By Tram in Hong Kong

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By Tram

Peak Tram

It's Hong Kong's greatest misnomer -- the Peak Tram is actually a funicular railway. Since 1888 it's been rattling the 1,207 feet up the hill from Central to Victoria Peak tram terminus. As well as a sizeable adrenaline rush, it offers fabulous panoramas. Both residents and tourists use it; most passengers board at the lower terminus between Garden Road and Cotton Tree Drive. (The tram has five stations.) The fare is HK$20 one-way, HK$30 round-trip, and it runs every 15 minutes between 7 AM and midnight daily. A shuttle bus runs between the lower terminus and the Star Ferry.

Street Trams

Hong Kong Tramways runs old-fashioned double-decker trams along the north shore of Hong Kong Island. Routes start in Kennedy Town (in the west), and go all the way through Central, Wan Chai, Causeway Bay, North Point, and Quarry Bay to Shau Kei Wan. A branch line turns off in Wan Chai toward Happy Valley, where horse races are held in season.

Destinations are marked on the front of each tram; you board at the back and get off at the front, paying HK$2 (by Octopus or with exact change) as you leave. Avoid trams at rush hours, which are generally weekdays from 7:30 to 9 AM and 5 to 7 PM. Although trams move slowly, for short hops between Central and Western or Admiralty they can be quicker than the MTR. A leisurely top-deck ride from Western to Causeway Bay is a great city tour.

Tram Information

Hong Kong Tramways (2548-7102. www.hktramways.com). Octopus Cards (2266-2222. www.octopuscards.com). Peak Tram (2849-6754. www.thepeak.com.hk).