Star Ferry
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The Star Ferry (Traditional Chinese: }, Jyutping: tin1 sing1 siu2 leon4, Pinyin: Tiānxīng Xiǎolún) is a passenger ferry service operator in Hong Kong whose principal routes take people across Victoria Harbour, between Hong Kong Island and Kowloon. The company has been operating since the late 1880s. It was founded by Parsee Dorabjee Nowrojee as the Kowloon Ferry Company in 1888 and renamed Star Ferry in 1898.
The fleet of twelve ferries operates four routes across the harbour, carrying over 70,000 passengers a day, or 26 million a year. Even though there are now more modern ways to cross the harbour (by MTR and road tunnels), the Star Ferry continues to provide an efficient, popular and inexpensive mode of crossing the harbour. The company's main route runs between Central and Tsim Sha Tsui, which is what most people mean by "the Star Ferry" in common parlance. This route is also popular with tourists, and has become one of the icons of Hong Kong heritage in the eyes of tourists. From the ferry, one can take in the famous view of the harbour and the Hong Kong skyline.
Cross-harbour routes and fares
- Central to Tsim Sha Tsui (orange): HK$1.7 for the lower deck, HK$2.2 for the upper deck
- Wan Chai to Tsim Sha Tsui: HK$2.2
- Central to Hung Hom (green): HK$5.3
- Wan Chai to Hung Hom (purple): HK$5.3
History
- In 1966, a fare increase of 10 cents of the ferry sparked an important unrest in Hong Kong.
- Until the opening of the Cross Harbour Tunnel in 1972, the Star Ferry was the main means of public transportation between Hong Kong Island and the Kowloon side.
- In 2003, the Star Ferry began a tourist cruise, making an indirect, circular route to all the stops.
The ferry itself is completely recognizable, and the layout of the pier where William Holden debarks in Kowloon is familiar to the resident or denizen of Tsim Sha Tsui, but missing are the giant shopping malls of today.
Fleet
- Morning Star (曉星號).
- Day Star (晨星號).
- Night Star (夜星號).
- Electric Star (電星號), built in 1933 and now retired.
- Golden Star (金星號), built in 1989.
- World Star (世星號), built in 1989.
- Celestial Star (天星號), built in 1956 and currently the oldest Star Ferry in service.
- Twinkling Star (熒星號).
- Silver Star (銀星號).
- Glowing Star (耀星號), an ex-British Army vessel and its rental was ceased in 2005.
- Northern Star (北星號).
- Meridian Star (午星號).
- Solar Star (日星號).
- Shining Star (輝星號), now used for the Star Ferry Harbour Tour.
Piers
Ongoing events
The Star Ferry Pier at Edinburgh Square, Central, together with Queen's Pier, will be demolished as a result of land reclamation along the north shore of Hong Kong Island. Both piers will be re-positioned further out into the harbour on newly reclaimed land. Part of the new pier for the Star Ferry will be an existing pier built at the time of the reclamation on which the Hong Kong Station of the Airport Express MTR line and the International Finance Centre are built (i.e. no.7 of the outlying islands ferry piers). This pier is being rebuilt and expanded eastwards to resemble a replica of the Star Ferry Pier in the early 20th century, rather than the existing, soon-to-be-demolished pier.Although the pier is being relocated 300 metres away and will no longer be close to City Hall, its Clock Tower will be preserved at its current location.
See also
- Transportation in Hong Kong
- List of buildings, sites and areas in Hong Kong
- Hong Kong & Kowloon Ferry
- Clock Tower, Star Ferry
External links
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