Hong Kong Transport

Coming and Going

Most international travellers arrive and depart via Hong Kong International Airport. Travellers to and from mainland China can use ferry, road or rail links ( below ) to Guangdong and points beyond. Hong Kong can be reached from Macau via ferry or helicopter.

Water

There are boats that take you to destinations in Guangdong Province as well as Macau. Departure tax is almost always included in the ticket.

Road

Several transport companies in Hong Kong offer bus services to Guangzhou, Shenzhen and other destinations in Guangdong Province. Buses depart from several locations on Hong Kong Island and in Kowloon and the New Territories.

Rail

By land, the only way into Hong Kong is through mainland China. Since the handover, transport options have increased dramatically, connecting places as close as Shenzhen and as far as Beijing. Although the Hong Kong SAR is now an integral part of China, visas are still required to cross the border with the mainland. Trains run between Hong Kong and Guangzhou (Canton), Shanghai and Beijing (about 30hr). Big-spenders can take the Trans-Siberian Railway from Europe to Beijing and on to Hong Kong.

Air

Hong Kong is the major gateway to China and much of East Asia. International air service is excellent and fares are relatively cheap. Departure tax is usually included in the airfare. In June 1998 Hong Kong opened its new international airport - Chek Lap Kok - on Lantau Island, ending an era of steep descents and daredevil landings at Kai Tak in Kowloon.

Be aware that if you are travelling to China from Hong Kong, you should organise your Chinese visa before arriving in Hong Kong.

Getting About

In just 23min the Airport Express train connects Hong Kong International Airport with Hong Kong station in Central, stopping in Kowloon along the way. It's possibly the most convenient airport transport on earth, with the train leaving from inside the arrivals hall. On the way back you can check your bags in at the train stations in Central and Kowloon many hours before heading out to the airport, and go sightseeing with just your hand luggage. There's also a 35min Cityflyer airbus, and cheaper public buses: A21, best for Kowloon, and A11, for Hong Kong Island. Hotel shuttle buses and taxis are another more expensive option. Hong Kong's public transport system is a tourist attraction in its own right: there are old harbour ferries and narrow trams, ultra modern trains and the world's longest escalator. If you can't get from A to B with style in Hong Kong, you're not trying.

Water

Hong Kong's ferries are usually faster and cheaper than buses and trams. They are also fun, and the harbour views are stunning when the weather cooperates. Hoverferries are about twice as fast as conventional boats.

Walking

No visitor to Hong Kong should miss the longest escalator in the world, the Central-Mid-Levels Escalator and Walkway System. It consists of three moving walkways and 20 elevated walkways that can be reversed; they run down in the morning and up the rest of the day and evening to handle commuter traffic flow.

Tram

Hong Kong Island's double-decker trams aren't fast, but if you're not in a hurry, they're a cheap and fantastically fun way of experiencing 'old' Hong Kong. Try to get a seat at the front window upstairs for a first-class view. Services operate at regular intervals throughout the day and night.

Taxi

Metered taxis are red with silver tops (and green with white tops in the New Territories). They're inexpensive compared to other big-city cabs, but the MTR can often be better value and quicker. They don't pick up or put down at bus stops.

Riding

Cycling in Kowloon or Central would be suicidal, but in quiet areas of the islands or the New Territories a bike can be quite a nice way of getting around in a recreational way. Most bike hire kiosks run out of bikes early on the weekend if the weather is nice.

Rail

The north side of Hong Kong Island and most of Kowloon are well-served by Hong Kong's ultra-modern Mass Transit Railway (MTR). Three tunnels link Hong Kong with Kowloon. The Kowloon-Guangzhou (Canton) Railway (KCR) runs from Kowloon to the Chinese border at Lo Wu and is a quick way to get to the New Territories. Light Rail Transit (fast, modern, air-con trams) run in the New Territories, connecting the New Town of Tuen Mun with Yuen Long. Double-decker trams trundle along the northern side of Hong Kong Island.

Car

Car rental is available but don't even contemplate driving in Hong Kong. The complex highway system, clogged roads and devilish parking will make it an experience more stressful than it's worth. If you're determined to navigate under your own steam, hire a car with a driver.

Bus

Public transport is cheap, fast, widely used and generally efficient. The bus system is extensive and bewildering but you will need it to explore the south side of Hong Kong Island and the New Territories.