Hong Kong Tram: Complete Guide to Riding DING DING Tram Like Local Hongkongers

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Tram (Ding Ding) in Hong Kong

If you have a whole day to spend on Hong Kong Island, have you ever thought about taking some time to ride the "ding ding car"? That is, take the Hong Kong tram starting from Kennedy Town in the western district of Hong Kong Island, slowly pass through different commercial and residential areas in Hong Kong, and then arrive at the Shau Kei Wan terminus on the other side of Hong Kong?

Because someone said that the double-decker tram in Hong Kong is an antique that can move. In other parts of the world, even within Hong Kong, only the trams on Hong Kong Island have retained the form of decades ago. Because in the past almost 20 years, the design of the tram has not changed much. The only thing that has changed is the fare required to take the tram.

In addition, every place that the Ding Ding car will pass can be said to be the epitome of the entire development process of Hong Kong, especially in the five places of Sheung Wan, Central, Admiralty, Wan Chai, and Causeway Bay, where you can experience 5 different Hong Kong face.

In addition, the Ding Ding car is the cheapest fare among all means of transportation in Hong Kong. The fare is the same whether it is a short-distance commuting or a long-distance sightseeing trip. So if there is a chance, when moving in Hong Kong Island, taking a little time to take the Hong Kong tram instead of choosing the subway may be the best way to experience the life of ordinary Hong Kong people.

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Hong Kong tram route map

Hong Kong tram routes are complicated? Indeed, but it seems not.

Especially if you are traveling to Hong Kong for the first time, and it is also the first time you take the Hong Kong tram, you may feel that the route of the Hong Kong tram is very complicated.

Because in the same tram station, you will always encounter trams departing from different terminals. Sometimes there will be trams with different terminals in Happy Valley, North Point, and Shau Kei Wan at the same time. You really don’t know which one to take. Only trams can get you where you want to go.

However, the Hong Kong tram route is actually not as complicated as imagined. As long as you follow the following methods to take the tram, you can quickly decide which tram to board like ordinary Hong Kong people.

Hong Kong Tramway Official Route Map

The first method is to refer to the official route map of Hong Kong Tramways. Basically, Hong Kong trams have 6 main routes, which are:

• Sheung Wan (Western Market) – Shau Kei Wan
• Happy Valley – Shau Kei Wan
• Shek Tong Tsui - North Point
• Shek Tong Tsui – Causeway Bay
• Kennedy Town – Happy Valley
• Kennedy Town – Shau Kei Wan

and turn it on before every tram rideroute map, before the tram is about to leave, quickly confirm whether the tram in front of you will pass the place you want to go, and then decide whether to board the tram.

The tram route map in the eyes of ordinary Hong Kong people

However, if you ask any Hong Kong people, I believe they will not know that there are 6 specific routes for trams.

ashamed to say,WeI have also been riding trams for decades. I didn’t know that Hong Kong trams have 6 fixed routes until I wrote this article today. But fortunately, it means that if you don't know the routes of the tram at all, it will not affect your experience of taking the tram. To put it simply, to successfully choose the correct tram, you do not need to know how many tram routes there are, but you need to quickly decide which tram route you should take based on the starting point and the destination you want to go to at that time. Get on that tram.

First, use your mobile phone before boarding the trainopen map, and then identify which area of Hong Kong you are, and which subway station is close to it. This is because the area of Hong Kong Island is very small, and basically every subway station represents an independent area. As long as you find out which area you are in, you can easily tell which side the destination is on, and you need to take the tram in that direction. If the current location is on the east side of Hong Kong Island, take the tram towards Shau Kei Wan, if the current location is on the west side of Hong Kong Island, take the tram towards Kennedy Town

For example, if you are in the Landmark in Central, and you want to go to Sheung Wan, you can take the tram to West Bound (W), if you want to go to Causeway Bay, you can take the tram to East Bound, Hong Kong Island (E) Tram.

Another example is that if you are in Causeway Bay and want to go to the Monster Building at Haishan Building in Quarry Bay, you can take the tram to East Bound (E) in the East District of Hong Kong Island. If you want to go to Central, you need to take the tram to West District in Hong Kong Island Bound( W) for trams.

After deciding which direction you want to take the tram, you can wait for the tram in the specific direction, such as the tram station to East Bound (E) in the East District of Hong Kong Island, or the tram station to West Bound (W) in the West District of Hong Kong Island , each tram stop will be clearly marked which direction the tram will go.

After choosing the right direction to ride, you come to the key part of taking the tram, which is how to choose the right tram to ride?

The first thing to understand is that there will be trams with different terminals in different areas of Hong Kong Island and in different driving directions.

For example, take the tram to East Bound (E) in the eastern district of Hong Kong Island as an example. You have the opportunity to encounter Shek Tong Tsui, Sheung Wan (West Market), Happy Valley, Causeway Bay, North Point, and Shau Kei Wan on the entire eastbound line. tram. So if you want to go to the shopping malls in Causeway Bay in Central, you will encounter trams ending in Happy Valley, Causeway Bay, North Point, and Shau Kei Wan at the tram stop in Central, but not Shek Tong Tsui, Sheung Wan ( Westport City) as the terminal tram.

As for the trams on the westbound line West Bound (W), you have the opportunity to encounter trams that end at Kennedy Town, Shek Tong Tsui, Sheung Wan (West Market), Happy Valley, and Causeway Bay along the entire eastbound line. So if you want to go to Sheung Wan in Wan Chai, you will only meet the trams departing for Kennedy Town, Shek Tong Tsui, and Sheung Wan (Western Harbor City), and the trams at other terminals will not appear.

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To put it simply, the trams in Hong Kong are in a straight line just like the subway, so if you are in Central now and plan to go to Causeway Bay, all the trams that go to the east of Hong Kong Island and pass through Causeway Bay are actually suitable for taking (going to Causeway Bay , North Point, Sai Wan Ho, Shau Kei Wan direction). If you want to start from Causeway Bay to Sheung Wan, all the trams (Sheung Wan, Sai Ying Pun, Watson Street, Kennedy Town) that go to the west of the above ring can be used.

Or in another situation, start from the Monster Building at Haishan Building in Quarry Bay and prepare to go to the tram journey to Central as an example. Only those trams that pass through Central are suitable for you to take, and some trams that end at North Point and Causeway Bay A tram is a tram stop that cannot take you to the Central area.

In addition, whether you are standing at a tram station in the eastbound direction or westbound direction, when you choose a tram, you must pay attention to those trams that end in Happy Valley.

Because those trams that go west and end at Happy Valley cannot go to the tram stops after Central and Sheung Wan. The eastbound trams that end at Happy Valley cannot go to the SOGO Sogo Department Store in Causeway Bay and the tram stops after North Point. Especially if you want to roam the whole Hong Kong Island by Ding Ding car, this is worth noting.

Another point is that although there is a station announcement system in the tram, there are usually many people who take the tram, so basically you will not see it. So we will all suggest you, if you are enjoying the scenery on the tram, don’t forget to turn on the real-time map, so that you can know which area the tram is going to, and then prepare to get off when it is almost at the station.

However, even if you miss the stop and get off, don't worry, because the distance between each tram stop is not very far, and it won't take too much time to walk back.

Ding Ding car fare method

Dingding cars in Hong Kong can be said to be the cheapest means of transportation in Hong Kong. Now the one-way fare is only HK$$3, and there is no limit to the distance. The fare is the same even if you take one station or 30 stations. Although cash and Octopus cards can be used to pay the fare, we still recommend you to use it.Octopus card. Because using the Octopus card does not need to spend time identifying different coins to pay the fare, you only need to tap the card to get off, which is very convenient.

Moreover, most Hong Kong people are used to using Octopus cards to take different modes of transportation, and they don’t actually have many coins on them. If you only have banknotes and want to exchange them with other people for coins to pay for the fare, it may not be so easy to identify.

The most comfortable way to ride Hong Kong Tram

Taking trams in Hong Kong can be for transportation or for sightseeing. If you are taking trams for the first time, the following are the experiences we have summed up from years of tram rides:

The first is to pay attention to the position of boarding the tram. Under normal circumstances, you will get on the tram at the back door, then get off at the front door of the tram, and pay the fare when you get off.

After boarding the tram, you can choose to sit on the upper floor or the lower floor. If it is not very crowded, we will recommend sitting on the upper floor, so that you can enjoy a completely different Hong Kong street scene. However, if you are only planning to take a short-distance trip, such as the distance between Sheung Wan and Central, it is recommended to stay on the lower level to get off more conveniently.

In addition, because Hong Kong trams do not have air-conditioning systems, allIt is recommended to take the tram during the sunny season, so that you can go to the upper seat, open the window and directly feel the scenery of Hong Kong, especially the cool wind blowing during driving, even in the summer environment of 30 degrees, you will not feel hot.

If you want to take pictures in the Ding Ding car,It is recommended to sit in the front row seat on the upper deck of the tram, so that you can take pictures of the frontier scenery of the tram. However, it is best to avoid the busy hours on Sundays, because the trams on Sundays are basically so crowded that it is a bit difficult to even get off.

In addition, Ding Ding cars are divided into several different designs, such as the Millennium tram with a single windshield, the seventh-generation tram with an all-aluminum frame and an aluminum body, and the same aluminum body. , but retain the teak frame, the sixth-generation tram with a history of more than 30 years. There is also the classic tram No. 120, which is elusive, and the tungsten lamps, wooden window frames, and wicker chairs are still preserved. Even ordinary Hong Kong people can't see it every day, so if you are lucky and have the opportunity to meet it, it is worth taking a ride.

Sightseeing routes suitable for Hong Kong Ding Ding cars

As I said at the beginning, in addition to short-distance transportation, the Dingding car is also the most suitable transportation route for sightseeing in Hong Kong Island. If you have about one afternoon and can arrange to take the Ding Ding car on Hong Kong Island, the following routes are worth considering.

Take the tram to North Point Wet Market

Taking the tram to North Point Terminus* is a very special experience, because Chun Yeung Street Market in North Point is a very wonderful place. I believe that you will not find a place where railways and wet markets are allowed to run The same space exists at the same time, and it is also an environment where the two naturally merge. Can you imagine that there are vendors selling vegetables and meat next to the tram car? You probably think it's unlikely to happen, right? But you can see such a scenery when you take the tram to North Point Terminus.

*As long as you take all the trams with "North Point" as the terminal station, you will definitely pass through the North Point Wet Market.

Departure to Happy Valley Racecourse

If you take the tram to Happy Valley Terminus, you can not only go to Hong Kong Happy Valley Racecourse for sightseeing and participate in the race day, but also suitable for hanging out during holidays. Because the flow of people in Happy Valley is less than that in Causeway Bay, and there are also several bars and high-end restaurants, it is suitable to arrange an afternoon to relax here.

Old and New Hong Kong Sightseeing Tour

If you have about 90 minutes, we will recommend you to take the Ding Ding car from SOGO Department Store in Causeway Bay to Shek Tong Tsui, because you can see the shops in Causeway Bay, Wanchai, and the most crowded weekends in Hong Kong during this tram journey Places, Admiralty, commercial buildings, high-end offices in Central, and the busiest state in Central on weekdays, as well as Haiwei Street and Main Street in Sheung Wan, which still retain the street scene of Hong Kong decades ago. Basically, you can experience the newest, oldest, busiest and most peaceful Hong Kong during this period of the itinerary.

It is worth mentioning that because the fare of the tram is not very high, it is very suitable to get off the bus and take pictures at will during this section of the journey, and then board the tram to continue. But be sure to prepare yourOctopus card, so taking the tram will be the most convenient!

Hong Kong Residential Area Scenic Sightseeing

Compared with the itinerary from Causeway Bay to the Western District, the tram journey from Causeway Bay to Shau Kei Wan is suitable for those who want to go to Hong Kong for an in-depth tour.

Because during this itinerary, you can experience the design of different residential buildings and streets in Hong Kong. For example, you can compare the differences between different buildings in Fortress Hill, North Point, Quarry Bay, and Taikoo, and then in Taikoo Get off the bus and walk to the side of the Haishanlou Monster Building to take pictures.

If you have time, you can also take the tram back to the North Point MTR station. There is also an egg waffle called Lee Keung Kee that is worth a try, and then walk into the Chun Yeung Street market in North Point for an in-depth adventure, and finally at the North Point MTR Station to complete the Hong Kong in-depth tour itinerary, take the subway to the follow-uphong kong attractions.

Ultimate Gangster Tram Tour

If you haven’t arranged any itinerary these days, and you don’t plan to go to any attractions in Hong Kong, but you love the street scene in Hong Kong, you can also consider taking the tram terminal from one side of the tram terminal to the other. That is, the complete tram route Kennedy Town - Shau Kei Wan, there will be two trams departing from Kennedy Town to Shau Kei Wan every hour, and from Shau Kei Wan to Kennedy Town.

For many people in Hong Kong, the idea of taking the entire tram route is crazy and a waste of time. As for this statement, we have no objection, because it took almost 2 hours to finish the last time.

However, the point of this tram route is that it is a very rare experience for those who like Hong Kong culture. Especially like you, if you don’t come here mainly for food and shopping, but want to get in touch with more authentic Hong Kong culture, we can guarantee that the photos you can take during this tram trip will be better than those in The top of the mountain and the side of the cable car are more attractive.

The reason is simple. In just 2 hours, you will be like watching a set of "Hong Kong"-themed animations. Through different buildings and different shops, you can see Hong Kong of different classes and ages in one breath. face.

Ding Ding car vs bus vs subway how to choose?

In addition to being a means of transportation suitable for sightseeing trips, the Ding Ding car is also a means of transportation very suitable for short-distance travel. Especially in Sheung Wan - Causeway Bay, which is about 4 subway stations away, taking the tram is a good choice.

However, sometimes the tram is not the best means of transportation, especially when there are more crowds in the afternoon on weekends, we will recommend you to take the bus instead of the tram, because the fares of the two modes of transportation will not differ much. It is definitely not easy to successfully board the tram for a while.

If you need to go to a farther place, such as Sheung Wan - Taikoo, which is more than 6 subway stations away, it will be more convenient and time-saving to use the subway.

In addition, it is recommended to take buses and subways instead of Ding Ding cars on rainy days. Because the compartments of Ding Ding cars are not in a sealed environment, it is possible to get wet clothes on rainy days, and it is not convenient to take pictures. It is more appropriate to take the subway to the shopping mall earlier to drink coffee.

Summarize

It was only after we established this website that we had the opportunity to get to know Hong Kong again, especially when we spent an afternoon taking the entire tram route and carefully observing the scenery along the way. And we also hope that through this website, we can share with you some interesting and fun places in Hong Kong where you can experience Hong Kong culture.

If you are planning to travel to Hong Kong, you can checkHong Kong Travel InformationHere, maybe you can get more useful information on Hong Kong transportation, Hong Kong accommodation discounts, Hong Kong itinerary planning, etc.!

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