Govt proposes raising ferry fares on five outlying Island routes

The Transport Department has proposed granting new five-year licenses to Sun Ferry and Hong Kong and Kowloon Ferry for six major outlying island ferry routes, and proposed adjusting fares for five routes, effective from next month.

All one-way tickets and freight service fares on these five routes will increase by 12.5 percent. Specifically, for the Central-Cheung Chau route, the price of a standard adult one-way ticket on an ordinary ferry will increase from HK$14.8 to HK$16.7 on Mondays to Saturdays, and on a fast ferry from HK$29.2 to HK$32.9.

On Sundays and public holidays, the price of an ordinary ferry will increase from HK$22 to HK$24.8, and on a fast ferry from HK$42.3 to HK$47.6.

The monthly passes will increase to HK$626.8, an increase of 8 percent.

For the Central-Yung Shue Wan route, the price of a standard adult one-way ticket on a regular ferry on weekdays will increase from HK$22.1 to HK$24.9. For the Central-Sok Kwu Wan route, the price of a standard adult one-way ticket on an ordinary ferry on weekdays will increase from HK$27.5 to HK$30.9.

In addition, the Central-Mui Wo and Peng Chau ferry routes have been fully converted to fast ferry services, resulting in a reduction in actual fares. The weekday adult one-way fare between Central and Mui Wo will decrease from HK$34.1 to HK$33.5, a reduction of 1.8 percent. The weekday adult one-way fare between Central and Peng Chau will decrease from HK$36.9 to HK$31.9, a reduction of 13 percent.

In a document submitted to the Islands District Council, the Transport Department stated that ferry operators have faced declining passenger numbers and continuously rising operating costs in recent years, making fare adjustments necessary to ensure service levels can be maintained. The adjustment is considered “moderate” and "minimum," balancing the interests of island residents and ferry operators.

The department also indicated that for the six island ferry routes, after the last fare adjustment in 2023 and excluding government subsidies, three routes each of Sun Ferry and Hong Kong & Kowloon Ferry would have recorded losses of approximately 35 percent and 48 percent respectively in the two years following the fare adjustment.