Star Ferry, against the dark sky of a Kowloon backdrop, approaching the Wan Chai Ferry Terminal, Victoria Harbour Hong Kong
Kowloon was ceded to the British in 1860, when sampans were the main transport across Victoria Harbour from Hong Kong Island. In 1888 four coal-fired ferry boats were introduced by the Kowloon Ferry Company, which changed its name to the Star Ferry Company in 1898. Nowadays, twelve diesel-powered ferries, each named after a particular star, transport 70,000 passengers a day (26 million a year) on four routes: Tsim Sha Tsui to Central; Tsim Sha Tsui to Wan Chai; Hung Hom to Central; Hung Hom to Wan Chai. The weekday, single fare on the main route, Central to Tsim Sha Tsui, is HK$ 2, using an Octopus electronic smart card. Despite the development of the Mass Transit Railway (MTR) and road tunnels under Victoria Harbour, the Star Ferries remain popular with both local people and tourists.
Size: 5067px × 3325px
Location: Harbourside Ferry Terminal, Wan Chai, Hong Kong Island, Hong Kong, China
Photo credit: © robert harrison / Alamy / Afripics
License: Royalty Free
Model Released: No
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