Sweeping across the north side of Hong Kong Island, the Hong Kong tram has been motoring Hong Kongers through the streets of the city for over 100 years. Despite dating from colonial times and boasting the top speed of a bicycle, the Hong Kong tram remains a remarkably popular and convenient form of transport in the city.
For tourists, the real pull is the birdseye, street side views a trip on the double decker, Hong Kong tram affords. Passing through some of Hong Kong’s more important neighbourhoods, from the gleaming towers of Central to the seedy streets of Wan Chai, it’s a great place to get a feel for Hong Kong and take in the action on the streets. Incredibly, the fare is set at just HK$2, letting you travel almost the whole width of Hong Kong Island for little more than pocket money.
When to Go;
Outside of rush hours is by far the best time to travel on the Hong Kong tram. Avoid 8a.m.-10a.m. and 5-7p.m when the tram can be stuffed to bursting. Most of the older trams lack air conditioning so 11a.m., before the sun turns up the heat is a good time to head off.
Where to Go;
Take the tram from Western Market to Causeway Bay, both interesting areas in there own right, and about a 30min – 40min ride. Stops at the further ends of the tram line are mostly residential areas. Tram stops are roughly every 250 meters so there are ample opportunities to hop off and on. Trams start sometime between 5a.m. and 6a.m. and finish shortly before midnight,
Top Tips
Sit at the front or back of the top deck with the windows open. This gives you both the best view of the street below and a little breeze to stop the humidity melting you.
Bring HK$2 in change or your Octopus Card, drivers don’t give change.
During rush hour it can be incredibly difficult to disembark. Start to move towards the exit a few stops beforehand or you’ll need to start deploying your elbows.
