Peak Tram is one of the world’s oldest and most famous funicular railways and is used to go up the Victoria Peak.
Besides the nature walks, Victoria Peak in Hong Kong has numerous other attractions such as Madame Tussauds Hong Kong, Sky Terrace 428, Madness 3D Adventure, The Peak Tower, etc.
The Peak Tram journey which takes you 396 meters (about 1,300 feet) above sea level is itself an attraction.
No wonder approximately 4 Million people take the Peak Tram every year.
In this article, we explain everything you need to know about the Peak Tram in Hong Kong.
Table of contents
- Hong Kong Peak Tram hours
- How to get to Peak Tram
- Peak Tram stations, Hong Kong
- How long does Peak Tram take
- Waiting time for Peak Tram
- Avoiding the queue at Peak Tram
- Where to buy Peak Tram tickets
- Peak Tram tickets
- Last minute Peak Tram tickets
- Best seats on the Tram
- Peak Tram for users with a disability
- Peak Tram’s history
Hong Kong Peak Tram hours
Victoria Peak tram starts operating at 7 am, and the last Tram winds to a halt at midnight.
Peak Tram Hong Kong is open every day of the year. Even on Public holidays.
If you get stranded at the Victoria Peak beyond the Tram’s hours your only option is to find a taxi.
How to get to Peak Tram
To use the Peak Tram to go to Victoria Peak, you must first reach the Peak Tram Lower terminus.
To get to the Lower Terminus, you can use both public or private transport. Or better still walk.
By Bus
You can board Bus No. 15C at the Central Star Ferry Pier 8 and reach Peak Tram Lower Terminus at Garden Road.
This bus service starts at 10 am and goes on till 11.40 pm.
The frequency of buses is every 15 to 20 minutes.
The one-way fare is HK$ 4.4, and in 15 minutes you can reach the Peak Tram’s Lower Terminus.
Kids below 12 years of age and Seniors above 65 years get a 50% discount on their bus fare.
Bus No. 15C has only three stops – Central (from where you will board the bus), City Hall and Peak Tram Lower Terminal (where you will get down).
You can use the same Bus No. 15C to get back to Central, on your return trip.
Tip: You need to get on Bus No. 15C and NOT bus No. 15. The latter takes you directly to the Victoria Peak, after an hour-long journey.
By Taxi
If you prefer a private mode of transport, you can take a Taxi to Peak Tram Lower Terminus.
Hong Kong rules stipulate that the Taxi drivers must strictly go by the meter.
Tip: If you can’t speak Chinese, you can always show the Taxi driver this “中環花園道山頂纜車總站.”
By Walk
Many tourists who want to explore Hong Kong better decide to walk to the Peak Tram’s Lower terminus.
Most of them reach the MTR Central Station, from different parts of Hong Kong and walk the rest of the way.
You need to get out of the station from J2 exit and walk up to the ground level.
Then turn right, through Chater Garden and continue walking in the direction of Bank of China Tower (look at the map below).
Cross Queen’s Road Central and finally take the Garden road to the Garden Road Peak Tram Lower terminus.
This pleasant walk takes approximately 10-15 minutes. Get Directions
Peak Tram stations, Hong Kong
The Peak Tram Hong Kong has six stations, two of which are the most important.
The six Peak Tram stations are:
| Station name | |
| Garden Road Lower Terminus | Starts from here |
| Kennedy Road station | Doesn’t stop* |
| MacDonnell Road station | Doesn’t stop* |
| May Road station | Doesn’t stop* |
| Barker Road station | Doesn’t stop* |
| Upper Terminus on Victoria Peak | Ends here |
*The Peak Tram stops in these stations only if requested either by someone traveling in the Tram or someone in the station.
Garden Road Lower Terminus
Most visitors start with the uphill ride to the Victoria Peak from the Garden Road Lower Terminus.
The Peak Tram Lower Terminus is in the center of the city, at the Garden Road Central.
Nearby landmarks are St John’s Cathedral and Hong Kong Park.
Upper Terminus
The Peak Tram Upper Terminus is the station where your journey to the Victoria Peak ends.
This Terminus is on the third floor of the Peak Tower, the landmark building on Victoria Peak.
To get back to the Lower Terminus, you need to board the Peak Tram from here.
Other Peak Tram stations
The Peak Tram stops at Kennedy Road station, MacDonnell Road station, May Road station, and Barker Road station only if requested.
To get down at one of these intermediate Peak Tram stations, you must push the button corresponding to the station much in advance and alert the driver.
If you are standing on the platform of one of these intermediate stations, you can push the button on the platform to stop the Tram.
Visitors who board the Peak Tram at the intermediate stations can buy tickets in the carriage.
However, those who board the Peak Tram at the two terminal stations must buy the Peak Tram tickets at the ticket office or purchase them online, in advance.
How long does Peak Tram take
The Peak Tram takes only seven minutes to cover the 1.4 Km (0.86 miles) long journey to Victoria Peak.
If the queues are short, taking the Peak Tram is the fastest way to reach the top.
However, the queues are almost always long – after all, it is one of the most popular tourist attractions in Hong Kong.
Even though the time Peak Tram takes to reach Victoria Peak is very less, chances are you may spend a lot of time waiting to catch the tram.
Waiting time for Peak Tram
Depending on the time of day and season, your waiting time at Peak Tram can vary.
The Peak Tram can carry 120 passengers at a time.
Ninety-five of these passengers get a seat while twenty-five get room to stand.
With such small capacity, during peak times the crowd swells thus leading to long queues at the Peak Tram terminals.
We list the approximate time you are likely to wait in the Peak Tram queue –
Weekdays (Monday to Thursday)
| Time Period | Approximate Wait |
| 7 am to 10 am | 5 mins |
| 10 am to 2 pm | 30 mins |
| 10 am to 2 pm | 30 mins |
| 4 pm to 7 pm | 45 mins |
| 7 pm to 9 pm | 30 mins |
| 9 pm to 11 pm | 15 mins |
Weekends (Friday, Saturday & Sunday)
| Time Period | Approximate Wait |
| 7 am to 10 am | 15 mins |
| 10 am to 2 pm | 30 mins |
| 10 am to 2 pm | 1 hour |
| 4 pm to 7 pm | 1 hour 30 mins |
| 7 pm to 9 pm | 1 hour |
| 9 pm to 11 pm | 30 mins |
And if you have to buy your Peak Tram tickets at the station, your waiting time increases further.
During summer vacations, school holidays, festivals, etc., this waiting time to get into the Peak Tram in Hong Kong could go up further.
Tip: Buy the Peak Tram ‘Fast Track’ tickets to skip both the lines – the line to buy tickets and the line to get in the Tram. Peak Tram Sky Pass lets you skip the first line – the one at the ticketing counter.
Avoiding the queue at Peak Tram
It is common to see long lines of tourists waiting to get into the Peak Tram.
Sometimes these lines are so long that they must get out of the building, go around the corner and then go across to the other side of the street.
The Peak Tram gets exceptionally crowded during these times:
– During weekends, school holidays and festivals
– When the weather is good, with clear skies
– Between 4 pm to 7 pm
because visitors want to see the sunset from Victoria Peak and the daily 8 pm
light show
But worry not, for all the trouble will be worth it the moment you get into the Peak Team.
Follow our top tips, and you won’t have to be part of these long queues.
1. Select the right time
Choose to be at the Peak Tram Lower Terminus between 7 am, and 9.30 am or after 9 pm.
Tourists traveling in large groups can’t make it to Peak Tram early, and by 9 pm they are usually done with their trip.
This is why early mornings and late evenings are one of the best times to take the Peak Tram.
2. Take risk with the weather
During the rainy season, low clouds can cover the Peak Tower and prevent you from enjoying the fantastic views of Hong Kong skyline.
However, during the summer, autumn, or winter periods, the weather is mostly good. Winds blow and clouds keep clearing, and in half-hour, weather can change in your favor.
So, no harm in taking the risk and being at the Peak Tram Lower Terminus when the rest of the crowd decides to stay away.
Even if the weather doesn’t clear up, there are lots of other great activities and experiences to be enjoyed at Victoria Peak.
3. Opt for night time
Victoria Peak offers amazing night views for anyone willing to be at the Peak when lights go on.
Fortunately, these are also the views least likely to be affected by the weather.
Overcast skies and rain doesn’t affect the brilliant night views from The Peak.
Skip the long lines by planning your visit on the Peak Tram after 7 pm.
4. Jump the queue with a Fast Track ticket
When you buy Fast Track tickets to Peak Tram, you get to use the Express entry and thus can skip the long lines altogether.
These Fast Track tickets are also known as Combo tickets.
We recommend one of these two combos for the best experience:
– Peak Tram + Madame Tussauds
– Peak
Tram + Madame Tussauds + Sky Terrace 428
How does the Peak Tram Fast Track ticket work
On the day of your visit, you will meet Klook’s guide at Central MTR Station Exit K. They will walk you to the Peak Tram Lower Terminus, get your tickets exchanged and take you to the front of the line, bypassing the queue altogether.
Avoiding the queue on the return journey
If you plan to take the Peak Tram back, be ready to stand in line for 15 odd minutes depending on the time of the day.
If you are getting back soon after sunset, the wait time could be longer.
On the return journey, there is no Express / Fast Pass line, so everybody waits their turn.
We recommend you don’t start immediately after the thousands of visitors have seen the sunset from Victoria Peak.
Hang around for another 30 to 60 minutes and then head to the Peak Tram’s Upper Terminus for your return journey.
Tip: Some decide to take a taxi or a bus on the way back. While the bus tickets are very cheap, a taxi will set you back by approximately HK$ 50.
Where to buy Peak Tram tickets
Before we share with you the best place to buy Peak Tram Hong Kong tickets, you must know how the queues at the Peak Tram Lower Terminus work.
There are two queues at the Peak Tram Lower Terminus:
Line 1: Queue at the ticketing counter to buy tickets
Line
2: The line to get on the Peak Tram
Many visitors don’t plan ahead and forget to buy their Peak Tram tickets in advance.
When they reach Peak Tram’s Lower Terminus, this is the kind of crowd they face in Line 1, the queue to buy tickets (see image below).
When you buy a Peak Tram Fast Track ticket or a Peak Tram Sky Pass online, you avoid waiting in this queue at the ticket counter because you already have your tickets.
Depending on the day of the week and season, avoiding this line helps you save up to an hour of waiting time.
Now for what happens at Line 2, the queue to get into Peak Tram (see image below):
If you bought Peak Tram Sky Pass (which is cheaper), you must stand in Line 2 and wait your turn to get into the Peak Tram.
But if you have bought Peak Tram Fast Track ticket, Klook’s guide gets you to the front of Line 2, so you don’t have to wait at all.
In effect, the Fast Track tickets help skip both Line 1 and Line 2 and save up to two hours of waiting on peak days.
Since you will be entering through Klook’s dedicated entrance, you also get first dibs on the seats of the Peak Tram.
That’s why, even though you can purchase Peak Tram tickets at the Terminal Stations, it isn’t the smartest of ideas.
It is best to buy Peak Tram tickets online, and much in advance.
Peak Tram tickets
When it comes to Peak Tram Hong Kong tickets, you can buy the costlier Peak Tram Fast Track tickets and skip all the lines or buy Peak Tram Sky Pass and skip one of the lines.
Both these tickets are timed and dated, so you need to reach Peak Tram Lower Terminus well in advance.
We detail both below –
Peak Tram Fast Track ticket
This Fast Track combo is very flexible, and you can handpick the experiences you want to add to this ticket.
The two most popular combinations are:
Peak Tram + Sky Pass + Madame Tussauds
Or
Peak Tram + Sky Pass
*Sky Pass gets you access to Sky Terrace 428, which is an observatory on Victoria Peak offering excellent views of Hong Kong skyline.
As mentioned earlier in the article, this Fast Track ticket is costlier but is worth it because it helps you skip the long lines at Peak Tram station.
*Don’t forget to meet Klook’s guide at Central MTR Station Exit ‘K’ 15 minutes before the time mentioned on your ticket. They will be holding a ‘Klook’ sign.
Peak Tram price
Peak Tram round trip + Sky Pass + Madame Tussauds
Adult ticket (12+ years): HK$ 300
Child ticket (3 to 11 years): HK$ 259
Seniors (65+ years): HK$ 260
Peak Tram round trip + Sky Pass
Adult ticket (12+ years): HK$ 85
Child ticket (3 to 11 years): HK$ 67
Seniors (65+ years): HK$ 67
Peak Tram Sky Pass
When you purchase this ticket online, you skip Line 1 (the queue at the ticketing window) and wait your turn in Line 2.
Once you reach the turnstiles, you can scan the QR code emailed to you and walk in to catch the Peak Tram.
Besides the Peak Tram to Victoria Peak, this ticket also gets you access to Sky Terrace 428.
Peak Tram fare
Adult ticket (12+ years): HK$ 87
Child ticket (3 to 11 years): HK$ 47
Seniors (65+ years): HK$ 47
Last minute Peak Tram tickets
Yes, it is possible to buy same day Peak Tram tickets online.
Many tourists do this once they spot the long lines at the Peak Tram Lower Terminus.
However, since Hong Kong’s Peak Tram tickets are timed, you may not get your preferred time slot when you book them at the last minute.
No harm in trying.
You can either opt for the Peak Tram Fast Track tickets or the regular tickets.
Best seats on the Tram
The Peak Tram has lovely big glass windows on both sides which offer unobstructed views as you go up the steep incline or come down.
However, some seats offer better views than others.
Going up, best seats on the Peak Tram are on the right, and while coming down, they are on the left.
If you follow our advice, you get to see breathtakingly beautiful views from the best angle.
If you can’t find a seat on the recommended side, wait for the next Peak Tram.
With a short frequency of eight minutes, you should be able to find the best seats on the next Peak Tram.
Some tourists prefer to stand at the back of the Tram, and see views from the clear glass windows at the back.
What to expect when you are sitting
As in all funicular railway, the Peak Tram’s compartment gets dragged by a cable up and down the mountain.
Since the Peak Tram covers a height difference of 400 meters (1310 feet) while traveling just 1.4 Kms (0.87 Miles) the journey is steep.
The journey is so steep that all the seats of Peak Tram have to face one way – the upward direction.
Since all the seats of Peak Tram face the upward direction, passengers don’t roll down the Tram when it is on the move.
Because of this design, the passengers are pushed right into the wooden seats during both sides of the journey.
If you didn’t get a seat, you have the option of standing as well (there is room for 25 passengers to stand in every Tram).
However, resort to this adventure if you are able bodied and can hang on to the rails.
What to expect while coming down
The Peak Tram doesn’t turn around for its return journey from Victoria Peak to Peak Tram Lower Terminus.
From the Upper Terminus, the Tram travels downhill backward.
Again, since the seats are facing upwards (facing the steep) you don’t roll down the Tram’s floor.
This backward travel is scary but fun.
However, if you feel you won’t enjoy it, you can always take Bus No. 15 to get down.
Peak Tram for users with a disability
Peak Tram is accessible to most visitors with disabilities, including those on manual or electronic wheelchairs.
The current Tram car has steps at the entrance, but the Peak Tram staff provide a mobile ramp to help wheelchair borne visitors to get on and get off the Tram.
However, the Tram can only accommodate wheelchairs with a maximum width of 66 cms (26 inches).
Also, the wheelchair and the passenger together must not exceed 136 Kgs (300 Pounds).
Visitors with disabilities won’t have issues at the Peak Tram Upper Terminus as well.
The Upper Terminus is accessible from the Ground Floor of The Peak Tower with ramps.
When on the Peak Tram, passengers on electric wheelchairs must carry their wheelchair’s Lithium battery in person.
For the best experience, it is best to contact Peak Tram’s staff as soon as you arrive at the Terminus.
Peak Tram’s history
If it weren’t for Alexander Findlay Smith, a young Scottish man who came to Hong Kong for business, Peak Tram wouldn’t exist today.
Mr. Smith bought a site on top of Victoria Peak and opened the Peak Hotel in 1873.
It took the patrons an hour to reach his Hotel when they traveled by sedan chairs.
Since Mr. Smith had worked in Scotland’s Highland Railway, he was aware of the funicular railway, a method he could use to scale the vertical heights of Victoria Peak.
He knew that if he reduced the time it took for people and goods to go up to Victoria Peak, it would mean good business for the Peak Hotel.
Hong Kong approved Alexander Findlay Smith’s proposal to build a funicular railway in 1882 and construction work started in September 1885.
Three years later, on May 28, 1888, Peak Tram made its maiden journey.
On the first day, Peak Tram to Victoria Peak carried 600 passengers.
As of today, Peak Tram carries more than 4 Million passengers every year – almost 11,000 every day.
Back then it was powered by a static steam engine, but today it is run by a microprocessor-controlled electric drive system.
When the Tram services went live, the original carriages were wooden, but in 1959, they were replaced by lightweight all-metal tramcar.
Sources
# Lonelyplanet.com
# Wikipedia.org
# Thepeak.com
# Tripadvisor.com
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