Buses in Hong Kong

Bus services in Hong Kong have a long history. As of 2016, five companies operate franchised public bus services. There are also a variety of non-franchised public buses services, including feeder bus services to railway stations operated by MTR, and residents' services for residential estates (particularly those in the New Territories).

The bus service of Hong Kong can be roughly divided into 3 types: Franchised bus, Non-franchised bus and Public light bus.

As of 2014, there are 5 privately owned bus companies that provide franchised bus service across Hong Kong, operating more than 700 routes with some 5,800 buses. Hong Kong is one of the few cities in the world that bus services are not operated or owned by the Government.

These are the five franchised bus companies in Hong Kong:

Mainly provides service in Kowloon and New Territories, operating about 400 routes with about 3,850 buses. Some of them are cross-harbour routes, either solely operated or jointly operated with Citybus or New World First Bus.

Mainly provides service on Hong Kong Island, operating operates 108 bus routes, including 59 Hong Kong Island routes, 29 cross-harbour routes, 1 New Territories route and 19 routes to Tung Chung/Airport. It operates 957 buses.

Mainly services Tung Chung, Disneyland Resort and routes shuttling between the Airport and New Territories, operating 19 routes with 165 buses.

Mainly provides service on Hong Kong Island, and provides routes in Kowloon and Tseung Kwan O. It operates 47 Hong Kong Island routes, 8 Kowloon and Tseung Kwan O routes and 34 cross-harbour routes. It operates with 711 buses.

Mainly provides service on Lantau Island, operating 22 Lantau routes and 1 New Territories route with 108 buses.

The Kowloon Motor Bus Company (1933) Limited (KMB) is one of the largest privately owned public bus operators in the world. KMB's fleet consists of about 3,800 buses on 400 routes and a staff of over 12,000. In 1979, Citybus began its operation in Hong Kong with one double-decker, providing shuttle service for the Hong Kong dockyard. It later expanded into operating a residential bus route between City One, Shatin and Kowloon Tong MTR station. New World First Bus Services Limited (NWFB) was established in 1998, taking over China Motor Bus's franchise to provide bus services on Hong Kong Island together with Citybus. NWFB's parent company later bought Citybus, but the two companies have basically been operating independently.

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