Why driving a Hong Kong tram isn’t as easy as it looks given city’s congested roads, air pollution and long hours

With the face of Hong Kong constantly changing, it’s no wonder the 113-year-old tram system is a much loved source of nostalgia for locals and tourists. With their antiquated appearance, the trams’ slow trundle along the northern fringe of Hong Kong Island is a link to a bygone era, at odds with the frenetic pace of the city today. However, their leisurely tempo does not necessarily make it a pleasant ride for the men and women driving them.

Many people assume driving a tram is easy – that it’s all about starting up, going forward, and then stopping along the fixed tracks. But being at the helm of the oldest and slowest mode of public transport on Hong Kong’s roads – affectionately known as “ding dings” for the sound of their foot-operated warning bell – has its difficulties, challenges and frustrations, say drivers.

“A tram is a very passive kind of public transport. There are many things that the driver cannot control,” says Ho Yiu-man, 47, who drove trucks for 16 years before becoming a tram driver 13 years ago. He sometimes finds it frustrating.

“When I was driving a truck, I could easily overtake a car in front of me that was going too slow. But trams are just naturally slow, and there is little you can do about it because there are too many limitations,” Ho says, during a break at the tram depot in Kennedy Town.

The electric trams are limited to a maximum speed of 42km/h – versus 70km/h for buses and 80km/h for minibuses – but travel at an average speed of just 7.9km/h.