Costs More to Get Around in HK

Star Ferry fares are increasing by up to 56 percent in April

Inflation is hitting Hongkongers hard with the cost of food and necessities like electricity (up 5 percent), and now public transportation fares are going up. Way up.

The Star Ferry, which has been struggling for years, will raise its passenger fares by a whopping 56 percent. From April 3, The 125-year-old ferry operator will charge HK$5 on weekdays, up from HK$3.20, and on weekends HK$6.50, from HK$4.20, a 55 percent jump.

Bus companies asking government to raise fares

In its application to the government to raise fares, the Star Ferry explained it had suffered HK$85 million in losses since 2020 because of the Covid-19 pandemic, and owes HK$72 million to banks.

However, the reality is that the Star Ferry has been losing money since 2018, with fewer tourists especially in the second half of 2019 onward.

Now bus companies want to increase their fares too, by up to 50 percent. The bus companies, like KMB, Citybus, New World First Bus, and New Lantao Bus say they need to jack up fares because of higher operating costs and falling passenger numbers because of the pandemic.

Even tram fares have gone up 15.4 percent, where an adult fare is now HK$3, and taxi rides are up 13.8 percent.

Tram fares have gone up 13.4 percent

How seniors on their savings are going to survive is just going to lead to many more falling through the cracks... and now with civil societies forced to disband following the implementation of the national security law, there will be no one in these elderly people's corner to advocate for them...