The first sightseeing bus route on Hong Kong’s Lantau Island will debut on Wednesday to connect popular attractions such as a cable car, Disneyland, hotels and a new shopping centre to boost transport connectivity and tourism.
Lawmaker Ben Chan Han-pan on Tuesday welcomed the new service and predicted it would give visitors another option to get to Disneyland instead of taking a taxi or the MTR.
The open-top double-decker bus service will offer full-day tickets priced at HK$150 (US$19) each, allowing passengers to hop on and off for unlimited rides. It will depart daily from the Ngong Ping 360 cable car terminal, with four trips in the morning starting at 10.20am and three in the afternoon.
The service was co-launched by Ngong Ping 360, which operates the cable car, and Big Bus Tours.
Chan, chairman of the Legislative Council’s transport panel, said the tourism sector would benefit from the new route.
“New transport options will help increase footfall in different locations, and tourism as a whole, to a certain extent,” he said.
But he called on authorities to step up efforts to connect to areas in southern Lantau, such as Tong Fuk and Mui Wo, which were also popular among tourists with more detailed itineraries.
“I hope there will be improvement in linking these attractions together and providing easier access for both tourists and residents,” he said. “This will ensure that everyone benefits from a more efficient transport system.”
An insider said visitors taking the afternoon service, from 3.30pm, would get a close-up look at Hong Kong International Airport’s aircraft maintenance area.
