Hong Kong cable car operator hikes annual pass prices by 22 per cent

Annual passes for unlimited rides on the Ngong Ping 360 cable car will cost HK$550 from the first day of the Lunar New Year on February 16.

Ngong Ping 360

Ng Kang-chung

Published: 8:00am, 11 Jan 2018

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The operator of the popular Ngong Ping 360 cable cars on Lantau Island announced on Wednesday that prices of its annual passes would rise by 22 per cent to HK$550 (US$70) from February 16, the first day of the new lunar year.

The price hike comes four months after it raised prices of adult round-trip and single-trip cable car rides – from the town of Tung Chung to the Ngong Ping entertainment complex – by an average of 12.3 per cent to HK$210 and HK$145 respectively.

Ngong Ping 360 is a popular attraction during festive holidays. Photo: SCMP/David Wong

A spokesman for Ngong Ping 360 said it had not adjusted the price for annual passes for five years. The last increase of about 15 per cent was in 2013, when prices rose from HK$390 to HK$450.

Annual pass holders are entitled to unlimited rides in a standard cabin for the whole year from the date of purchase.

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Those who purchase annual passes at the Tung Chung terminus from February 16 to March 2 can enjoy express ticketing services and receive HK$300 worth of gift vouchers, for an upgrade to a premium “crystal cabin” with a transparent glass bottom for a single trip and entertainment attraction tickets at Ngong Ping Village, a shopping-cum-entertainment complex built in traditional Chinese architectural style.

Opening hours will be extended during the Lunar New Year holiday. Photo: Xiaomei Chen

“Crystal cabin” rides cost HK$290 for a round trip and HK$200 for a single trip for adults.

As visitors normally flock to the ride during the Lunar New Year holiday, the operator said it would extend its opening hours from 9am to 8pm from February 16 to 19, and 9.30am to 6pm from February 20 to 23.

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Other tourist attractions recently raised entrance fees as well. Last month, Hong Kong Disneyland, also on Lantau, hiked ticket prices between four per cent and nine per cent, with the daily entrance fee increasing to HK$619 for adults and HK$458 for children. Disney’s rival, Ocean Park on Hong Kong Island, also announced a nine per cent fee increase from this month, with tickets costing HK$480 for adults and HK$240 for children.

Tourists riding the Cable Car at Ocean Park in Aberdeen. Photo: SCMP/David Wong

Ngong Ping 360, a subsidiary of the MTR Corporation that opened in 2006, drew some 1.71 million visitors in 2016, up 5.5 per cent from 2015. Last year’s visitor figures are not yet available, but the attraction was closed for almost half a year as the cable car’s wire ropes were replaced.

The 5.7km cable car journey takes about 25 minutes, with the Big Buddha and Po Lin Monastery being popular attractions at Ngong Ping Village.

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