Thursday, 13 August 2015

HK-359109 Trams of Hong Kong

Hong Kong Tramways (香港電車) is a tram system in Hong Kong. The first trams started running in 1904.

111 years later, the trains are still running. Currently, the trams are on a double track tramline built parallel to the northern coastline of Hong Kong Island from Kennedy Town to Shau Kei Wan, with a single clockwise-running track of about 3 km (1.9 mi) around the Happy Valley Racecourse.

There are six major overlapping routes:

Shau Kei Wan ↔ Western Market
Shau Kei Wan ↔ Happy Valley
Shau Kei Wan ↔ Kennedy Town
North Point ↔ Whitty Street
Happy Valley ↔ Kennedy Town
Causeway Bay ↔ Whitty Street
Western Market ↔ Kennedy Town

Trams in Hong Kong are not only a form of commuter transport but they are also a major tourist attraction. It is one of the most environmentally friendly ways of travelling in Hong Kong and is the only tram system in the world operated exclusively with double-decker trams.

Hong Kong Tramways now owns 163 double axle double-decker trams, including two open-balcony dim-sum tourist trams for tourist trips and private hire.

The trams themselves are sometimes called the "Ding Ding" (叮叮) by Hong Kong people, being the onomatopoeia of the iconic double bell ring trams use to warn pedestrians of their approach. The term "ding ding" is now often used to refer to the whole tram system.

This postcard came from Yvonne (13 August 2015) Postcrossing.

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