How to Get to the Peak Hong Kong: Tram, Bus & on Foot

May 20, 2026

Photo by Chi Lok TSANG on Unsplash

The Peak sits at 552 metres above Hong Kong Island. It is the most visited attraction in one of the most visited cities in Asia. And yet most people who make it up there do the same thing: queue for the tram, walk through the mall, take a photo from the viewing platform, and leave.

The trails above the city — the reason locals actually love the Peak — rarely get explored. Getting there is half the experience. Here are all four ways up, including the one that makes everything else feel like a warmup.

Option 1: The Peak Tram

The Peak Tram opened in 1888 and has been the defining way to arrive ever since. It climbs from the lower terminus on Garden Road at a gradient of up to 27 degrees, which tilts the world outside the window at an angle that still catches people off guard. The ride takes about 10 minutes and delivers you to the Peak Tower — not the summit itself, but close enough to access everything worth seeing.

How to get to the lower terminus: Take the MTR to Central (Exit J2), then a 10 to 15 minute walk uphill through Hong Kong Park. Alternatively, bus 15C runs from Central Pier 7 (the Star Ferry terminal) directly to the lower terminus.

Hours: 7am to 11pm daily. Trams run every 10 to 20 minutes.

Queue reality: On weekends, public holidays, and most of the tourist season, the walk-up queue can stretch well over an hour. Arrive before 9am or after 8:30pm for the shortest waits. Online booking skips the ticket queue — worth it at busy times.

Tip: Sit on the right-hand side going up for the better views of the harbour and the city spilling down the hillside below you.

Option 2: Bus 15 from Exchange Square

Bus 15 departs from Exchange Square in Central — ground level, Connaught Place side — and travels directly to the summit, not the lower tram terminus. The journey takes 35 to 45 minutes depending on traffic and winds through some of Hong Kong Island's most atmospheric residential streets: the Mid-Levels, then Magazine Gap Road, then Peak Road itself. The views on the way up are worth the time.

This is how locals go. It costs a fraction of the tram, has no queue, and drops you at the same destination. The bus runs frequently throughout the day. If the tram is the iconic route, the 15 is the honest one.

Option 3: Taxi or Green Minibus

A taxi from Central to the Peak costs around HK$70 to HK$100 and takes 15 to 25 minutes depending on traffic. Red (urban) taxis make the journey. Late at night — particularly on clear winter evenings when the city lights are at their sharpest — this is the fastest route to one of Hong Kong's best views.

Green Minibus 1 runs from opposite City Hall in Central. Cheap and frequent; standing room only during busy periods. It terminates at the Peak.

Option 4: Walk or Hike Up

Aerial view of Hong Kong showing city surrounded by green hills

Photo by Florian Wehde on Unsplash

The hiking routes up to The Peak (Victoria Peak) are among the most underrated urban walks in the world. Most visitors don't know they exist. Those who do tend to think the climb is the point — and they're not wrong.

Difficulty: Easy to Moderate Time: 45 to 60 mins up Distance: 3.5km loop at the top

Morning Trail via Hatton Road — The most popular pedestrian ascent. Start from Hatton Road in the Mid-Levels (accessible by taxi from Central, or on foot from the escalator network). The trail climbs steeply through dense subtropical forest, takes around 45 to 60 minutes at a steady pace, and connects directly to Lugard Road and the Peak Circle Walk at the top. These are the same routes featured in Iconic Hikes Hong Kong. You can also check the AFCD trail information for up-to-date conditions.

Easy and gentle incline - good if you have more time

Old Peak Road — A historic pedestrian route that once connected Central to the Peak before the tram existed. It runs from Magazine Gap Road through forest that gets quieter and denser the higher you climb. Longer and less trafficked than the Morning Trail, and better for it.

Fastest
But the Steepest

Governor's Walk — A gentler connecting path linking Hatton Road to the upper Peak area. Often combined with the Morning Trail or Old Peak Road for a longer circuit.

All three hiking routes connect to the trail network at the summit. The Peak Circle Walk — a 3.5km loop through dense forest — is where most hikers end up. Lugard Road Lookout offers the best unobstructed views of Victoria Harbour anywhere on the island. These aren't the views from the mall. They're better. See the full route on AllTrails.

What to Do Once You're Up There

The Peak Tower and the Galleria are there. The viewing terrace has its place, particularly at night. But the trails are the reason to stay longer than an hour.

The Peak Circle Walk can be done in under an hour. Lugard Road to the lookout and back is 20 minutes each way. Neither requires any gear beyond decent shoes. Both are why The Peak is in Iconic Hikes Hong Kong — a trail that has shaped how generations of Hong Kong residents relate to their city.

→ Browse the Iconic Hikes art print collection — Hong Kong's trails, beautifully framed.

When to Visit

October through March are the clearest months. The views from the Peak on a cold winter morning — city, harbour, Kowloon across the water, and on exceptional days all the way to the mountains of the New Territories — are among the finest in Asia. Summer is frequently hazy and hot. Rain and low cloud are common in spring. Check the Hong Kong Observatory before you head out, especially in summer when afternoon thunderstorms can develop quickly.

If you only go once, go in winter. Go early. And if you can manage it, walk at least part of the way up.

→ Explore the full Iconic Hikes Hong Kong collection — prints, postcards, and the book.

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