For travellers and locals who want to take in the sights of Hong Kong’s famous skyline and Victoria Harbour from the lofty heights of the Peak, there are several options available: hopping on public transport for a nausea-inducing ride, driving that winding uphill route yourself, committing to a good old hike from starting points such as Mid-Levels or Wan Chai, or choosing the quickest and most efficient alternative: the Peak Tram. However, those who want to take the Peak Tram for upcoming visits may think twice before doing so, as prices for the popular funicular have increased significantly.
A new fare structure for the Peak Tram came into effect on December 29, with price hikes applied to four ticketing categories: the Peak Tram ticket, the Special Combo ticket, the Peak Tram Ruby Special ticket, and the Sky Terrace 428 ticket.
One adult single-ride Peak Tram ticket now costs $82 as opposed to $76, and adult Peak Tram return tickets cost $116 each rather than $108, representing a moderate 7.9-percent and 7.4-percent inflation, respectively. While that can still be stomached, the fare increase for children and seniors is more substantial: they will now pay $75 for a round-trip Peak Tram ticket and $52 for a single-trip Peak Tram ticket, respectively, which accounts for a whopping 38.9-percent and 36.8-percent increase from previous fare prices.
But wait, it gets worse: the Peak Tram Ruby Special ticket package, which includes a Peak Tram return ticket with priority lane access and single entry to Sky Terrace 428 and Mei Lok Experience Studio, will now cost $342 for adults and $222 for children and seniors. It used to cost just $149 for concessionary tickets – that’s a painful 49-percent jump.
No reason was given for the dramatically increased fare prices, but one could suspect it’s either because the Peak Tramways Company Limited is doing really well in terms of passenger traffic and wants to capitalise on the high demand it is experiencing, or quite the opposite. We know what we’ll be doing: lacing up our trainers and going for a walk instead…
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