Beat the Tram Run, Hong Kong – Run of the Month Oct 20

Over the many runs in a month, some are particularly memorable. This is where I keep a record of at least one of these special runs each month so I can look back and say – ah yes, I did that, that was cool.

For you, this could be inspiration for you to run an epic run a month, or act as a route guide for you to follow on these epic trips.

If you happen to travel to Hong Kong or live in Hong Kong, I recommend getting a run on this route as one of the best ways to see and feel the vibes of the city.

For this month’s Run of the Month, I attempted to beat the Hong Kong Trams and run the shoreline of Hong Kong Island from Kennedy Town Tram Terminus to Shau Kei Wan Tram Terminus. Let’s see whether my feet or the “Ding Ding” is faster.

For those of you who are unfamiliar with Hong Kong Trams, the following is a summary to bring you up to speed. Skip to the next section if you are only interested in my running route.

Hong Kong Tramways

The double-decker trams (colloquially “Ding Ding” for the sound they make) are the icon of Hong Kong. They are the earliest forms of public transport in Hong Kong and have been running along the northern parts of Hong Kong Island since 1904.

Any visit to Hong Kong is not complete without a ride on the tram. Have a glimpse of this clip by talented Brandon Li for a feel of the Hong Kong Tramways, an integral part of the soul of Hong Kong.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xCF3qYZkeEI

Here are some fascinating information about Hong Kong Tramways

• Locals call the tram “Ding Ding” for the sound they make. Little secret is that the sound is not exclusive to drivers. As a passenger, you can hop on near the back door and find a knob on the floor which you can also step on to make a “Ding Ding”. Of course, don’t overuse it. Some newer trams might also have that knob removed.
• 165 trams form the world’s largest double-deck tram fleet still in operation. All of these operating trams are proudly made in Hong Kong.
• The price for any distance is HK$2.6 or US$0.3 (as of 2020), one of the cheapest ways to get around HK island (besides running!)
• The main line runs from Kennedy Town on the west to Shau Kei Wan on the east (approx. 13km). There is also a short subline that connects to Happy Valley near Causeway Bay.
• Look for Tram Number 120, the only tram restored to the 1949 style to preserve Hong Kong’s heritage.
• Hong Kong Island used to be much smaller. The tram line originally ran the shoreline of the island. Over 100 years later, when you run the latest shoreline following the route below, you will realize how much the city has grown through reclamation.

Let’s Run!

Epic Runs in Hong Kong – Tram Terminus to Terminus Run

Kennedy Town Terminus to Shau Kei Wan Terminus | 14.2km | Flat

This run happened during a stormy week. The weather gave me all the excuses to not run, so I needed the run to be extra meaningful as running motivation. Fortunately, I stepped out the door and ran.  

This route has been in my mind for a while. The run is not long, and the elevation is limited. As a runner, I would not call it as challenging, but the experience and sentimental value I get from this run is phenomenal.

This makes a perfect tourist run. Low time and effort commitment for great views and meaning.

I started in the afternoon as soon as there was a short break from the rain. I got my ID Card, Octopus Card, some spare change, my keys, and a dry tshirt to change into after the run, fit them all in my T8 Sherpa Running pants, put on my Altra Solstices, and off I went.

The whole route has close access to public transportation and plenty of refreshment spots. The path is fully paved and well-lit for any weather and time of day. It can get crowded during weekends, which I would try to avoid. A stormy day, on the other hand, kept the paths clear.

There’s a section in the middle (from Tin Hau to Quarry Bay 2.2km stretch) which you will have to run along the sidewalk of some busy streets. Until a new running path is developed, you will have to deal with this section with care (traffic lights and lots of pedestrian).

Here’s the map of my route. I ran from the western end (Kennedy Town Terminus) to the eastern end (Shau Kei Wan Terminus)

I identified the 7 tram terminals in blue, trams start or end at one of these terminals.
Some toilets, bars, and cafes are identified in green enroute.
There are also a few landmarks that the route passes by which I identified as the green camera.

Experience Along the Route

Start the run from Kennedy Town Terminus (0km).

This area used to be the western boundary of the City of Victoria and the site for undesired industries such as incineration plants, plague hospitals, public mortuaries, and slaughter houses.

Now, it is a popular spot for westerners to live in with plentiful bars, cafes, and views of the ocean. It’s also an area still filled with small shops, not yet overrun by huge shopping malls.

Run to the waterfront, turn right, and run along New Praya Kennedy Town and Shing Sai Road.

At 0.7km, there’s a gate on the left where you can run into the Western District Public Cargo Working Area, or the famed Instagram Pier (Plenty of cool backdrops for your Instagram feed).

If the gate is open, the Working Area should be NOT working and you can run inside.

If the gate is closed, continue on Shing Sai Road for another 0.6km to reach a traffic light, turn left and run 0.2km to the waterfront to rejoin the route. Across the street from this traffic light is the depot of Hong Kong Tramways where all thee double-decker trams in Hong Kong are built.

At 2.5km, you run into Sun Yat Sen Memorial Park where you start seeing the amazing views of the harbour which you will run along for the next 10km. This is a good spot to snap some pictures.

At 3.2km, the path seems to end, blocked by the red and black Shun Tak Centre. It is okay to run along the one-way two-lane road under the building that is 0.2km long. (Green line on the map)

At 4.3km, you run along the Central Pier, where you can take ferries to outlying islands and the famed Star Ferry to Tsim Sha Tsui (Another must-do in Hong Kong). On the right you will see the razor looking International Finance Center, which Batman jumped off in The Dark Knight.

Run past the ferris wheel and continue on the promenade to absorb the amazing views across the harbour. On a clear day, you can see the Lion Rock looking over the city.

At 6.0km, you would see the Golden Bauhinia Square outside of the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre. This is the site where the United Kingdom handed Hong Kong over to the People’s Republic of China, still a controversial issue to the hearts of many Hong Kongers.

At 7.3km, you run behind the Hung Hom Cross Harbour Tunnel, the first underwater tunnel in Hong Kong connecting the 2 sides of Victoria Harbour.

At 7.6km, the Jardine Noonday Gun is to your left. This is still in use and you can see it fired at noon every day, a tradition since the 1860s. (Fun fact, this is a penalty)

Continue along the shoreline (green line on map) until you reach an intersection with traffic lights at 8.4km. This begins the busy sidewalk section of the run which you may be interrupted frequently by more traffic lights and pedestrian. Proceed with caution for this 2.2km stretch along Electric Road and Java Road.

At 9.4km, you can run one block inland along Chun Yeung Street, where you can see the famed street with trams passing through a market in symphony. This is also where the North Point Tram Terminus is located.

At 10.7km, turn left into Hoi Yu Street and run under the highway where it gets peaceful again. You’ll be back to the waterfront to run along the promenade.

At 11.9km, you will pass by the Fireboat Alexander Grantham Permanent Exhibition, which you can access during daytime. For my run, it already turned dark by this point. Continue along the promenade and enjoy the ocean breeze.

At 12.5km, you run by a quieter bar area called SoHo East which may be a good place for your after run drinks and food.

At 13.7km, turn right at the end of the promenade, where you see Tam Kung Temple, a traditional temple for the sea people of older times. Cross the street on to Shau Kei Wan Main Street East for the final stretch.

At 14.2km, you arrive at the finish, the Shau Kei Wan Tram Terminus!

When I ran this route, it rained heavy at times, but it was still very enjoyable. No matter how many times I have covered this area, I still take my phone out for pictures. With the sightseeing and traffic light stops, I used 90 minutes to cover the whole distance.

After changing to some cleaner clothes, I waited for the Shau Kei Wan to Kennedy Town Tram (This full route is only operated twice an hour from 7am to 7pm), went to the upper deck, sat at the very front for the best views, and contemplated as the tram passed through the many neighbourhoods of Hong Kong Island.

The tram ride itself is a great experience on its own. Every ride gives a new experience as you see the city through a different lens.

From end to end, the tram ride took…. 90 minutes. I guess this time, my feet and the “Ding Ding” resulted in a tie. I’m willing to take 4 hours to do this again in the future.

Access to the Route

I set the start point (western-most point) as Kennedy Town Tram Terminus. There is easy access to public transport from any point along the route, the following is information for a few significant points along the route.

Kennedy Town Tram (0km) is accessible via

Tram: Routes across North Hong Kong Island. The particular route from Kennedy Town all the way to Shau Kei Wan runs twice an hour from 7am to 7pm. (You can challenge a friend, one of you run and the other takes the tram, see who gets to the other end faster!)

Bus: Stops within 200m for Routes 1, 5B, 5X, 10 to/from North Hong Kong Island, and 101, 104, 904, 971 to/from Kowloon

MTR: 400m from Kennedy Town MTR Exit C (first train 6am)

Central Pier (4.3km) is accessible via

Tram: 700m walk inland to the tramline.

Ferry: Ferries to outlying islands, and frequent Star Ferry departures to Tsim Sha Tsui (HK$2.2-3.7 depending on deck and day)

Bus: 2 to Sai Wan Ho (12.5km point of the run), 15 to The Peak via Wan Chai. Multiple buses for access throughout Hong Kong near tramline.

MTR: Hong Kong Station and Central Station

Chun Yeung Street (9.4km) is accessible via

Tram: This is the North Point Tram Terminus with trams to all parts along the tram line.

Ferry: North Point Ferry Pier is 400m away for ferries to Hung Hom, Kowloon City, and Kwun Tong

Bus: Multiple buses run along King’s Road (one block inland) for access throughout Hong Kong Island and Kowloon. 18P takes you back to the starting point at Kennedy Town.

MTR: 100m walk eastbound towards the nearest exit of North Point Station

Walk: 1.6km 260m descent to Wan Chai MTR via Wan Chai Gap Road

SoHo East (12.5km) is accessible via

Tram: 600m walk inland to the tram line

Bus: Grand Promenade Bus Terminus easy of SoHo East has Routes 2 and 720 to Central Macau Ferry (3.2km point of running route), 2X to Wan Chai North (6.5km point), and 14 to Stanley. More bus options along the tram line.

MTR: 600m walk inland to Sai Wan Ho Station.

Shau Kei Wan Tram Terminus (14.2km) (Eastern-most point) is accessible via

Tram: Routes across north Hong Kong Island. The particular route from Shau Kei Wan Terminus to Kennedy Town Terminus runs twice an hour from 7am to 7 pm. Alternatively, you can change trams near Causeway Bay (but you will have to pay twice).

Bus: 250m westwards to the Shau Kei Wan Bus Terminus with multiple routes throughout Hong Kong Island and Kowloon.

MTR: Shau Kei Wan Station is next to the Bus Terminus.

Conclusion

Hong Kong Tramways takes an important spot in the minds of anyone who lives or visits Hong Kong. The trams have lived through a bulk of Hong Kong’s history, and till this day, still take passengers on a fascinating journey through history.

The whole run and tram ride takes a total of 4 hours, and can be cut short as needed. There are plenty of replenishment spots and landmarks to visit along the way. I find this worthwhile to runners and travellers for an in-depth experience of the city.

For me, I sensed the geographical distance with the 90 minutes on my feet. Then, for the 90-minute tram ride, it was quite zen as I go through the older districts to the newer district and watch Hong Kongers from different parts of town live their lives.

Hope you enjoyed my journey.

Let me know when you run this route!

If you want to start joining my adventures but haven’t started running yet, click on this post to get you started in becoming a runner!

I have 5 Hong Kong routes that are great for beginners to see the city, also check out last month’s epic run across Hong Kong Island in the hills.

If you would like to know more about Hong Kong Tramways, check out their website. They also have charter trams and party trams available for an alternative experience of Hong Kong Trams.

Ding Ding!