Section 5Public Transport

Hong Kong Tramways Limited

Routes operated

Shau Kei Wan to Happy Valley
North Point to Whitty Street
Happy Valley to Kennedy Town
Shau Kei Wan to Western Market
Shau Kei Wan to Kennedy Town
Causeway Bay to Whitty Street
Western Market to Kennedy Town

Single journey fares (as at 31 December 2020)

Adult $2.6
Passenger aged 65 years or above $1.2
Passenger under 12 (other than passenger under 3 and accompanied by a person aged 12 or above) $1.3
Passenger under 3 (accompanied by a person aged 12 or above) Free

Vehicle kilometres operated and passengers carried

2011
('000)
2012
('000)
2013
('000)
2014
('000)
2015
('000)
2016
('000)
2017
('000)
2018
('000)
2019
('000)
2020
(‘000)
%
Change
Vehicle kilometres operated 5,432 5,154 5,197 4,739 4,932 4,945 4,713 4,500 4,254 4,517 6.18
Passenger carried 78,960 74,053 72,282 66,251 64,854 64,758 62,806 60,123 54,529 41,374 -24.12
Track gauge: 1,067 mm
Electrification: 500V d.c. overhead trolley wire

Rolling stock (as at 31 December 2020)

Type (1) Passenger Capacity (2) Number
(a) Double-deck enclosed tram, 1987 series 115 159
(b) Double-deck enclosed tram, 1949 style 115 1
(c) Double-deck open balcony tram 32 1
(d) Double-deck semi-open-top tram 32 2
(e) Double-deck maintenance tram non-applicable 3
(f) Double-deck open balcony tram, 1920 style 36 1
(g) Double-deck air-conditioning enclosed tram 115 1
Total 168
Notes: (1)

All trams were assembled by Hong Kong Tramways Limited except cars No. 28 (type c) and No. 128 (type d) which were originally built by Taikoo Dockyard & Engineering Ltd. in 1954/55 and rebuilt by Hong Kong Tramways Limited for charter and party tram duties in 1986/87. In addition, car No. 18 (type d) was also rebuilt as premium party tram in 2018. Cars in group (a) comprise Nos. 1-17, 19-27, 29-43, 45-87, 89-119, 121-127, 129-143, 145-163, 165 and 166. They were built from 1987 to 1991 with underframes by W.J. Brown Engineering Ltd. and bodies by Full Arts Metal Works Ltd. (109 cars) and Leeway Engineering and Trading Co. Ltd. (51 cars). Leeway also supplied the body for car No. 120 (type b) which was built new in 1991 to the design of the previous generation of trams dating from 1949. It is a "heritage" tram used in normal traffic. Car No. 88 (type g) is an air-conditioning tram which was first launched and trial-run in 2016, and is currently used in normal traffic. The maintenance trams (No. 200, 300 & 400) were built by Hong Kong Tramways Limited in 1998.

Original or locally manufactured trucks and electro-mechanical equipment are used in all trams. Trucks were built variously by Peckham, Maley and Taunton, Hong Kong Tramways Limited and Taikoo Dockyard & Engineering Ltd. Motors were manufactured by Dick Kerr, Metropolitan Vickers and English Electric.

In 2001, all trams (except two antique party trams, one antique sightseeing tram, one premium party tram and one heritage tram) had rotary controllers replaced by electronic speed controllers or DC chopper control system incorporating Deadman’s (automatic brake) handles and were completely rewired with LSF cabling and fitted with traction grade convertors. A total of 64 conventional trams (including one air-conditioning tram) have been converted into metal body trams to serve passengers. Octopus payment has also been introduced at all passenger trams.

(2) Passenger capacities are nominal. Capacities for car types (a), (b) and (g) are listed as 115 in the gazetted schedules. Capacities quoted for car types (c), (d) and (f) are for reference only.
Hong Kong Tramways Limited is wholly owned by RATP Dev Transdev Asia since April 2010. The tramway began operations in 1904 under the authority of the Tramway Ordinance, Cap. 107.