Public transport in Hong Kong is extremely good, covering the city and beyond with an extensive network of modern trains, ferries and buses. On Hong Kong island you'll also find an ageing network of trams - still efficient and one of the most picturesque ways to get around.

Don't even think about car hire if you're staying within HK / Kowloon. The traffic's horrendous, the petrol staggers under a 100 per cent tax and the rates are higher than you'd expect. HK is what public transport was invented for.

To and From the Airport
The Chek Lap Kok airport is considered one of the world's finest. It was the fastest and largest construction project in the world, entailing the additional construction of a massive suspension bridge for transport to the city and the artificial extension of a tiny island to accommodate the airport. It is said to be the largest enclosed space in the world. Located 24 miles from Hong Kong, getting in from Chep Lap Kok airport isn't all that cheap, no matter how you do it:

Trains - Fast (very fast) and convenient, the Airport Express has three stops: Tsing Yi, West Kowloon and Central. Catch it from the Ground Transportation Centre near the exit. HKD180 for a return journey to Hong Kong Island; HKD160 to Kowloon.

Taxis - Cabs are expensive, and due to the congestion they aren't terribly fast. If you want to take a cab, make sure you catch one with a green roof for Kowloon and New Territories, one with a red roof for HK Island or a blue roofed one for Lantau Island. Budget around HKD380 for fares into downtown.

Buses - The airbus routes from the Ground Transportation Centre are all prefixed with an "A" (night bus routes are prefixed with an "N") and travel to a variety of convenient locations. Signs also indicate which hotels are served by which buses. Dedicated airport buses are run by Cityflyer and Kowloon Motor Bus (KMB); fares range between HKD17-45 one-way depending on your destination.

Ferries - Ferry services operate between the airport and Tuen Mun in the New Territories between 06h00-22h00 daily at 30-minute intervals.

Public Transport

Public transport in Hong Kong is extremely good, covering the city and beyond with an extensive network of modern trains, ferries and buses. On Hong Kong island you'll also find an ageing network of trams - still efficient and one of the most picturesque ways to get around.

An integrated payment system is in operation. Called the "Octopuscard" it employs swipe card technology to allow you to pay for transport without using cash. You simply swipe your card at the machine on your chosen form of transport and the fare is automatically deducted from your credit.

You have to be planning on using a lot of public transport to make it worthwhile however. An octopuscard costs HKD150 (HKD50 of which is a refundable deposit, and HKD100 of which is credit). It is undoubtedly the simplest way to pay for services but is possibly only suited for longer stays or tours. Cards can be recredited using machines at transport hubs.

Tram - On the North side of HK Island, the old double-decker trams groan their way along a limited but useful selection of routes, mostly between Kennedy Town in the west to Shau Kei Wan in the east. At HKD2 a go they're hardly expensive, and a great way to get an overview of Northern Hong Kong Island.

Ferries - Ferries ply the waters all around HK. The most famous ferry route is the Star Ferry (HKD2.20 crossing) between Central and Tsim Sha Tsui, which runs very frequently, and could well be listed as a Hong Kong attraction, instead of a public transport option. You cannot use your octopuscard on the Star Ferry but other harbour ferries are part of the scheme.

There are two other HK/Kowloon routes, and then of course the links to all the outlying islands run by Hong Kong Ferry Company (HKF), which depart from the 'Outlying Islands' ferry piers in Central (some weekend ferries from the Star terminal in Tsim Sha Tsui).

There is also the KCR (Kowloon-Canton Railway), which heads up from Hung Hom in Kowloon to the Chinese border at Lo Wu, and is a convenient and cheap option for quite a few Kowloon and NT destinations.

Buses - Buses on HK Island are the most convenient way to get to destinations on the South Side - Stanley, Shek O, and so on. In Central, the bus station is under Exchange Square. Have the correct change handy (or if you don't know how much, then have a whole load of change) to make up the fare, which can range from HKD3 to HKD30.

Miscellany
A HK original, the 'Hillside Escalator Link' - or the 'travelator' links the well-to-do Mid Levels district and the SoHo area with Central and includes the world's largest single escalator (800m long). Don't expect to see rickshaws any more, though. There may be one or two left but these are the last of a rapidly disappearing species, more designed as a tourist novelty than a genuine transport option.