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The territory of Hong Kong has a highly developed and sophisticated transportation network, encompassing both public and private transport.
Escalators and moving sidewalks
Central-Mid-Levels escalator. 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 Mid-levels Escalator is the longest outdoor covered escalator system in the world, operating downhill until 10 in the morning for commuters going to work, and then operating uphill until midnight.
The Mid-levels Escalator consists of 20 escalators and 3 moving sidewalks. It 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. Daily traffic exceeds 35,000 people. It has been operating since 1993 and cost HK$ 240 million (USD 30 million) to build.
Railways Main articles: Railways in Hong Kong, MTR, KCRC, Hong Kong Tramways and Peak Tram
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 within inner urban Hong Kong, Tsuen Wan New Town, Tseung Kwan O New Town, North Lantau New Town, Hong Kong Disneyland and the Airport, while the KCRC connects the northeastern and northwestern parts of the New Territories with the urban areas of Hong Kong. The Hong Kong Tramways operates a tram service exclusively on northern Hong Kong Island. The Peak Tram connects Central, Hong Kong's CBD, with the Victoria Peak.
There are four systems under the KCRC, namely East Rail, West Rail, Ma On Shan Rail and Light Rail. There are several extensions planned or under construction, including the Lok Ma Chau Spur line, the Kowloon Southern Link, and the Sha Tin to Central Link. Note that the Light Rail posesses many characteristics of a tramway, including running on streets with other traffics (at grades) on some of its tracks.
Causeway Bay MTR station on the Island Line. There are altogether six lines in the MTR system, with a total of 50 stations. The six lines are Kwun Tong Line, Tsuen Wan Line, Island Line, Tseung Kwan O Line, Tung Chung Line and the Airport Express. The former 5 lines provide ordinary metro services, whereas the Airport Express provide a direct link with the city centre and the Hong Kong International Airport.
The Hong Kong Tramways is the only tram (streetcar) system run exclusively with double deckers.
The Peak Tram is a funicular railway.
See also: Rail gauges and power supply of Hong Kong rails
Highways See also: List of streets and roads in Hong Kong - total: 1,831 km (1999 est.)
- paved: 1,831 km
Bridges and Tunnels Main article: List of streets and roads in Hong Kong
There are 12 vehicular tunnels in Hong Kong. They include three cross-harbour tunnels and nine road tunnels.
The cross-harbour tunnels, connecting Hong Kong Island and Kowloon Peninsula across Victoria Harbour, are:
The other road tunnels are: Major bridges include: See also: Hong Kong Link
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 (usually referred to as minibuses, or sometimes maxicabs) typically serve areas less accessible by buses. They can be broken down into two different types: Red minibuses and green minibuses.
Red minibuses 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 minibuses 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 might be difficult for non-locals.
See also: Jitney
Taxis Main article: Taxis of Hong Kong An urban red taxi in Hong Kong. Different coloured taxis serve different areas. Red taxis serve all areas, except most of Lantau Island. Green taxis only serve the New Territories, except Sha Tin, Tsuen Wan, Tsueng Kwan O and southern Lantau, 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 and luggages. 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 "kai-to" ferries are licensed to serve remote coastal settlements.
The following companies operate ferries in Hong Kong:
Star Ferry:
New World First Ferry: - Central to Cheung Chau, Mui Wo, and Peng Chau
- Tsim Sha Tsui, Mui Wo, Cheung Chau (Weekends Only)
- Peng Chau, Mui Wo, Chi Ma Wan, and Cheung Chau
- North Point to Hung Hom and Kowloon City
- Tuen Mun to Tung Chung
- Tuen Mun, Tung Chung, Sha Lo Wan, and Tai O
- Tuen Mun to Tai O (Weekends Only)
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 service 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.
Chu Kong Passenger Transport (CKS) connects Hong Kong to cities in Guangdong province, China, including Zhuhai (Jiuzhou), Shenzhen (Shekou), Zhongshan, Lianhua Shan, Jiangmen, Gongyi, Sanbu, Gaoming, Heshan, Humen, Nanhai, Shunde, Doumen, Zhaoqing.
Ports and harbors See also: Port of Hong Kong
Merchant marine
- total: 663 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 20,478,042 GRT/34,554,455 DWT
- by type: barge carrier 1, bulk 364, cargo 78, chemical tanker 23, combination bulk 2, combination ore/oil 3, container 97, liquefied gas 20, multi-functional large load carrier 1, petroleum tanker 60, refrigerated cargo 3, roll on/roll off 4, short-sea/passenger 1, specialized tanker 2, vehicle carrier 4
- foreign-owned: Australia 2, Belgium 1, British Virgin Islands 1, China 178, Cyprus 1, Denmark 3, France 2, Germany 14, Greece 4, India 9, Indonesia 2, Japan 22, South Korea 2, Malaysia 3, Monaco 9, Norway 16, Panama 4, Philippines 17, Singapore 22, Taiwan 3, Thailand 1, United Kingdom 22, United States 1
- registered in other countries: 569 (2003 est.)
Airports Hong Kong has one active international airport since the famous former Hong Kong International Airport at Kai Tak 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 hub for Southeast Asia, and as the hub for Cathay Pacific Airways, Dragonair and Air Hong Kong. Ferry services link the airport with several piers in Pearl River Delta, which immigration and custom check is not required.
Shek Kong Airfield, located near Yuen Long, is a military airfield for the People's Liberation Army.
Heliports See also: List of airports and heliports in Hong Kong
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 - Transportation Department of Hong kong (http://www.info.gov.hk/td/eng/)
- Public transport overview on HK Yellow Pages website (http://www.yp.com.hk/yptourist_e03/en/tips/tips_transportation.aspx)
- Unofficial HK Public Transport website (http://www.hkpt.com)
- Schematic MTR map with stations (http://www.mtr.com.hk/jplanner/images/maps/mtr_map2.jpg)
- KCRC heavy rail and light rail map with stations, and MTR lines (in grey, not in legend) without numbers or stations (http://www.kcrc.com/eng/services/routemap/index.asp)
- HK Highways Dept. (http://www.hyd.gov.hk)
- Vehicular tunnels in Hong Kong (http://www.info.gov.hk/censtatd/eng/statliteracy/etimes/et030929.htm)
- Heliservice (Hong Kong) Litmited (http://www.heliservices.com.hk/location.html)
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