If you fail to catch the night view of the Central District or take a ride on the Star Ferry, you can't really say that you have traveled to Hong Kong. Trams are the most popular mode of mass transportation in Hong Kong. The Hong Kong trams are capable of taking you to virtually every corner of the city.

A journey between past and present on the Hong Kong trams

Also called streetcars, trams may seem a little strange to many Koreans because they disappeared from Korea in 1968 due to road traffic problems. However, they are still widely used in major European cities and are still being expanded and further developed.
Trams are products of the Western modernization and industrialization. But they differ from electric railways that require exclusive lines in that their tracks are built into the surfaces of streets, which are shared by pedestrians and other means of ground transportation such as bicycles. In some cases, trams are blamed for spoiling the beauty of cities with their web of electric lines running above the streets. Yet, they continue to enjoy great popularity among tourists and local residents as an environment-friendly form of transportation and as a reminder of the city's Western flavor.
In the case of the Hong Kong trams, which are one of the city's symbols, it is clear that local residents love them but it is hard to say whether tourists share their affection. The reason is that trams leave much room for improvement in terms of speed and comfort in the eyes of foreign visitors who want to get around quickly.

The sight of trams gliding through the forest of Hong Kong's skyscrapers as if they were flowing against a river current makes for exotic fun for sightseers. But not many tourists choose to take the tram owing to the sometimes unpleasant feelings trams provoke. The feeling comes not just from the irregular timetables that trams follow but also from their outdated passenger-coach facilities. Ironically, it is these pre-modern facilities that make trams so appealing.
Traveling on the upper deck of a Hong Kong tram gives you a better view of the city. From the upper level of the tram gliding between the ultramodern building and facilities, it's easier to peak into the crowded and outmoded alleys behind those fancy buildings. The trams, the people attached to cellular phones who busily walk in out of the modern buildings, and the people who swagger in the alleys make the scene of Hong Kong.

Of all the places in Hong Kong, Sheung Wan is the perfect starting point for a tram ride. With many seal-engraving houses, antique shops and markets all in one location, Sheung Wan gives visitors a sense of the history of Hong Kong and of Chinese culture. A trip through noisy and crowded streets and busy wholesale markets takes you to the famous Central District made up of many high-rise buildings.
Developed by the British after they won the Opium War with China and colonized the island in 1842, the Central District is the most prosperous area in Hong Kong and is often compared to Wall Street in New York or the shopping district of Myeong-dong in Seoul. With its brilliant illumination and many lofty buildings standing close to the coastline, the district makes for a breathtaking sight when seen at night from the shores of the Kowloon Peninsula. There are a lot of administrative organs, banks and large companies located in the Central District, testifying to Hong Kong's reputation as an international financial hub.
From Wan Chai, which has been transformed from an aging port into a modern center of administration and business, through Causeway Bay with its large and thriving shopping center, to North Point where visitors can get a sense of the everyday life of the Hong Kong people, the tramline traverses the island from east to west. As it moves, it offers a unique perspective on the mixture of Oriental and Western societies that is modern-day Hong Kong.
Hong Kong trams are not air-conditioned and sometimes they come to a stop without any warning. However, the true joy of riding a tram, which tends to be almost hidden behind advertising signs, comes when you find yourself among people from all walks of life and get a picture of the real Hong Kong.

Hong Kong trams are a reflection of Hong Kong itself, a place of confusion where images of past and present, and of development and dilapidation mix freely. If you're looking for a trip that will allow you to explore the real Hong Kong, as opposed to its many tourism and shopping sites, Hong Kong trams are the way to go. The only thing you need for this type of trip is two Hong Kong dollars and a few spare hours.
This winter, I strongly recommend that you take the time to travel on a tram in the fusion city of Hong Kong.