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CITY TRANSPORT |
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Hong Kong's public transport system has been designed to serve
virtually the entire population, with the result that it is efficient,
fast, comfortable, extremely extensive and relatively cheap
Trains and trams
The MTR (Mass Transit Railway) is Hong Kong's underground train system,
comprising four lines, which operate from 6am to 1am. The Island Line (marked
blue on maps) runs along the north shore of Hong Kong Island, from
Sheung Wan in the west to Chai Wan in the east, taking in important
stops such as Central, Wanchai and Causeway Bay. The Tsuen Wan Line
(red) runs from Central, under the harbour, through Tsimshatsui, and
then northwest to the new town of Tsuen Wan. The Kwun Tong Line (green)
connects with the Tsuen Wan Line at Mongkok in Kowloon, and then runs
east in a circular direction, eventually coming back down south under
the harbour to join the Island Line at Quarry Bay. Finally, the Tung
Chung Line (yellow) follows much of the same route as the Airport
Express, linking Central and Tung Chung.
You can buy single-journey tickets ($4-11) from easy-to-understand
dispensing machines in the stations. The old Common Stored Value Ticket
is now being phased out, and instead you can buy an Octopus Card (tel
2993 8880 for information), a rechargeable stored-value ticket which can
be used for travel on the MTR, KCR, LRT, the Airport Express and some
ferries and buses. You pay a deposit of $50 to get the plastic card,
then add value to it by feeding it and your money into machines in the
MTR. Your fare is then electronically deducted each time you use the
ticket - which doesn't have to be fed into the turnstile, just swiped
over the yellow sensor pad on the top.
The MTR is not to be confused with the KCR (Kowloon-Canton Railway),
which is Hong Kong's main overground train line, running from Kowloon
station in East Tsimshatsui, north through the New Territories to the
border with China at Lo Wu. Apart from the direct trains running through
to Guangzhou, there are frequent local trains running between Kowloon
and Lo Wu, though note that you are not allowed to travel beyond the
penultimate station of Sheung Shui, unless you have documentation for
crossing into China. There is an interchange between the KCR and MTR at
Kowloon Tong station. A third transport system, the LRT (Light Rail
Transit) runs between towns in the western New Territories, though
tourists rarely use it.
Buses, taxis and cars
The double-decker buses that run around town are not fast (being subject
to frequent traffic snarl-ups) but are comfortable enough, especially
now that most are air-conditioned, and they are essential for many
destinations, such as the south of Hong Kong Island, and parts of the
New Territories, not served by trains. You pay as you board and exact
change is required; the amount is often posted up on the timetables at
bus stops. HKTA issues useful up-to-date information on bus routes,
including the approximate length of journeys and cost. The main bus
terminal in Central is at Exchange Square, a few minutes' walk west of
the Star Ferry Terminal, though some buses also start from right outside
the ferry terminal, or from the Outlying Islands Piers, west of the Star
Ferry. In Tsimshatsui, Kowloon, the main bus terminal is right in front
of the Star Ferry Terminal.
As well as the big buses, there are also ubiquitous cream-coloured
minibuses and maxicabs that can be stopped almost anywhere on the street
(not on double yellow lines), though these often have the destination
written in Chinese only. They cost a little more than regular buses, and
you usually pay the driver as you disembark; change - in small amounts -
is only given on the minibuses (which have a red rather than a green
stripe). The drivers of either are unlikely to speak English.
Taxis in Hong Kong are not expensive, though they can be hard to get
hold of in rush hours. Note that there is a toll to be paid (around $10,
but the amount varies according to the tunnel) on any trips through the
cross-harbour tunnel between Kowloon and Hong Kong, and drivers often
double this - as they are allowed to do - on the grounds that they have
to get back again. Many taxi drivers do not speak English so be prepared
to show the driver the name of your destination written down in Chinese.
If you get stuck gesture to the driver to call his dispatch centre on
the two-way radio; someone there will speak English.
Car rental is theoretically possible, though unnecessary and highly
inadvisable in Hong Kong. Taxis are far cheaper and more convenient.
Ferries
One of the most enjoyable things to do in Hong Kong is to ride the
humble Star Ferry between Kowloon and Hong Kong Island. The views of the
island are superb, particularly at dusk when the lights begin to twinkle
through the humidity and the spray. You'll also get a feel for the
frenetic pace of life on Hong Kong's waterways, with ferries, junks,
hydrofoils and larger ships looming up from all directions. You can ride
upper deck ($2.20) or lower deck ($1.70). Ferries run every few minutes
between Tsimshatsui and Central (a 7-minute ride; daily 6.30am-11.30pm),
and between Tsimshatsui and Wanchai. There are also similarly cheap and
fun ferry crossings between Hung Hom and Central.
In addition, a large array of other boats run between Hong Kong and the
outlying islands, most of which use the piers immediately north of
Exchange Square
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