BUS SERVICES
SEE ALSO OPEN-TOP SIGHTSEEING BUS TOURS
Hong Kong has an extensive network of public bus services covering almost all areas of Hong Kong Island, Kowloon, New Territories and Lantau Island.
The operation of bus services can be traced back to the 1920's when, in 1921, the Vehicles and Traffic Regulation Ordinance set out the fares, stopping points and bus specifications for four bus routes serving Kowloon. The first franchises were awarded in 1933 to China Motor Bus Company Ltd and Kowloon Motor Bus Company (1933) Limited (KMB). The third franchised bus company was New Lantao Bus Company (1973) Ltd which has operated franchised services on Lantau Island since 1979. In 1991 Citybus Limited, which since 1979 had operated a shuttle service for United Services Dockyard workers with a single bus and, later, some residential services, was granted a franchise for operating one Hong Kong Island bus route and further routes from 1993 and 1995. In 1996, with the opening of the Lantau Link serving the new Hong Kong International Airport at Chek Lap Kok, Long Win Bus Company Limited and Citybus won the tenders to operate services for North Lantau and the airport. In 1998 CMB's history of operating bus services came to an end when New World First Bus Services Limited won the tender to operate 88 routes previously operated under CMB's franchise.
Currently Hong Kong's franchised bus network is made up of about 600 routes, operated under six franchises by five franchised bus companies with a total fleet of 5,798 licensed buses (at end of 2011), comprising 5409 double-deck and 389 single-deck vehicles. Franchised buses make over 80,000 journeys daily with a patronage of about four million passenger journeys daily. The number of buses and routes has declined slightly since 2003 under the Transport Department's Bus Service Rationalisation Plan to enhance the efficiency of the bus network by avoiding unnecessary overlapping of routes and reducing frequencies to take into account passengers increased choice of transport with the opening of new railway lines as well as reducing congestion and pollution. Services to most areas are frequent and operate from early morning to around midnight. Many routes pass through the cross-harbour routes linking Hong Kong Island with Kowloon and cross-harbour route numbers are prefixed to identify which tunnel they use. Prefix "1" indicates Cross Harbour Tunnel, "6" Eastern Harbour Crossing, "9" Western Harbour Crossing. There are also night services to many areas which are prefixed "N", recreational services (usually special Sunday and public holiday services) prefixed "R" and shuttle (usually frequent circular) services prefixed "S".
Buses are generally modern (mostly double –deck), air-conditioned, clean, well maintained and provide frequent services to almost all areas of Hong Kong with a very low fare structure. Double-deck buses were first introduced into Hong Kong in 1949 and most of the current fleet are 12-metres length but on some difficult routes shorter double-deckers of 10 or 11-metre length are used. In recent years the fleet has been upgraded to meet European emission standards for diesel buses and during 2010 the largest operator, Kowloon Motor Bus (KMB) with a fleet of 3725 announced it is to retire 288 of its Euro 1 buses and replace with Euro IV and V models. New World First Bus and sister company Citybus have promised to replace all their 440 pre-Euro and Euro I buses by 2012.
The franchised bus services are supplemented by a number of non-franchised and private bus services such as residents' services for estates and private housing developments and feeder bus services to some railway stations in the New Territories operated by MTR Corporation Limited. At the end of 2011 the MTR licensed bus fleet totalled 116 (26 single-deck, 90 double-deck), other non-franchised buses totalled 6870 (6773 single-deck, 97 double-deck) and private buses totalled 495, (450 single-deck, 43 double-deck).
Since 2001 all franchised bus companies, except New Lantao Bus Company, have agreed that all new buses will be wheelchair accessible and at the end of February 2011 there were 3251 wheelchair accessible low-floor buses. New Lantao Bus Company operates along routes on Lantau Island, some of which have topographical constraints for wheelchair accessible buses but deploys wheelchair accessible low-floor buses as far as possible where terrain permits.
Universal Publications publishes a "Public Transport Atlas" (HK$55) containing comprehensive maps showing bus routes by number and boarding points although the index of routes is in Chinese. This can be obtained from booksellers throughout Hong Kong. Also Citybus/New World First Bus publish a free pamphlet "Hong Kong Bus Travel Guide" detailing airport routes and hotels served and several scenic routes. This can be obtained from Citybus/New World First Bus Customer Service Kiosks at the Airport bus terminus, Exchange Square bus terminus and Admiralty (East) bus station.
Full details of routes, frequencies and fares can be obtained by using search engines on the bus operators websites for which links are provided below.
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Fares are paid on entry by either Octopus Card or coins and are based on a flat fare regardless of how far you travel. The Octopus Card reader and coin box are located next to the driver. If paying in coins no change is given so the exact fare should be paid otherwise any overpayment will not be refunded. Fares are calculated in fare stages and usually reduce as each stage along the route is reached although on shorter routes the same flat fare may apply along the whole route. Travel on buses is now almost cashless with the vast majority of passengers using Octopus Card for payment. Standing is allowed on the lower deck only and is commonplace during peak hours. All buses are fitted with bells for passengers to indicate they wish to disembark at the next stop and many buses are fitted with visual displays indicating the name of the next stop in both English and Chinese. Many are also fitted with TV screens for entertainment and advertising.
Many buses are fitted with route information displays and TV screens
Since November 2008 free Wi-Fi internet access has been made available on some buses on many routes operated by Citybus and New World First Bus including all "Cityflyer" airport services and several KMB routes also now have buses equipped with free Wi-Fi access. For more information on routes with Wi-Fi access see INTERNET ACCESS
Free Wi-Fi Internet access is available on several New World First Bus and Citybus routes
Standing is allowed on the lower deck and is commonplace at peak times. Eating, drinking and smoking is not allowed on buses. During 2010 KMB has been conducting a six-month trial of an electric "gBus" (green and genesis) with zero emissions, leased from a Shanghai company. The single-deck bus which is 12 metres long and can carry up to 70 passengers operates on a super-capacitor system which allows the bus to travel 1km on a 30-second charge. If trials are successful the company hopes to introduce the bus into its fleet in late 2011.
In March 2011 KMB became the first bus company in Hong Kong to launch an iPhone app providing comprehensive information on KMB and its sister company Long Win Bus Company's services. The
app offers four functions, “Point to Point Search”, “Route Number
Search”, “Nearby Bus Stop” and “Alight Reminder”. The first three
functions provide users with different ways to search for a bus route,
offering detailed routings, route maps, timetables and route
announcements, as well as photos of every bus stop. In the “Point to
Point Search”, when several routes serve the same destination the system
will display the lowest fare option as well as the route with the
fewest en-route stops, allowing users to make their own choice according
to their needs. The powerful “Nearby Bus Stop” function, making use of
the iPhone’s Global Positioning System, automatically identifies the
location of the user and list all bus routes available and the location
of their corresponding bus-stops within 200 metres, enabling users to
visit different districts without hassle. The KMB iPhone App is
available in traditional Chinese, simplified Chinese and an English
version. The English version can be selected from the iPhone settings
menu. iPhone and iPod Touch users can download the App free of charge
from the iTunes App Store. The KMB iPhone App will become available to
other mobile platforms at a later date. In October 2011 Citybus and New World First launched a similar App for iPhone and Android devices.
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OPERATORS, ROUTES, SCHEDULES AND FARES;
Kowloon Motor Bus Company Limited (KMB)
Provides services throughout Kowloon and New Territories and jointly operate some cross-harbour routes jointly with other operators NWFB and CTB. KMB is a member of Transport International group.
KMB iPhone/iPod Touch App which includes route search, point to point search, nearby bus stops and alight reminder is available from iTunes Store in traditional Chinese, simplified Chinese and English. Language is selected from iPhone/iPod Touch settings menu.
KMB bus at Kennedy Town
Citybus Limited (CTB)
Under the same ownership (Chow Tai Fook Enterprises) as New World First Bus (NWFB) and with NWFB operates services on Hong Kong Island and jointly with KMB operates some cross-harbour routes to/from Kowloon and the New Territories. Citybus also operate airport services to/from Hong Kong Island and Kowloon including the "Cityflyer" fast services.
https://www.nwstbus.com.hk/home/default.aspx?intLangID=1
The above link can be used to search for both CTB and NWFB routes as both companies use a common search engine.
Citybus bus in new livery at Aberdeen Bus Station
New World First Bus Services Limited (NWFB)
Under the same ownership as Citybus (CTB) and with CTB operates services on Hong Kong Island and jointly operates some cross-harbour routes to/from Kowloon and New Territories with KMB.
https://www.nwstbus.com.hk/home/default.aspx?intLangID=1
When using the above link you can search for both NWFB and Citybus routes as both companies use a common search engine.
NWFB buses on Causeway Road, Causeway Bay
Long Win Bus Company Limited
Operates services between the New Territories, northern Lantau Island and the airport. Long Win is under the same ownership (Transport International) as KMB.
http://www.kmb.hk/english.php?page=longwin
The above link is to the KMB website which uses the same search engine as Long Win.
Long Win buses at Tin Shui Wai
The New Lantao Bus Company (1973) Limited
Operates services (all single deck) on Lantau Island including the airport.
http://www.newlantaobus.com/main.html
New Lantao Bus at Mui Wo
MTR Corporation operates fleet of 116 buses on thirteen bus routes in around some towns in the Northwest New Territories and Northeast New Territories. These buses provide feeder bus services for MTR West Rail Line, East Rail Line and Light Rail Stations. These services were previously operated by Kowloon-Canton Railway Corporation (KCR) prior to its merger with MTR Corporation in 2007. The fleet comprises both double-deck and single-deck buses;
http://www.mtr.com.hk/eng/getting_around/lt_bus_index.html
MTR bus at Siu Hong West Rail/Light Rail interchange station