The Hong Kong tram celebrates its centenary amidst growing popularity among locals and tourists

The Hong Kong tram, one of the city's most endearing icons, is celebrating its centenary.

One hundred years after its first service, the clanking double-deck tramcar remains one of the best-loved modes of transport in a fast paced city better known for its flashy Mercedes, BMWs and Rolls Royces.

At HK$2 (US0.25 cents) a ride, the economical fare continues to attract passengers but there are other reasons for the tram's enduring charms. Frankie Yick director of the Hongkong Tramways explains why.

"Serving Hong Kong since 1904, trams were the first land public transport in the city. Hongkong Tramways has witnessed many developments and changes over the century and has shared with the locals valuable experiences and memoirs. So tramways are popular with both locals and tourists alike for its heritage value and sentimentality associated with it."

Trams are so firmly entrenched in local life that when the mass transit railway (MTR) launched its Island line in the 1980's, the trams withstood the competition. Mr Yick says:  "Some people were worried that the tram service would be phased out but that never happened. Tram passenger travel bounced back after a short time and this again reaffirmed the pivotal role played by Tramways in the local public transport system."

Mr Yick does not foresee the tram waning in popularity in the near future. "I only see trams becoming more popular as they continue to provide a convenient, quality, environmentally friendly and economical public transportation mode. Cities in other parts of the world have also put the tram system back in operation, such as those in Europe and Japan."  

So it looks as though Hong Kong's icon, the world's largest and only fleet of double-deck tramcars, will still be in service for years to come.

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Hong Kong Tramways