Star Ferry fare rise must win public acceptance
HKFP · 1 SOURCES1 day ago2 MIN
Summary
Transport Advisory Committee chair Wong Sze-chun said advisers were weighing Star Ferry’s financial needs against the public’s ability to afford higher fares after the operator applied for a 30 per cent increase. He said the ferry’s role as an important Hong Kong asset and the need to keep the service running were central to the discussion.
Key Points
- Wong Sze-chun spoke to reporters on Thursday after a Transport Advisory Committee meeting on the proposed Star Ferry fare increase.
- He said advisers considered both the operator’s need to sustain service and the public’s acceptance of, and ability to bear, higher fares.
- Star Ferry operates two cross-harbour routes, linking Tsim Sha Tsui with Wan Chai and Tsim Sha Tsui with Central.
- Under the proposal, weekday adult single fares would rise from HK$5 to HK$6.50, while weekend and public holiday fares would increase from HK$6.50 to HK$8.50.
- The 138-year-old operator said each vessel’s engine replacement later this year could cost more than HK$10 million, after losses exceeding HK$100 million from 2018 to 2023.
Why It Matters
The decision will affect daily commuters and visitors who use one of Hong Kong’s best-known harbour services, while testing how far fare increases can go before public resistance grows.
The case also puts attention on whether a historic transport operator can cover rising maintenance, staffing and fuel costs without undermining access to a long-running public service.