Hong Kong Tramways has applied to increase adult fares by 10 per cent, from HK$3 to HK$3.30, citing sluggish ridership and rising operational costs.
In a press release on Tuesday, the company said it had submitted a fare adjustment proposal to the Transport Department.
It also hopes to hike concessionary fares: a 6.7 per cent increase in children’s fares from HK$1.50 to HK$1.60, and a 15.4 per cent rise in senior citizens’ fares from HK$1.30 to HK$1.50.
The monthly ticket will remain unchanged at HK$260.
“Farebox revenue remains a critical income stream alongside commercial partnerships, despite ridership lingering over 15% below pre-pandemic 2018 levels,” Hong Kong Tramways said, adding that the company was facing rising operational costs.
The proposed adjustments are essential for funding “heritage compliant technical system enhancements and [to] expand non-ticket revenue projects, ensuring long-term service continuity,” the company wrote.
With 120 years of history, Hong Kong’s trams are the city’s oldest public transportation method, having been around since 1904. The company’s 165 iconic double-deck vehicles carry around 200,000 passengers daily, according to Hong Kong Tramways.
The Hong Kong Tourism Board boasts that a ride on the tram is “a journey through the city’s rich history, culture and everyday life.”
Lawmakers will discuss the fare increase application during a Panel on Transport meeting at the Legislative Council on February 21.
The last time tram fares rose was in 2022, when adult and children’s fares rose by around 15 per cent from HK$2.60 and HK$1.30 to their current prices. Elderly fares went up 10 cents to HK$1.30.
