Commuting times within Hong Kong.

My family and i are moving to HK next year and we are trying to figure out places to live. Could anyone advise what times of the day are considered 'rush hour'?


Secondly could anyone advise on how long it would take to get from Stanley and Tai Tam to Tsim Sha Tsui in the morning and what is average lenght of return journey?


Thirdly can we have some views on what it is like to commute from Stanley to Tai Tam in your own car? Do you need a car with a family living on the south side of the island?


Thanks in advance.

I would say Stanley to TST by private car would take a minimum of 40 minutes, mostly longer with tunnel traffic envolved. If you're going to be working in TST I would look elsewhere to live. Pok Fu Lam would be better if you want to stay on the island as you'd be nearer to the Western harbour bridge, or look around Kowloon Tong area.

Some (most?) residences in Tai Tam have private shuttle buses to downtown. Commuting times on the bus vary with time of departure. Tai Tam to Central (of course an accident, rain, or moron drivers that think two large vehicles can cross simultaneously on the Tai Tam reservoir dam can increase length of commute):

0715 is about 35 minutes

0740 is about 45 minutes

0805 can be 50-60 minutes.

1730 back to Tai Tam is about 25 minutes.


A neighbour drives and takes the Western tunnel daily. Not sure where he works on the Kowloon side, but his commuting time is less than mine.


Do you need a car on the southside? Can't comment if you would need one for work in TST, but for me working in Central, no I don't need a car although I do have one. We still use taxis regularly, and in fact, even going to Stanley Plaza on a Saturday or Sunday afternoon, we take a taxi as the carpark is usually full by noon. Having a car is convenient though, but definitely not cost-effective as I'm sure it is costing us more than using only taxis and shuttle buses would.


Taxis are normally quite plentiful, and often parked outside residential areas in Tai Tam waiting for a fare. That being said, the more you need a taxi at a specific timei, the less likely one will be available:)

Thanks for the information, very useful.


Do you know how the commute takes back to Tai Tam from TST after 1730 - round about 1800 - 1830?


Would you have any idea how long it would take to bus from stanley to central and then take the MTR to TST in the morning and evening?

If you're driving or using a taxi, I'd say going back to Tai Tam that time of the evening would take a good hour, because of the tunnel traffic. The x harbour tunnel is nearly always congested. I used to drive from Jordan to GSIS every day, in the early mornings it would take 35 mins return, at lunchtime it would take 1 1/2 to 2 hours.

Why not go Eastern Tunnel then come accross via Kwun Tong, Kowloon Bay. If you are working East TST even better. I know the drive from Stanley to KB is only 20mins in the AM.

I'd like to read what other expats think about this: When we consider commuting, especially by public transport, should we not think about the situation during typhoons? We had quite an "interesting" typhoon season last year, and I would imagine public transport was a nightmare when No. 8 was hoisted, judging from the TV scenes on the ferries, MTR, and buses. What are your views and experiences?


For newcomers, especially those not intending to drive and in HK for the first time sometime in the summer, I'd recommend living closer to the office for the time being until you have experienced some commuting during typhoons here. Then, once you're familiar, to commute over longer distances.

no, no, no everyone! I live in Tai Tam - take the shuttle bus in the morning around 8 am - takes 30 min exactly! Take taxi back around 6 pm - 30-35 min! In the past two years I can count on one hand the number of times when it took 1 hours - and most of them were in Typhoon 8 warning! In really low trafic (say 7 am a taxi from Tai Tam to say, IFC or airport express takes less than 20 min).

My friend lives in big western house in Tuen Mun -they drive to Central and takes only 25 min. so if TST, must be 15-20 min. http://www.takungpao.com.hk/news/08/02/14/HD-863628.htm

no, we go through the dam in the morning - really fast - tho when i take taxi in the eve, i go through Aberdeen tunnel and Repulse bay - not at all bad either

I used to live in Repulse Bay (very close to Stanley) and my office was in TST East, a car is nice in the south of the island to get groceries or to go to the many shopping centers all over Hong Kong but I hardly used it to go to the office.


Driving like most things in Hong Kong is very easy but parking is not and it can be expensive also public transport is very good, the car was for my wife and I only drove it during weekends.


If your office is in TST west you can commute from Stanley taking a bus like 260 or 6x to central and then the Star Ferry to TST.


If your office is more in the vicinity of Nathan Road then you can take the 6x or 260 and get off in font of the Admiralty MTR station and take the MTR to TST.


If your office is in TST East you can take the 40 green 16 seat bus or the 6x and switch buses in the first stop after the Aberdeen tunnel, there you can take any cross tunnel bus like the 170 or 171.


You can expect to wait for the bus for 10 to 15 minutes, if you go at a rush hour (maybe between 7:40 and 9:00 am it will take around 30 or 40 minutes to get to central) if you go earlier it can take as little as 15 minutes.


In any case I never missed my car commuting to my office in Hong Kong, if you have a Blackberry and an I-pod you’ll be very busy or entertained. In my new assignment I drive to my office and I miss my daily commute.


Tai Tam may be a different thing, some buildings like the Manhattan have shuttle services and you’ll be able to get to central very fast but if the building you live in does not have this service you’ll need to take a 16 seat bus or a taxi to Stanley and start from there so it will be a bit inconvenient.


In any case do not compromises the house you are getting for the commute you’ll have to do, get the house your wife completely loves and if you need to commute for a long time do it, peace at home is completely worth it. The ambience you have in the south of the island (and some other areas like Clearwater bay or Discovery Bay) is of perpetual holidays contrary to what you will get if you live in the busy areas like Causeway bay, Central and specially TST.

Thank you for the comprehensive information ArtHK, it has been very useful. Could you comment on the journey times from TST to Stanley / repulse bay in the evening? Is it much the same as the morning and what are the worst times to travel in the evenings?