‘Ding Dings’ need to travel faster and more frequently

Tram ridership is still 15% below 2018 levels, according to its operator.

Hong Kong Tramways Ltd. should lobby for its “right of way” to increase service frequency and boost the speeds of its tram system to sustain ridership amidst a plan to increase fares, analysts said.

“The only reason why people don't use trams is because they are slower,” Alok Jain, CEO at management consulting firm Trans-Consult Ltd., told Hong Kong Business. “If you have more vehicles and more speed on the road, then certainly, the usage of trams will go up.”

The trams, affectionately known by locals as Ding Dings, are affected by traffic congestion in Hong Kong, particularly at junctions, due to the growing number of cars and buses in the city, he pointed out.

Ridership on Ding Dings, which have been carrying people on Hong Kong Island for more than a century, increased only 3.2% to 50,474 in 2024 from a year earlier, according to data posted by the Hong Kong Transport Department on its website.

Tram ridership is still 15% below 2018 levels, Hong Kong Tramways, which is owned by RATP Dev Group, said in an email. It did not provide the exact figures.

RATP Dev, which operates Hong Kong Tramways, announced a proposed fare increase on Feb. 11. Adult fares will rise to $3.30 from $3, whilst children aged 3 to 12 and senior citizens will have to pay 10 cents and 20 cents more at $1.60 and $1.50, respectively. Monthly pass prices will stay the same.

The Legislative Council discussed the proposal on February 21 but had yet to approve the increase.

The fare increase would not drastically affect ridership, but the tram system should run more frequently to help passengers see greater value in the fare hike, Jain said in a Zoom interview.

“One of the things that the tram should lobby with the government is to at least protect their right of way in the busy parts of Hong Kong so they can maintain the speed,” he said.

Vera Wing-han Yuen, an economics lecturer at the University of Hong Kong Business School, said artificial intelligence (AI) could help Hong Kong Tramways streamline operations, enhance route planning, and ease delays.

“Instead of maintaining an even schedule from the starting station, AI could help adjust schedules based on current traffic conditions,” she said in an emailed reply to questions. “This could ensure a smoother and more evenly distributed service throughout the entire route, not just at the starting point.”

AI could help minimise delays caused by traffic congestion, making the trams more reliable and efficient and encouraging more people to use it despite the fare increase, she added.

Hong Kong Tramways runs 165 double-decker trams from 5:30 a.m. to 12:30 a.m. the next day, covering six routes from Shau Kei Wan to Kennedy Town, also covering Happy Valley. Trams leave every one-and-a-half minutes during peak hours.

Its access to Happy Valley, an area not easily reached by the mass transit railway (MTR), is one of the tram’s unique advantages, Yuen said.
Free transfers

Lawrence Lu, executive director at public policy think tank Civic Exchange, said Hong Kong’s trams ran 384,000 kilometers in December 2024, a 4.3% increase from a year earlier.

These have also been upgraded to improve passenger experience, he added, citing better payment systems and the use of QR (quick response) codes for real-time arrival tracking.

Jain said Hong Kong Tramways should maximise its appeal as the city’s “party vehicles” and focus on nonfare revenue, since the fare hike is unlikely to yield a significant revenue boost. Back in 2018, Hong Kong Tramways launched The Circus Tram, a mobile social club.

“A lot of people rent open trams for their birthday parties and events, and that is an area that can be explored more,” he said. “You can charge whatever you want, based on the season, based on the clients, or based on the demand.”

“These adjustments are much more flexible than the fare increases,” he added.

Hong Kong Tramways should enhance integration with other transport operators, Jain said, citing a 2016 setup that allowed free transfers from long-distance buses to trams.

“If long-distance buses stop earlier to reduce traffic and passengers transfer to trams, which operate on dedicated tracks, it could be an efficient transport arrangement,” he said. “It has been tried, but I don’t think it has been given the full support it deserves.”