A Hong Kong double-decker tram
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Overview | |
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Locale | Hong Kong |
Transit type | Tramway |
Number of lines | 6 |
Number of stations | 120 |
Daily ridership | 180,000 (2015) |
Website | hktramways |
Operation | |
Began operation | 1904 |
Operator(s) | Hong Kong Tramways Limited (Wholly owned by RATP Dev Transdev Asia |
Number of vehicles | 163 passengers vehicles 3 engineering vehicles |
Technical | |
System length | 13 kilometres (8.1 mi) (Track length 30 km/19 mi) |
Track gauge | 3 ft 6 in (1,067 mm) |
Electrification | Overhead lines, 550 V DC |
Hong Kong Tramways | |||||||||||||||
Traditional Chinese | 香港電車 | ||||||||||||||
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Simplified Chinese | 香港电车 | ||||||||||||||
Cantonese Yale | Hēunggóng Dihnchē | ||||||||||||||
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Transcriptions | |
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Standard Mandarin | |
Hanyu Pinyin | Xiānggǎng diànchē |
Yue: Cantonese | |
Yale Romanization | Hēunggóng Dihnchē |
IPA | [hœ̂ːŋkɔ̌ːŋ tìːn tsʰɛ́ː] |
Jyutping | Hoeng1gong2 Din6ce1 |
Hong Kong Tramways (Chinese: 香港電車) is a tram system in Hong Kong and one of the earliest forms of public transport in the metropolis. Owned and operated by RATP Dev Transdev Asia, the tramway runs on Hong Kong Island between Shau Kei Wan and Kennedy Town, with a branch circulating through Happy Valley.
Trams in Hong Kong have not only been a form of commuter transport for over 110 years, but also a major tourist attraction and one of the most environmentally friendly ways of travelling in Hong Kong. The tram system is the only one in the world operated exclusively with double-decker trams, and is one of only three non-heritage tram systems in the world that use double-deck cars the others being Blackpool Tramway, United Kingdom and Alexandria Tram, Egypt.
The tram is the cheapest mode of public transport on the island. The comparatively affordable fare is highlighted by Hong Kong Tramways' advertising slogan: "Hop on 1. $2.3. Tram so easy!"
Hong Kong's tram system was inaugurated using electric trams. It has never used horse or steam power.
The trams run on a double track tramline built parallel to the northern coastline of Hong Kong Island from Kennedy Town to Shau Kei Wan, with a single clockwise-running track of about 3 km (1.9 mi) around the Happy Valley Racecourse.
There are 7 tram termini located along the tram line, namely, from west to east, Kennedy Town, Shek Tong Tsui (a.k.a. Whitty Street), Sheung Wan (Western Market), Happy Valley, Causeway Bay, North Point and Shau Kei Wan; some intermediate stops such as Sai Ying Pun, Admiralty MTR Station, Wan Chai, and Victoria Park are also equipped with crossovers so that they can be used as makeshift termini in emergency situations, such as en-route traffic accidents.