The 6th generation Peak Tram (after five Peak Tram upgrades) will be put into service at 11:00 a.m. on the 27th of August. Both Central Terminal and Peak Terminal will also be re-opened after renovation. The new indoor waiting area at Central Terminal can accommodate 1,300 people. Waiting time for passengers will be significantly reduced by more than 70 percent, but the new tram fare will also be greatly increased by 67 percent. Round-trip fare for adults will be HK$88 (US$11.22).
The operator of Peak Tram, Hong Kong, and Shanghai Hotels released this news about the sixth-generation Peak Tram, and also announced the new tram fares on Aug. 17. After fare adjustment, the one-way fare for adults will be HK$62 (US$ 7.9), which is a 67 percent increase compared to the old fare. Round-trip fare will be HK$88 (US$11.22), an increase of 69 percent. The one-way charge for children aged 3 to 11 and seniors aged 65 or above will be HK$31 (US$3.95), an increase of 120 percent, and the round-trip fare will be HK$44 (US$5.6), an increase of 91.3 percent.
The 6th generation Peak Tram will be put into service on Aug. 27, and the operating company will be offering discounted fares until Oct 30. Under this promotion, adults will be charged HK$47 (US$5.99) for a one-way trip and HK$66 (US$8.4) for a round trip. Children aged 3 to 11 and seniors aged 65 or above will be charged HK$24 (US$3.06) for a one-way trip, and HK$33 (US$4.2) for a return.
However, discounted fares are still more expensive than previous rates. Peak Tram fare was last increased in March 2018. One-way fare for adults at that time was HK$37 (US$4.7), and the return was HK$52 (US$6.63). For children aged 3 to 11 and seniors aged 65 or above, the one-way fare was HK$14 (US$1.8) and the round-trip was HK $23 (US$2.9).
Earlier on, The Peak Tram invested HK$799 million (US$102 million) to upgrade the tram operation systems. These include replacing power, control, and signaling systems, cables, tracks, and refurbishment of both the Central and the Peak Tram Terminals. Now the improved sixth-generation tram can carry more passengers, and the expanded indoor waiting area of Central Terminal can accommodate up to 1,300 people.
In order to facilitate access for disabled persons, the height of the upgraded platform and cable car floors will be made the same, and the waiting time of passengers will be reduced significantly by more than 70 percent.
In addition, the over 10-meter-tall sculpture “Infinite Eye” created by an Australian artist will be displayed outside the Central Terminal. There will also be five photo-taking spots in the Terminal where the evolution of tram designs, and Peak Tram’s power and operation systems from 1888 to 2022 will be displayed in sound and video formats. Design and operations of peak trams in each period will be introduced, and a replica of the first-generation Peak Tram will be built for viewers to learn its history.
