Victoria Peak in HK
 

Fodotires:

My visit to HK falls on a weekend and the first thing I am planning on seeing is the Vicrotia Peak. My Fodors guide says the waiting for trams can take up hours - how bad does it really get?

Thanks,
Lenny

You shouldn't find any wait unless there's special fireworks or on the nights of mid-autumn festival.

I haven't had waited for the Peak Tram EVER.

Thanks, that's great!

i've never waited for more than one car

Thanks, folks.

My highschool is situated right next to the Peak Tram path, between the Kennedy Rd and Macdonnell Rd stations. If you sit facing "up", the school is on your left behind some trees.

Since they upgraded the trams in the early 80's, almost doubling their capacity, lines are mostly gone. Also, locals generally do not take it, as everybody has been to The Peak, and if they really have to go up there, they can take the cheaper bus or minibus.

In the previous generation, it was a huge challenge to get on/off the tram at one of the immediate stations, especially May Rd, where the grade is 1:2 or 27-degrees.

The last couple times I have passed the Peak Tram in the afternoon on a weekend it is busy. I would reco you get there early - which most toursist do not. Last weekend at 2 ish the line was at least 3 trams long as it snaked outside along the pavement.

Well, my Fodors "Best 25" guide said "hours of waiting", so thanks for putting paid to those fears.

I live on the Peak not far from the station. Since moving back here, I have noticed that lines to get back down on the tram appear to be quite long. Some of this is due I think to the fact that they are renovating the building in which the tram is located and the lines are mostly outside now; I can't tell if it takes hours, but no one looks thrilled to be standing in the line.

An alternative way to get down if the line for the tram looks very long, is to (i) take a taxi, or (ii) take the #15 bus. The taxi stand and the bus stop are located inside the Galleria shopping mall just across the street from the peak tram station, go into the shopping mall and look for signs directing you out the back. A taxi to central would cost about HK$50-60 and you wouln't see much. However, the bus ride is about HK$9 (versus HK$20 for the tram) and is in some ways more thrilling than the tram, esp if you sit upstairs on the double decker bus towards the front. The bus goes down and around Peak Road, Stubbs Road and then Queens Road into Central, ending at the main bus terminus in Central at Exchange Square, close to the Star Ferry. You get great views of the city and harbour from the bus. The drivers are quite maniacal. Once you get down into town, you can get out at any point you may recognize in Central (like the Pedder Bulding on Pedder Street which is at the Central MTR stop and which is a quick walk to the Lan Kwai Fong area), or you can get off at the final stop at the main bus terminus.

If you want to take the #15 bus up to the Peak instead of the Tram, you can get the bus at the Central bus terminus at Exchange Square (close to the Star Ferry), or along Connaught Road across the street from the Ritz-Carlton, in front of Pacific Place Shopping Mall or along Queen's Road East.

I would not recco the bus if you have not taken the tram at all, as the tram is a great experience. But if the line is long, and/or if you have taken the tram before, the bus is a great alternative.

I personally think the Peak is best seen from 5 – 6:30 pm starting in full daylight at 5 pm and staying through dusk and then darkness as the sunsets and all the lights come up. Dusk is quite something. Spend the time taking the flat loop walk around Lugard Road or go up to Mount Austin Road to Victoria Peak proper for great views. (the tram dumps you at Victoria gap, not the peak).

I don't know if Cicerone has done it before, but one can also walk down from The Peak very easily and quickly. Immediately west of the Tram Station is a flight of stairs for "Old Peak Road". After those steps, it's just grades all the way down to Robinson Road. Then you can walk through the Zoological & Botanical Gardens (there's a statue for King George VI inside, and some actual animals - free admissions), or just along Albany Road down to Central.

It's a hike up, but going down can be as fast as taking the #15 bus.

There's also the #1 minibus (Green) that's faster than the #15 bus, but cheaper than the taxi to go down to Central.

Yes, you can walk down, but I question both the "quckly" AND the "easily". . . 45-year old knees don't do that well on all those hills and stairs down!!!!

The minibuses are faster, but IMO there is no way that you are going to get a tourist to find them at the stops, hail them on the street and/or get them to stop without teaching them a little Cantonese. . ..the #15 is very easy to figure out.

Before my dad emigrated here to the US, he walked up to The Peak and down almost daily as his morning exercise. He was about 55-60 at that time.

Isn't the terminus at The Peak for the #1 minibus is right next to the #15 bus, both underneath the Peak Galleria Mall? If one can find the big bus, one can find the minibus to get down. And it drops you off on Pedder Street in Central across the Landmark.

If one wants to take the minibus UP to The Peak, its departs from Edinburgh Place, to the east of the Star Ferry and City Hall, around the People's Liberation Army HQ (used to be HMS Tamar).

And to the OP, the reason the #15 bus is slower than taxi/minibus is that it takes the longer and gentler Stubbs Road and Peak Road, instead of the shorter but steeper and more winding Magazine Gap Road.

Anyways, it's true that few tourists take the #1 minibus. It's usually students, local tourists and Philippino/Thai domestic helpers who ride it. Most residents of The Peak either drive or are chauffeured.

Would agree that the Peak on dusk is a wonderful experience not to be missed. So too is the tram ride up there even if there is a queue. Do it at least once. Don't forget the Star Ferry across the harbour. A wonderful way to see Hong Kong. Have a terrific time.

Would check it out twice; once in broad daylight, the other at dusk/evening.

Thanks!