Hong Kong’s famed Peak Tram set for facelift, with classic carriages rolling into history
- Services will be suspended for nearly six months from June 28 for overhaul, and new trams will have capacity to carry 210 riders against 120 at present
- Next few weeks will be the last opportunity for city residents to ride the familiar carriages, and discounts will be offered for senior citizens
Hong Kong will bid farewell to the classic burgundy carriages of the Peak Tram next month, with the famed tourist attraction to close temporarily for the completion of a delayed facelift costing more than HK$700 million (US$89.7 million).
The Peak Tramways Company announced on Thursday the fifth generation of carriages would be retired and services suspended for about six months from June 28, with new cars set to be launched later this year.
Company general manager May Tsang Ying-mei said the elderly would be able to enjoy discounted fares for the next few weeks.
“The next two weeks will be the last opportunity for Hongkongers to ride the familiar burgundy tramcars,” Tsang said, adding that Hong Kong-themed artwork would feature on carriages between June 1 and 27.
The revamp of the 133-year-old Peak Tram, one of the world’s oldest funicular railways and which rises to 396 metres above sea level, was originally expected to finish before Lunar New Year in February, with the hope it would help to boost passenger numbers. The initial budget was HK$684 million.