How Does Red Minibus Work in Hong Kong?

Many public transportations in Hong Kong are iconic: double deck bus, tram, Star Ferry, Peak Tram, MTR, Taxi. There is one kind of public transportation which has caught the attention of many visitors but may not have ideas about how it works or how to ride - Red Minibus.

Consider red minibus as a big taxi but in minibus size and you share it with other people who are going to similar destinations. By the law they don’t need to have fixed routes. That means they can change routes and prices anytime they want. Passengers can ask the bus driver to stop anytime and drop off anywhere (along the routes). Usually they have regular routes targeting at locals, and the routes mostly directly compete against buses or MTR by offering faster transportation time, and some of the routes offer night time and 24 hrs service.

The special things about red minibus are it is very local, speedy (and sometimes scary and dangerous especially at night), and it has a challenge that you need to know where you are getting off and you need to yell at the right time towards the driver. Then you pay the driver cash before you get off.

So for foreigners or visitors it may be hard to experience red minibus because of languages barrier and lack of clear signs. But don't worry, HONGKONGUIDE has found a red minibus route which is perfect for visitors who would like experience it. Stay tune for our latest vlog.