Commuter says elderly passengers paying $2 fares add 15 minutes to bus journey

A commuter has sparked an online debate after complaining that elderly passengers using the HK$2 concessionary fare had added around 15 minutes to his morning cross-harbor bus journey.

The commuter shared his experience on Threads, saying his usual 50-minute journey had stretched to 65 minutes after several elderly passengers boarded the bus and alighted just two stops later.

He said the frequent boarding and alighting during the morning rush hour had turned what was supposed to be an express cross-harbor service into a “cross-harbor sightseeing slow bus”.

“I don’t even know if I’m taking a cross-harbor express or a ‘cross-harbor sightseeing slow bus’,” he wrote.

The commuter also joked that he was having “15 minutes stolen” from him every day, as elderly passengers took their time getting on and off the bus.

He questioned whether the HK$2 concessionary fare should be subject to restrictions during peak hours, when large numbers of commuters are travelling to work.

The post drew mixed reactions from netizens, with some saying they could relate to the frustration of longer journeys during the morning rush.

One user said Hong Kong’s ageing population meant there would be more elderly passengers in the future as life expectancy rises and more people retire.

Another urged the commuter to “keep complaining until you become elderly yourself”, pointing out that he could eventually benefit from the same concession.

Some users, however, focused on passenger behavior rather than the fare scheme.

One commenter said morning bus journeys were an opportunity for office workers to “catch up on the last bit of sleep”, but complained that some elderly passengers talked on the phone or watched videos, disturbing other passengers.

The discussion has highlighted tensions between the needs of elderly passengers benefiting from concessionary fares and those of commuters travelling during peak hours.

Under Hong Kong’s Public Transport Fare Concession Scheme, eligible elderly passengers and people with disabilities can travel on designated public transport services at a concessionary fare, commonly referred to as the HK$2 scheme.

The scheme is intended to encourage elderly people to remain active and facilitate their use of public transport. The latest online debate has instead focused on the impact of the concessionary scheme on peak-hour commuters.

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