The City of Hong Kong is a safe place for walking around with plenty of sidewalks, pedestrian crossing and areas that are well signposted giving tourists directions to the main attractions. In Central there are elevated, covered walkways for pedestrians separating walkers from the busy traffic on the streets and you could walk from Central to Causeway Bay in about an hour. There are plenty of parks in the area that are great for walking around including Hong Kong Park and Kowloon along with the many temples and street markets situated around the city. The Dragon`s Back Trail is a 31-mile long hike along the southeastern coastline providing walkers a beautiful outdoor setting with stunning views.

Riding a bike is only recommended in the quieter areas of the city, Hong Kong Island and Kowloon are not safe for cycling, but southern Hong Kong Island and the New Territories offer cyclers a safe and scenic route with bike paths. Due to certain laws bicycles are not allowed to ride on the highways or in tunnels. Rentals can be found in several different locations across the city including popular spots such as Cheung Chau, Lantau, Tai Po Market and Tuen Mun, renting a bike usually costs around HK$50 a day for a regular bike.

There are plenty of buses in Hong Kong, including the double-decker British style ones. Buses are mainly used in the southern part of the island including Lantau Island and the New Territories, to connect passengers with the areas where other forms of transportation do not go. The major bus companies are Citybus, New World First Bus, Kowloon Motor Bus, New Lantau Bus and Long Wind Buses with the main bus stations located in Central and Admiralty. Buses run from around 6:00 am until midnight daily and tickets cost around HK$4 up to HK$45 and half that price for children and seniors. Prices vary depending on the route, bus, distance, etc. The buses destination is shown on the front of the bus in English with bus stops located all over the city.

There are two companies that offer a Hop-on, Hop-off bus service in the city aboard double-decker sightseeing buses that make stops at the major attractions located in and around the island. The Big Bus Company www.bigbustours.com and Rickshaw Sightseeing Bus www.rickshawbus.com, visit the company`s websites for more information on their routes and ticket prices.

The trams in Hong Kong are a historic part of the city, they have been transporting people around the since 1904. The trams run along a 10 mile stretch in the north corridor of the island, traveling from Kennedy Town (West) to Shau Kei Wan (East) and out to Happy Valley. Journeys are onboard double-decker streetcars that provide passengers with spectacular scenic views (from the top deck) of the sights and surroundings of this spectacular city. The trams run from 6:00 am and end at midnight with a flat rate of HK$2.30 no matter where you travel and provide a hop-off option at neighborhoods such as Wan Chai, Causeway Bay, North Point, Happy Valley and the Western District. Visit www.hktramways.com for more information.

The Peak Tram transports passengers to the top of Hong Kong `Victoria Peak` from Central. The tram originated in 1888 and was used exclusively for the British governor and the residents of The Peak. It is a popular 7-minute journey to the top, riding along the steepest funicular railway in the world. Operating hours are from 7:00 am until midnight, departing every 10 – 15 minutes with tickets costing around HK$45 per adult for a return and children aged 3 – 11 costing around HK$20, Seniors aged 65 and up cost the same as children. The main terminal can be found in the lower Peak area on Garden Road in Central.

The Mass Transit Railway System is the main rail system covering Hong Kong Island, Kowloon Peninsula, and Lantau Island. The fast and efficient system covers the major attractions and includes rail lines, underground, subway, overland lines and Light Rail. The HK Airport Express line connects passengers to the Central district of Hong Kong from the airport in a 30-minute journey. The main stations are `Central` and Kowloon with other stations situated all over the city, metro signs are posted around town and stations in the city are color coded. The most popular lines for tourists are the Tsuen Wan Line (Red), Tung Chung Line (Orange), the Island Line (Blue) and Disneyland Line (Pink). Trains run every 2 – 4 minutes beginning at 6:00 am and end at 1:00 am with tickets prices depending upon the length of the journey, a trip from Tsim Sha Tsui to Central costs approximately HK$9.50, ticket machines are located at the stations and tourist passes are available. Visit www.mtr.com.hk for more information.

More Getting Around HK

The main airport in Hong Kong is Hong Kong International (aka Chek Lap Kok) located north of Lantau Island west of Hong Kong Island. This is the major airport for the region offering several options for transportation into the city including trains, buses, and taxis.

If you have not booked a private transfer through us, you have a few options including the Airport Express train which connects passengers to Hong Kong Station in 24 minutes, the train is a quick and comfortable option and departs from the airport every 10 minutes from 5:54 am to 11:28 pm and every 12 minutes from 11:28 pm to 12:45 am. Tickets cost approximately HK$115 per adult for a single journey and HK$57.50 for children. You can also travel to Kowloon Station for approximately HK$105, child HK$52.50 and Tsing Yi Station for approximately HK$70, child HK$35.

A cheaper option from the airport would be to take the Airport Express to Tsing Yi Station and then change to the Tung Chung MTR line which takes you to Hong Kong Station. The cost is approximately HK$65 with an Octopus card. There is a free connection on the MTR offered (if using the same Octopus Card) for anyone traveling from the Airport Express to the MTR stations at Central, Kowloon and Tsing Yi. As well as a free shuttle bus transfer to various hotels nearby offered to passengers on the Airport Express, porter services are free to passengers at all Airport Express Stations, there is no need to tip. Airport Express can be found inside the arrivals hall, follow the signs for `trains to the city`. For more information visit www.mtr.com.hk

Buses from the airport are cheaper than the train or a taxi but can take longer to get into the city. The two major bus companies at the airport are Citybus Limited (CityFlyer Routes) and Long Win (Airbus Routes). The CityFlyer routes that service Hong Kong Island and Kowloon are the best options for tourists and the most popular routes are A11 costing approximately HK$44 per adult and HK$16.50 per child taking around 45 minutes into central Kowloon and A21 costing approximately HK$40 per adult and HK$20 per child this journey takes around an hour taking passengers to the central areas of the city. Most of the bus stops found around the city are within walking distance to many of the major hotels and other attractions. The bus stops can be found outside the arrivals hall toward the right, follow the signs. For more information visit www.citybus.com.hk or www.lwb.hk

Taxis provide a fast, flexible and direct route into the city. Taxi stations are located towards the left-hand side outside the arrivals hall, follow the signs. The approximate costs to Central are around HK$250 – $350. Taxis are metered and color coded based on their coverage areas: Red = Urban, Green = New Territories and Blue = Lantau Island. Ask the staff at the taxi stations for assistance.

The main train station on the island of Hong Kong is Central. If you have taken the Airport Express train there is a free shuttle provided from the station to some hotels nearby, the shuttles depart every 20 minutes from Hong Kong Station. If your hotel is not offered as a drop off with the free shuttle they may offer independent pick up services from the stations, check with your hotel directly. Taxis are available outside of the station along with metro and bus stations located close by, and many attractions are within walking distance.

Kowloon Station is located on the northern side of Hong Kong Island and is another major train station. The Airport Express shuttles depart from here every 12 minutes to some hotels in the area, there are metro stations nearby and taxis available outside of the station.

Hong Kong features a very fast and efficient Mass Transit Railway system (MTR) that covers all the major attraction in the region with 11 rail lines including 5 underground lines, 3 subway lines, over land lines and Light Rail. The stations in the city are color coded and the most frequently used lines for visitors include the Tsuen Wan Line which is red, the Island Line which is blue, the Tung Chung Line is orange and the Disneyland Resort Line is pink. The trains run every 2 – 14 minutes starting at 6:00 am until around 1:00 am, with the busiest times during peak hours from 7:30 am to 9:30 am and 5:00 pm to 7:00 pm during the weekdays. Ticket prices depend on the distance traveled with prices ranging from HK$8 to HK$35 for adults with children and senior citizens over 65 paying half the price of an adult ticket. Ticket machines can be found at the stations but do not accept credit cards, food and drinks are prohibited on the trains and inside the stations.

The city features a historic tram system on board double-decker streetcars that were established in 1904 and run along the northern coast of the Island. An affordable, scenic way to see parts of the city with some of the best views around and some great prices. A flat fare of HK$2.30 is paid when you exit the tram, passenger`s board at the rear and trams run from 6:00 am until midnight.

The Peak Tram takes passengers from Central Hong Kong up to Victoria Peak, a popular journey that has been around since 1888, the steepest railway in the world. The tram operates from 7:00 am until midnight and departs every 10 -15 minutes taking around 7 minutes to reach the peak. Tickets are approximately HK$28.

There are plenty of taxis in the city providing a fast, affordable service to get around Hong Kong. Taxis are metered and can be hailed from the streets, ordered by phone or found outside many major attractions including the train and bus stations. Taxis are color coded in the city with three lines, Red is Urban and runs in Kowloon and Hong Kong Island but cannot go to Lantau, Blue is Lantau covering Lantau Island and Green covers the New Territories. Prices depend on the line you are traveling and the distance.

Buses are available in the city and a great way to explore the southern side of the Island including Lantau Island and the New Territories. The main bus stations are in Central and Admiralty

Hong Kong`s extensive bus system will take you just about anywhere in the territory. Since Kowloon and the northern side of Hong Kong Island are so well served by the MTR, most visitors use the buses primarily to explore the southern side of Hong Kong Island, the New Territories, and Lantau Island. Buses run from 5:30 am until around midnight with a few buses that run through the night from 12:45 am until 5 am. Prices start around HK$4 and go up depending on the distance and destination. Night buses cost around HK$7.

Hong Kong features the longest outdoor escalator in the world; it travels from Central through the Soho neighborhood to the Mid-levels and through some of the oldest streets in the city. During rush house the escalator moves down, the rest of the time it moves up and it is free.

Taxis are plentiful in the city and can be found on the streets, outside major attractions, outside the stations and ordered over the phone. You can hail a cab from the street and if the red sign on the taxi is illuminated this means it is available for hire.

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