Getting There & Away

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 about US$10 and 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. The Airport Express train connects Chek Lap Kok with Hong Kong station in Central, stopping in Kowloon along the way, in just 23 minutes. Conveniently, you can check your bags in at the train station when heading out to the airport. There's also a 35-minute Cityflyer airbus, and public buses: A21, best for Kowloon, and A11, for Hong Kong Island. Hotel shuttle buses and taxis are another, more expensive, option.

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 order with the mainland. Trains run between Hong Kong and Guangzhou (Canton), Shanghai and Beijing (about 30 hours). Big-spenders can take the Trans-Siberian Railway from Europe to Beijing and on to Hong Kong. Several transport companies in Hong Kong offer bus services to Guangzhou, Shenzhen and other destinations in Guangdong Province. There are also boats that take you to destinations in Guangdong and Guangxi Provinces, as well as Macau.

Getting Around

Hong Kong is small and crowded, which makes public transport the only practical way to get around. Public transport is cheap, fast, widely used and generally efficient. Transport passes aimed at tourists aren't good value, as you're charged for a 'souvenir' card to take home; the rechargeable Octopus card is a better option. 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. 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 city of Tuen Mun with Yuen Long. Double-decker trams trundle along the northern side of Hong Kong Island. 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.

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. Car rental is available but don't even contemplate driving in Hong Kong. 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. Although much of Hong Kong is best seen on foot, it isn't necessarily easy or relaxing to do so, what with poorly designed pedestrian crossings, crushing crowds and confusing pedestrian flyovers. Watch your step and persevere. And don't miss the longest escalator in the world, the Central-Mid-Levels Escalator and Walkway System.

back to top

previous