Getting Around Hong Kong

The city's transport options are as varied—old and new, fast and slow, land and sea—as they are clean, safe, and easy to use. There's no timetable for the MTR because trains run so frequently. Buses are air-conditioned, with cushioned seats, and often an upper level. On the water, enjoy a quick scenic trip across the harbor on the iconic Star Ferries, or take a fast ferry to an outer island or even Macau. For a leisurely ride harking back to the days of old, nothing beats a double-decker tram ride across Hong Kong Island. So when hitting the hot spots, skip taxis and take public transport.

Double-Decker Trams. Tall, thin, and rumbling, the trams have efficiently, albeit slowly, moved passengers across Hong Kong Island since 1904. This is the world's largest fleet of double-deckers in operation, also offering prime advertising real estate, so look out for some colorful cars. As of March 2010, the tramways were completely acquired by a French company, which promises to preserve their unique historical status, affordability, and sustainability. The beloved trams, which locals affectionately call "ding-ding" after the onomatopoeic sound of their bell, are a fun and inexpensive way to cruise the island. Enter from the rear, head straight up the narrow staircase, and grab a seat at the very front for the best views. At this height, you can almost reach out and touch the neon signs. One 15-minute journey takes you through Central's forest of skyscrapers east to Wan Chai's wet markets and clothing shops, ending at Southorn Playground, where kids play basketball and soccer and the older folk play chess. For history and lists of attractions and places to eat along the tram line, see HKTB's Ding Ding' Hong Kong Tram Guide: www.discoverhongkong.com/tramguide. 2548-7102. www.hktramways.com. HK$2. 6 am-midnight.

Midlevels Escalator. A practical human mover, this 800-meter-long (½-mi-long) combination of escalators and walkways provides free, covered transport up or down the steep incline between Central and Midlevels. Along the way, the trip offers a view of small Chinese shops, the Jamia Mosque at Shelley Street, and gleaming residential high-rises. You're often so close to the apartments that it's impossible to avoid peering in. Starting at Staunton Street, the escalator cuts through the fashionable SoHo area, filled with cafés, bars, and boutiques.

Plan to ride the escalators up between 10:30 am and midnight. From 6 to 10 am they move downhill only, so commuters from Midlevels can get to work. After midnight the escalators shut down, and that equates to a long walk on steep steps. You can get off at any point and explore the side streets. Enter across from Central Market, at Queen's Rd. Central and Jubilee St., Central, Hong Kong. Daily 6 am-11:30 pm.

Ngong Ping 360 Cable Car. The meditative 5.7-km (3.5-mi) suspended cable-car journey takes you above Lantau Island's greenery, from Tung Chung to the Ngong Ping plateau, home of the Pol Lin Monastery. The 25-minute ride includes panoramic vistas of the South China Sea, North Lantau Country Park, Hong Kong International Airport, and a glimpse of the Big Buddha, sitting and smiling on the mountaintop. 2109-9898. www.np360.com.hk. HK$74 one-way; HK$107 round-trip. Weekdays 10-6; weekends and holidays 9-6:30.

Peak Tram. Hong Kong is proud that its funicular railway is the world's steepest. Before it opened in 1888, the only way to get up to Victoria Peak was to walk or take a bumpy ride in a sedan chair on steep steps. At the Lower Terminus, the Peak Tram Historical Gallery displays a replica of the first-generation Peak Tram carriage. On the way up, grab a seat on the right-hand side for the best views of the harbor and mountains. The trams, which look like old-fashioned trolley cars, are hauled the whole way in seven minutes by cables attached to electric motors. En route to the Upper Terminus, 1,300 feet above sea level, the cars pass four intermediate stations, with track gradients varying from 4 to 27 degrees.

At the top you enter the Peak Tower, a mall full of restaurants and shops; there's a viewing platform on the roof. Outside the Tower, another mall faces you. Well-signed nature walks around the Peak are wonderful respites from the commercialism.

Bus 15C, usually but not always a red double-decker with an open top, shuttles you between the Peak Tram Lower Terminal and Central Bus Terminal near the Star Ferry pier, every 15 to 20 minutes, for HK$4.20. Between Garden Rd. and Cotton Tree Dr., Central, Hong Kong. 2522-0922. www.thepeak.com.hk. HK$25 one-way, HK$36 round-trip. Daily every 10-15 mins, 7 am-midnight.

Star Ferry. Since 1898 the Star Ferry pier has been the public gateway to Hong Kong Island from Kowloon. If it's your first time in the city, taking the Star Ferry across Victoria Harbour and back is a must. It's a beautiful and relaxing 10-minute trip on vintage vessels, whose average age is 50 years old. An evening ride is the most spectacular, when the city's neon and skyscrapers light up the skyline across the water, especially if you can time your ride to coincide with the 8 pm Symphony of Lights show.

For a poetic portrayal of the back-and-forth Star Ferry routine from an outsider's point of view, see the 2005 French film La Moustache, which was shot on location.

The new Central Star Ferry Terminal is at Piers 7 and 8 of the Outlying Islands Ferry Piers. On ferries between Central and Tsim Sha Tsui there are two classes: first-class seats (HK$2.50-HK$3) on the roomier upper deck have more of a breeze, and an air-conditioned compartment in front; second-class seats (HK$2-HK$2.40) on the lower deck tend to be stuffier and noisy because they're near the engine room. For trips from Central to Tsim Sha Tsui, seats on the eastern side have the better views. Across the way, the pier is a convenient starting point for any tour of Kowloon. As you face the bus station, Ocean Terminal, where luxury cruise ships berth, is on your left; inside this terminal, and in the adjacent Harbour City complex, are miles of air-conditioned shopping arcades. Across the street, the Peninsula hotel is the classic destination for afternoon tea. Or, simply stroll eastward along the Avenue of Stars for an extended waterfront view of the famous Hong Kong skyline. Central, Hong Kong. 2367-7065. www.starferry.com.hk. Central to/from Tsim Sha Tsui, daily 6:30 am-11:30 pm.