Two major bus operators in Hong Kong to raise fares by 12 per cent from next year
Citybus and New World First Bus blame rising operational costs, while Lantau cable car operator Ngong Ping 360 also announces price adjustment
Two of Hong Kong’s major bus operators plan to raise fares by 12 per cent in January 2018 citing rising operational costs.
Citybus and New World First Bus, which collectively operate 169 bus routes and own about 3,000 buses across the city, said the proposed increases meant 85 per cent of non cross-harbour routes will see passengers pay less than HK$1 extra per trip and 70 per cent of cross-harbour routes will be less than HK$2 extra.
If approved by the government, it will be the first fare rise in nine years.
Citybus and New World First Bus, owned by NWS Holdings, said the proposed fare adjustment had already taken public affordability into consideration.
The two operators have suffered a considerable loss of passengers to the MTR’s West Island line extensions in 2015 and the opening of the South Island line in 2016, an NWS spokesman said.