Reaching the Peak by bus or taxi

Your options at a glance

The Peak’s transport page lists these ways up, besides the tram. Each one ends in the Peak Tower area, and none needs a Klook ticket. The list below gives the routes in the order the Peak uses, and the sections after it say what to expect from each. Check the Peak’s page for current times, because this guide prints no timetable:

• Green minibus No. 1 from Central (Two IFC)
• Citybus route 15 from Central Pier and Exchange Square
• A weekend and public holiday route, X15, from Central Pier 6
• Taxi
• Walking from Central MTR station

The green minibus

Green minibus No. 1 runs between Central (Two IFC) and the Peak. The Peak’s transport page gives a frequency of 10 to 12 minutes and lists first and last departures that differ slightly on Sundays and public holidays. This guide prints no timetable, because times change; check the Peak’s page before you go. Wikipedia says green minibuses and public buses both stop at the Peak Galleria, beside the Peak Tower, so you arrive within a short walk of the viewing platform.

The Citybus route

Citybus route 15 runs from Central Pier and Exchange Square to the Peak, at a frequency the Peak puts at 7 to 15 minutes. A separate route, X15, leaves from Central Pier 6 on Saturdays, Sundays and public holidays. Wikipedia places the bus station in the Peak Galleria, next to the Peak Tower. Route details and operators can change, so the Peak links to Citybus for current information, and it is worth checking that page on the day you travel.

Taxi and parking

The Peak says taxis are plentiful across Hong Kong, metered, air-conditioned and relatively cheap. Wikipedia notes that taxis and private cars reach the Peak by the winding Peak Road. If you drive, the Peak says there is no car park in the Peak Tower, and parking is in an adjacent commercial building at the Peak. It gives the Peak Galleria as the contact for parking questions.

Walking up

The Peak says the walk from Central MTR station to the Peak Tower takes one to one and a half hours, and it publishes a guide map for the route. Wikipedia names two ways to walk: the steep Old Peak Road, or the Central Green Trail from Hong Kong Park. This is a long uphill walk. Pack water, and check the Observatory webcams first, since a hazy day wastes the effort.

Choosing between them

The Peak calls taxis relatively cheap and gives buses and minibuses frequencies of every 7 to 15 minutes, so none of the options is a hardship. A bus or minibus suits one or two travellers whose timetable fits. A taxi suits a group, a stroller or anyone who wants a door-to-door ride. The walk suits people with time and a clear day. All of them reach the same Peak Tower area, and all of them avoid the tram queue.

Who this isn’t for

If you already hold a round-trip Klook tram ticket, going up by bus uses only half of it, and Klook tickets for the Peak Tram cannot be cancelled once booked. If you want the ride itself, the tram is the point. And if you are travelling with a stroller, remember that the Peak says strollers must be folded to 66 centimetres or narrower to enter the tram.