TAXIS
Hong Kong has over 18,000 taxis offering very modest fares in comparison to most other major cities. Fares did not rise between 1998 and 2007 but on 28th February 2008 a one HK dollar rise in flagfall for Urban and New Territories taxis was applied. Following a review of taxi fares and applications for increases from taxi operators associations the government approved further fare adjustments for urban and Lantau taxis. These take effect on 30th November 2008 and are detailed below.
Approximately one million journeys per day are made by taxi. Taxis are licensed and regulated by the Transport Department and operated by taxi companies, owners associations and independent owner operators. The majority (approx 70%) are operated by individual rentee-drivers.
There are three types identified by colour;
Urban (RED) approx 15250
New Territories (GREEN) approx 2800
Lantau Island (BLUE) approx 50
URBAN (RED) TAXIS are available throughout Hong Kong including the airport and Disneyland (except for roads on the south side of Lantau Island and Tung Chung Road on Lantau which is open only to authorised vehicles).
Urban Red Taxis at old Star Ferry Pier, Edinburgh Place
NEW TERRITORIES (GREEN) TAXIS are available in the following districts;
Tuen Mun
Tai Po
Yuen Long
New Territories North
Ma On Shan area of Sha Tin District
Part of Sai Kung District
They can also carry passengers along routes to the following specific locations;
Tsuen Wan MTR Station
Prince of Wales Hospital
Sha Tin Racecourse
Shun Lee Estate, Kwun Tong
Hong Kong International Airport
Disneyland
Tsing Yi Airport Express Station
Hang Hau MTR Station
New Territories Green Taxis
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LANTAU ISLAND (BLUE) TAXIS are available on Lantau Island including Hong Kong International Airport and Disneyland.
Lantau Blue Taxi
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HIRING A TAXI
There are 75 taxi stands on Hong Kong Island, 104 in Kowloon, 233 in the New Territories and 26 on Lantau Island. If you have Microsoft Excel or Excel Viewer you can view the complete list here;
http://www.td.gov.hk/FileManager/EN/Content_276/taxi_stand200605.xls
There are also at least 230 designated taxi pick up / drop off points and 46 drop off points.
You can hail a taxi in the street. When a taxi is for hire this is indicated by a red “For Hire” visible through the windscreen and at night a red illuminated “Taxi” sign on the roof of the cab. Since 2003 many “no stopping” and peak hour restrictions on taxis have been relaxed and taxis can pick up and drop off almost anywhere. Taxis are in plentiful supply day and night in urban areas and at public transport interchanges and can usually easily be hailed in the street or by a hotel concierge. In rural areas of the New Territories and on Lantau Island taxis are a little more scarce. Several taxi operators provide a telephone booking service and details can be found under "Taxi Booking Service".
All taxis are made by Toyota who have a monopoly on supply of Hong Kong taxis through local Toyota agent Crown Motors. Taxis are licensed to carry either four or five passengers although from August 2008 all new taxis delivered to Hong Kong will be four-seaters as the vehicle has had to be modified to comply with Japanese exhaust emission standards. It is expected that the five-seater taxi will disappear from Hong Kong's streets within the next decade. Only 3% of journeys carry five passengers and this is not expected to have any significant effect on taxi services. Taxis are reasonably comfortable and have plenty of boot space for luggage. All taxis are fitted with seat belts and it is mandatory for both driver and passengers to wear these. Smoking is not allowed in taxis. 99% of taxis are now operate on LPG fuel.
Taxis can also be booked by telephone for which an additional HK$5 applies.
Most drivers speak or understand at least a little English and will be able to get you to hotels, public transport locations and popular tourist attractions without any problem but to avoid any confusion it is often advisable to have your destination written in Chinese or a map to point to. In November 2007 the Hong Kong Tourism Board took the initiative of issuing all taxi drivers with a bilingual translation booklet in English and Chinese detailing names and addresses of hotels, landmarks and tourist attractions with the intention that drivers allow passengers to scan the booklet to help establish their correct destination and avoid any confusion.
Taxi drivers are not obliged to change HK$500 or HK$1000 notes.
The vast majority of taxi drivers are completely honest, helpful and courteous but if any passenger is not satisfied with the service provided, he should take a note of the driver's name, registration number of the taxi and the date, time and place of the incident and report to;
(a) the Transport Complaints Unit Hotline on 2889 9999 or 2577 6866 (Fax 2577 1858). Mailing address 22/F, East Exchange Tower, 38 Leighton Road, Causeway Bay, Hong Kong
or if more appropriate;
(b) any police officer or police station. Police Hotline : 2527 7177
FARES (note - fares for urban and Lantau taxis increase on 30th November 2008)
RED URBAN TAXIS (fares until 29th November 2008)
HK$16 for first 2 kms then HK$1.4 each 0.2km
Waiting time HK$1.4 per minute
Luggage is charged at HK$5 per piece except light luggage carried inside the passenger compartment which is free
RED URBAN TAXIS (fares from 30th November 2008)
HK$18 for the first 2kms then HK$1.5 each 0.2km until the fare reaches HK$70.5 (up to 9km), then HK$1 each 0.2km from HK$70.5 upwards (journeys over 9km).
Waiting time HK$1.5 per minute up to fare of HK$70.5 then HK$1 from HK$70.5 upwards
Luggage is charged at HK$5 per piece except light luggage carried inside the passenger compartment which is free
GREEN NEW TERRITORIES TAXIS
HK$13.5 for first 2 kms then HK$1.2 each 0.2km
Waiting time HK$1.20 per minute
Luggage is charged at HK$4 per piece except light luggage carried inside the passenger compartment which is free
BLUE LANTAU TAXIS (fares until 29th November 2008)
HK$12 for first 2 kms then HK$1.2 each 0.2km
Waiting time HK$1.2 per minute
Luggage is charged at HK$5 per piece except light luggage carried inside the passenger compartment which is free
BLUE LANTAU TAXIS (fares from 30th November 2008)
HK$13 for the first 2 kms then HK$1.3 each 0.2km until the fare reaches HK$130 (up to 20km), then HK$1.2 each 0.2km from HK$130 upwards (journeys over 20km).
Waiting time is HK$1.3 per minute up to fare of HK$130 then HK$1.2 from HK$130 upwards.
Luggage is charged at HK$5 per piece except light luggage carried inside the passenger compartment which is free.
There are extra charges where the journey uses a cross- harbour tunnel, usually the return toll plus a surcharge (except that if the journey starts starts from a cross-harbour taxi stand only the single toll is charged) or other tunnels or toll roads. The fare element for using the Lantau Link is HK$30.
There are no extra charges for night time journeys or for extra passengers.xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
For a list of taxi operators who operate a telephone booking service see;