By boat

The Star Ferry Star Ferry is the classic way to get to Hong Kong Island from Kowloon. There are four routes operated by The Star Ferry company.

• Tsim Sha Tsui, Kowloon - Central, Hong Kong Island — the busiest route by far, and only $2.2/1.7 on the upper/lower deck. The upper deck might get you air-con, but the views are better from the windowless lower deck.
• Tsim Sha Tsui, Kowloon - Wan Chai, Hong Kong Island.
• Hung Hom, Kowloon - Central, Hong Kong Island.
• Hung Hom, Kowloon - Wan Chai, Hong Kong Island.

New World First Ferry New World First Ferry operates some other routes between Hong Kong Island and Kowloon.

• Hung Hom, Kowloon - North Point, Hong Kong Island.
• Kowloon City, Kowloon - North Point, Hong Kong Island.

Fortune Ferry operates one route.

• Kwun Tong, Kowloon - North Point, Hong Kong Island.

Coral Sea Ferry operates two routes between Hong Kong Island and Kowloon.

• Kwun Tong, Kowloon - Sai Wan Ho, Hong Kong Island.
• Sam Ka Tsuen, Kowloon - Sai Wan Ho, Hong Kong Island.

The Transport Department also provides an online directory [1]on Hong Kong’s ferry services.

Note that, due to an ongoing reclamation and redevelopment project in Central/Admiralty that includes a new waterfront, much of the shoreline is presently a mess and access to the ferries can be a little confusing — take heed of signs warning about the ever-shifting arrangements.

By bus

For details of cross-harbour buses, see the Hong Kong section.

Bus fares range from $8.90 to $9.40 for routes linking the urban areas in Kowloon and Hong Kong Island. Some routes heading for more remote places are charged at a higher fare

By Metro

From more distant points the three lines of the MTR crossing the harbour may offer a faster alternative.

By train

If coming from the airport, the Airport Express’s Hong Kong station is in the heart of Central.

Get around

By escalator

The world’s longest outdoor escalator travels from Central through Soho to the residential developments of the Mid-levels. The escalator moves down in the morning rush hour but up the rest of the time, and using it is free — in fact, you can even get Octopus credits from machines along the way for being willing to use your feet!

By tram

Operated by Hong Kong Tramways Hong Kong Tramways, the narrow double-decker city trams trundling on the north coast of Hong Kong Island are a Hong Kong icon. Trams are slow and follow the coastline of a century ago which has been long since pushed inland by reclamation. Although these old trams lack air-con, a flat fare of only $2 makes them a real bargain; even if you travel the full 1.5 hours from end to end, they’re the cheapest sightseeing tour around.

In a league of its own is the Peak TramPeak Tram, Hong Kong’s first mechanised mode of transport, opened back in 1888. The remarkably steep 1.7-km track up from Central to Victoria Peak is worth at least one trip despite the comparatively steep price ($20 one-way, $30 return).

On foot

Your own feet remain one of the best ways to get around the crowded northern shore of the Island. In Central, there is a comprehensive network of elevated walkways and pedestrian bridges that link major buildings. Unlike other cities, here you are encouraged to walk through major office buildings. In some instances, the walkways are the only route and heading down to pavement level can lead you into a dead end. Unfortunately, there are no useful maps to help you learn your way around these walkways but they do have the advantage of enabling people to walk above the traffic pollution.