Getting Around Hong Kong

A fun and convenient way to get across Victoria Harbour between Hong Kong Island and Kowloon is to take the Star Ferry. The green-and-white ferries have been transporting passengers across the harbor since 1888. For only a couple of Hong Kong dollars to ride on the upper deck, it is one of the best bargains in Hong Kong. The view of the harbor and Hong Kong Island on the trip across is spectacular.

The Star Ferry is operated by the Star Ferry Company. It was founded as the Kowloon Ferry Company in 1888 by Parsee merchant Dorabjee Naorojee Mithaiwala, who purchased a vessel that had been used to transport passengers across the harbor on an irregular basis since the mid-1870s. Several additional ferries were added to the fleet within the next few years. The company's name was changed to the Star Ferry Company in 1898 when Mithaiwala retired to India. The new name was inspired by Alfred Lord Tennyson's poem, Crossing the Bar, in which the first line reads "Sunset and evening star, and one clear call for me".

The Star Ferry currently has a fleet of 12 diesel-electric ferries that operate on two routes across Victoria Harbour between Hong Kong Island and Kowloon. The main route is between Central and Tsim Sah Tsui, and the second route is between Wanchai and Tsim Sha Tsui.

Despite the fact that a tunnel connects Hong Kong Island and Kowloon, over 70,000 passengers take the ferry across the harbor on a daily basis, which amounts to over 26,000,000 per year.

The new Hong Kong International Airport (HKG) was constructed at Chek Lap Kok on land reclaimed from the sea. The airport is quickly becoming the primary regional hub for Southeast Asia, and has connections to most major cities in Asia, Europe, and North America. The terminal is the largest in the world, and is designed to process 35,000,000 passengers annually.

Airlines serving Hong Kong International Airport: Aeroflot-Russian Airlines, Air Canada, Air China, Air France, Air Hong Kong, Air-India, Air Mauritius, Air New Zealand, Air Niugini, Air Pacific, AirAsia, All Nippon Airways, American Airlines, Asiana Airlines, Bangkok Airways, Biman Bangladesh Airlines, British Airways, Cathay Pacific Airways, Cebu Pacific Air, China Airlines, China Eastern Airlines, China Southern Airlines, Continental Airlines, Continental Micronesia, Delta Air Lines, Dragonair, El Al Israel Airlines, Emirates, Ethiopian Airlines, EVA Air, Finnair, Garuda Indonesia, Hong Kong Airlines, Hong Kong Express Airways, Japan Airlines, Jet Airways, Jetstar Asia Airways, KLM Royal Dutch Airlines, Kenya Airways, Kingfisher Airlines, Korean Air, Lufthansa German Airlines, Malaysia Airlines, Mandarin Airlines, Orient-Thai Airways, Pakistan International Airlines, Philippine Airlines, QANTAS Airways, Qatar Airways, Royal Brunei Airlines, Royal Jordanian Airlines, Royal Nepal Airlines, Saudi Arabian Airlines, Shanghai Airlines, Shenzhen Airlines, Singapore Airlines, South African Airways, SriLankan Airlines, Swiss International Air Lines, TAP Air Portugal, Thai AirAsia, Thai Airways International, Tiger Airways, Turkish Airlines, United Airlines, US Airways, Vietnam Airlines, Virgin Atlantic Airways, and Xiamen Airlines.

The Light Rail is a streetcar system that provides transit service in and between the New Territories towns of Tuen Mun and Yuen Long.

The system relies on an open-fare system and does not use payment turnstiles. Riders using Octopus cards must place their card over the fare box at the Light Rail stop before getting on the streetcar. When they get off the streetcar, they must put the card over the fare box again to deduct the fare. Alternatively, fare tickets can be purchased from machines located at each stop. Ticket inspectors inspect train tickets and Octopus cards along the route and at the stops.

The Light Rail has become a line for the newly opened West Rail trains. Commuters can travel for free on the Light Rail if they transfer to the West Rail or vice versa.

If you want to go to Shenzhen (gateway to China from HK/Kowloon), take the Kowloon Canton Railway (KCR) until Lo Wu station, where the immigration office is. The journey takes an hour.

The MTR is connected to KCR via Kowloon Tong (East Rail/Tsim Sha Tsui) station. There's a big and posh mall in Kowloon Tong where you can shop and eat in the food court.

The KCR is also being used by tourists who want to visit the New Territories (more greens, less touristy).

Please see the website below for interesting places to visit.

Travelling around Hongkong and Kowloon, I always use the MTR. It's fast and convenient.

Take the MTR to Central Station - Exit J for the Peak Tram

Take the MTR to Tung Chung Station - if you want to go to Lantau Island to see the Polin Monastery and the Big Buddha. From there, catch bus 23.

The basic network of the Hong Kong mass transit system was designed in the early 1970's and construction started in 1974. It included three lines, one along the northern shore of Hong Kong island and two crossing Hong Kong harbour to serve Kowloon situated on the Chinese mainland. The MTR system was expanded during the 1990's when a new airport was built 30 km west on Lantau Island near the new town of Tung Chung. Airport Express takes 23 minutes from central Hong Kong to the new airport and runs every 10 minutes. An extension of the Kwun Tong Line from Quarry Bay to North Point opened in 2001 to relieve the busy Quarry Bay transfer station.

For more imformation see website below:

Hong Kongs transport system is fantastic! If you are here for a while, get yourself an MTR card which you can buy at any MTR station. You pay a minimal deposit, then just load money onto them.

They can be used on all buses, MTR's and a lot of mini buses now (might be all minis now, not sure) You can then swipe them over the gates, or on entry to the buses, and it automatically debts the card.

The taxi's are EVERYWHERE! flag one down and most drivers have enough English to get you there. Show him on the map if he's not sure. They are cheap say a trip from Wan Chai to Central, might cost you US$5 HK$40) on average.

We always use a local company to pick us up and take us to and from the airport on our flights out (see website below) this is because we are a family of four and often have a lot of luggage, and we find it cheaper and more convenient that a taxi or MTR, bus etc. ( HK$420 from airport to say Causeway bay - you can book online) Single travellers may find the HK$100 ish MTR to central more viable, but then you may need a cab on from there.

Departures for Guangzhou (and also Beijing and Shanghai) are from Hung Hom station in Kowloon – you can get here by MTR East line and exit Hung Hom station (second station from East TST). First train leaves 7:25 am, last one at 19:24. You will clear customs and get exit stamp for HK at Hung Hom station border point – it's all very straightforward and simple process, but it's best to be there with your ticket at least 30-45 min before departure. Your passport on China side will be then stamped at the arrival to Guangzhou, right at the station.
It is fast and comfortable 2 hours ride, though not the cheapest if that matters.
Train for GZ takes you via Dongguan to Guangzhou East station (from there, you can take subway to GZ main station).

Timetables, price and other details are available from this excellent official MTR site: http://www.it3.mtr.com.hk/B2C/UserPage/sysTimeTable_Eng.asp

We bought our ticket (to Guangzhou) a day in advance, but unless there's big holiday it didn't look necessary. You could easly buy it just the same day, since there are 12 departures daily. For Beijing and Shanghai maybe better to book earlier, but I cannot say for that since we didn't do that route. It looks like you can buy ticket on their web site as well.