New licences for outlying island ferry routes effective from July 1

    The Transport Department (TD) today (June 29) announced that the new licences for six outlying island ferry routes, namely Central-Cheung Chau, Central-Mui Wo, Central-Peng Chau, Central-Yung Shue Wan, Central-Sok Kwu Wan and Inter-islands, will take effect from July 1.

    After two tender exercises to select ferry operators, the TD decided to grant the licences for the Central-Cheung Chau, Central-Mui Wo and Inter-islands routes to New World First Ferry Services Limited; the Central-Peng Chau route to Hong Kong & Kowloon Ferry Limited; the Central-Yung Shue Wan route to Islands Ferry Company, and the Central-Sok Kwu Wan route to Winnertex Limited.

    The timetables and fares of these six routes will also be adjusted from July 1.  The relevant ferry operators have put up notices at respective piers and distributed leaflets on new fares and timetables to passengers.  Details of the new fares are as follows :

Ferry Routes                        Adult Fares
------------                              -----------
Central-Cheung Chau           Ordinary Ferry      Fast Ferry
                                          ---------------            ----------
                                          Ordinary  Deluxe
                                          Class    Class

Weekdays                          $11.5    $18          $22.5

Sundays
/Public Holidays                  $16.8    $26.2       $32.2

Monthly Tickets                   $457      --            --

--------------------------------------------------

Ferry Routes                       Adult Fares
------------                              -----------
Central-Mui Wo                   Ordinary Ferry    Fast Ferry
                                          --------------          ----------
                                         Ordinary  Deluxe
                                         Class    Class

Weekdays                          $13      $21.7    $25.5

Sundays
/Public Holidays                  $19.2    $31.7    $36.7

Monthly Tickets                  $474.6    --      --

----------------------------------------------------

Ferry Routes                                    Adult Fares
------------                                          -----------
Inter-Islands
Weekdays, Sundays/Public Holidays  $11.1

----------------------------------------------------

Ferry Routes                 Adult Fares
------------                       -----------
Central-Peng Chau        Ordinary Ferry  Fast Ferry
               
Weekdays                       $12.8          $24.5

Sundays/Public Holidays  $18.5          $36

Monthly Tickets               $506            --

----------------------------------------------------

Ferry Routes                   Adult Fares
------------                         -----------
Central-Yung Shue Wan

Weekdays                       $14.5
 
Sundays/Public Holidays  $20

Monthly Tickets               $580

----------------------------------------------------

Ferry Routes                 Fares
------------                        -----
Central-Sok Kwu Wan

Weekdays                       $17.7

Sundays/Public Holidays  $25

Monthly Tickets               $621

    For enquiries, passengers can call the ferry operators' hotlines or visit their websites:

Ferry Operator            Hotline       Website
--------------                   -------           ---------

* New World First
Ferry Services Limited    2131 8181  www.nwff.com.hk

* Hong Kong & Kowloon  )
Ferry Limited          )
* Islands Ferry Company ) 2815 6063  www.hkkf.com.hk
Limited                )
* Winnertex Limited    )

    Meanwhile, the Tuen Mun - Tung Chung ferry route will cease operation from July 1 as no bid was received in the last two tender exercises.  Affected passengers may take the rail or bus services between Tuen Mun, the airport and Tung Chung.  In addition, a new bus route T39 running between Tuen Mun Yuet Wu Villa (Wu Shan Road) and Tung Chung MTR Station during peak hours will be provided from July 1.

Ends/Sunday, June 29, 2008
Issued at HKT 14:01