Travellers on ferries to and from the outlying islands will soon have to pay up to HK$4.10 more per trip.
The government approved fare rises of 9 to 12 per cent for single tickets and 7 per cent for monthly season tickets.
The smallest fare rise will be HK$1.10. The increases take effect on April 1 for travel to and from Mui Wo and on July 1 for other routes.
A spokeswoman for one of the operators, New World First Ferry, said fuel and maintenance costs were behind the rises.
The company had no choice but to increase fares in the current operating environment, she said.
Chan Lan-wai, chairman for the Lamma North Rural Committee, said he was very unhappy about the increases, which he said were not in line with the inflation rate.
'We haven't had double-digit pay rises, so how can we afford the higher fares?' he said. 'People living on the outlying islands have no choice. If things carry on like this, no one will be willing to live here.' He added that the Transport Department did not consult islanders before announcing the increases.