kong Island and outlying islands
• Between Hong Kong Island and Macau
• Between Kowloon and Macau

Operating Hours: Different for each route, mainly daytime

The Star Ferry is the main ferry operator between Hong Kong Island and Kowloon. The frequency is every few minutes to just over 10 minutes. The Star Ferry has piers at Central, Wan Chai, Tsim Sha Tsui and Hung Hom. It only costs HK$2.2 for Central - Tsim Sha Tsui or Wan Chai - Tsim Sha Tsui, it's the best and cheapest way to enjoy Victoria Harbour.

Ferry to Other Destinations in China

Hong Kong is also considered a gateway to other destinations in China. Hong Kong is a channel in going to and from Macau, SAR which is considered as the most known route. Within an hour, one can now experience the other side of Macau. A ferry ride costs HK$ 146 per way, and one can choose from ferry providers such as Turbojet, CotaiStrip and Macao Dragon.

Hong Kong recently opened its ferry hub in its International Airport where ferry providers going to and from Macau are operating. There are 3 ferry terminals in Hong Kong for outward travel, one located in the International Airport, the other in Kowloon and the last is in the Hong Kong Island- which is the most used terminal for Macau routes.

Getting Around Hong Kong

Underground

Undergrounds are fast, efficient and air-conditioned, and they are the main transportation means in the urban area. There are altogether five lines running from 6:00 in the morning to 1:00 at midnight, and the busy periods are 8:30- 9:00 in the morning and 6:00-7:00 in the afternoon. The price for the tickets ranges from 4 to 26 HK＄ according to different distances. The one-way ticket can be bought can buy at the station hall, which is only valid for the day when it's purchased.

Tips

1. All signs at the railway station are both in Chinese and English and so does the broadcast.

2. If you take underground more than ten times in a week (airport express line is excluded), you can exchange for one free one-way ticket (also not valid for airport express line).

3. When you are in the metro, please keep to the right side because the left way is for those who are in a hurry.

3. Smoking is prohibited.

Bus

Bus lines almost cover every inch of the territory. Fares range from HK$1.2 to HK$45, which is charged according to the destination. Senior people (above the age of 65) and children (under and at the age of 12) are charged half price.

Minibus

Except for the Lantau Island and Outlying Islands, all other districts in Hong Kong have minibusses. The advantages of the minibus are that it runs fast and frequently with overnight operation on some main lines. There are two kinds of minibusses, the green one ( running on a special line) and the red one.

The red minibus doesn't have any fixed stop, frequency and fare, and their routes also change according to the traffic or the seat occupied situation. Except for the usually restricted areas, they can pick up passengers and drop them off anywhere. Normally, the passengers pay when they get off.

Special minibusses are yellow with a green stripe. They run along specific routes and have fixed stops, departing time and prices. Passengers should get on and get off at the appointed location and they should prepare for small change and pay the time they get on.

Trolley Bus

As a unique mode of public transportation in Hong Kong, the trolley bus has a long history. It runs between Shau Kei Wan in the east of Hong Kong Island and Kennedy Town (Belcher Bay) in the west of Hong Kong Island, and there is a branch line running on Happy Valley. In contrast to other transport vehicles, in a trolley bus passengers get on from the back door and pay and get off from the front door.

Operating time:　From 6:00 in the morning till 12:00 at midnight.

Fare: It is 2 HS$ for adults and half-price for senior people above the age of 65 and children (under and at the age of 12).

Peak Tram

Ever since 1888, the peak tram had been running between Central and Victoria Peak for a century. By the tram, visitors can not only get directly to Victoria Peak but also enjoy the pleasant sights of Hong Kong, Kowloon and Victoria Harbor. Departing from the Gardon Road, the whole journey will cost only eight minutes.

Running time: From 7:00 in the morning till12:00 at midnight

Price for the ticket: the price for an adult one-way ticket is HK$20 and HK$30 for a flat fare. The price for old people (above and at the age of 65) for one-way ticket is HK$7 and for return ticket is HK$ 14, for children (between 3 and 11 years old) for one-way ticket is HK$6 and for return ticket is HK$9.

Tips: The peal tram is the most important transportation vehicle for Victoria Peak, so you can’t miss it.

Taxis

There are three kinds of taxis in Hong Kong: the red taxis serving Hong Kong Island and Kowloon; the green ones in the New Territories and the blue taxis on Lantau Island. The red ones also run in the south and middle of Lantau Island and the international airport.

Rate for the red taxi: The flag down price is 15 HK$for the first two kilometers and after that an additional 1.4 HK$ is charged per every 200 meters, 1.4 HK$ is charged for per minute waiting.

Except for some appointed areas in the Kowloon district and the international airport on Lantau Island, the green taxis are only allowed to run in New Territories.

Rate for a green taxi: 12.5 HK$ for the first two km and after 1.2 HK$ is charged per km, 1.20 HK$ is charged for every minute waiting.

The blue taxis are restricted to run on Lantau Island and between the Lantau and the international airport.

Rates for blue taxis: HK$ 12 for the first two km and after 1.2 HK$ is charged every 200 meters, HK$ 1.2 is charged for every minute waiting.

Tips：

Some additional charge must be paid for cross-harbor tunnel trips and a HK$5 charge for each piece of luggage put in the luggage cabin.

It is easier to take a taxi at taxi stop and in front of a hotel. You can ask the driver for receipt.