Despite being under British rule until 1997, Hong Kong has one of the world's most sophisticated public transport systems and the highest percentage of daily journeys made by public means in the world.
One of the most innovative methods of transport is the Central-Mid-Levels escalator. The escalator, built to combat the steep, hilly terrain of Hong Kong Island, is 800 metres long with a vertical climb of 135 metres. Without walking to speed up the journey, a trip from one end to the other takes 20 minutes. The escalators run downhill from 6am to 10am and uphill from 10.30am to midnight, to aid people going to and from work.
Hong Kong, of course, has some of the more traditional modes of public transport. Its efficient tramways date back from the turn of the 20th century and now feature exclusively double-decker trams.
The bus systems runs a predominantly double-decker service, with five companies operating a franchised service. There are also public light buses available which can go to areas the larger buses cannot reach. Similar to minibuses, these contraptions can hold 16 passengers and are often more frequent, more direct and quicker than the standard bus lines.
The public transport system was greatly aided in '97 by the introduction of the Octopus Card. This card was the first contactless payment system in the world and was initially used to make quick payments for transport tickets; it has now been rolled out for use in supermarkets, at vending machines and restaurants among other shops.
The mass transit railway consists of ten lines with a total of 82 railway stations and 68 light rail stops. Eight of these lines act as regular train services while the other two offer direct services - one to Hong Kong Disneyland and the other to the airport - ideal for those leaving the country and for those who have just arrived on flights to Hong Kong.
People do also own their own cars, with around half a million in Hong Kong. Most cars can be found in the newly developed areas