Hong Kong, China Travel Guide
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Accessibility in Hong Kong
Wheelchair access in Hong Kong
Overview: The wheelchair accessibility of the Kowloon territory and Hong Kong Island are a bit inconsistent. Mongkok, which is just north of Kowloon’s pennisula at Tsim Sha Tsui, and Hung Hom, which is just east of Tsim Sha Tsui, are much easier to get around than Tsim Sha Tsui. Mongkok has flatter and more level streets than Tsim Sha Tsui. Sidewalks are wider and have less people. Hung Hom is more of a residential area and is where the Hung Hom Wet Market is.
Hong Kong Island’s districts, Wanchai and Causeway Bay, which are located directly across from the Kowloon pennisula, are more wheelchair friendly streets and sidewalks. Becuase the financial district exists on Hong Kong Island, the streets are cleaner and appear to be newer and have less concentrations of vendors and markets. The sidewalks are relatively flat and smooth so they are easy to wheel on.
A footbridge on Hong Kong Island
A couple of challenges are immediately present, though. If you are on the north side of Connaught/Gloucester/Harbor Road, which run parallel to the harbor, you must find one of the accessible foot or sky bridges to cross these highways. Wanchai has a number of sky bridges that cross Gloucester. Connaught, which is south of the Central Ferry Station has fewer. The other challenge is that Hong Kong Island is located on a hill, so the closer you get to the center of the island, the streets such as Queensway and Cotton Dr get steep.
Another thing, which is typical in China, is that Hong Kong does have tunnels. On the Kowloon side, if you want to reach the Star Ferry, you must cross Salisbury Road, the main road running parallel with the harbor, via a tunnel. When you hit Salisbury Rd Nathan Rd, head west on Salibury for two blocks (pass the YMCA hotel). You’ll see the tunnel and the handicap entrance to the tunnel.
Streets, Sidewalks, Curbs, Buildings
The sidewalks and streets are crowded – more so in Tsim Sha Tsui. Some of the curbs, especially in Tsim Sha Tsui, are a bit high but for the most part, the curbs slant down enough to get up them and the sidewalks are wide. But, you have to contend with crowds and then, the crosswalks are often a block’s length from wherever you are. The crosswalks can get crowded.
In Kowloon’s Tsim Sha Tsui, the closer you get to the harbor, the easier it is to wheel as the nicer the area gets. Wan Chai and Causeway Bay on Hong Kong Island do have signals, painted crosswalks and ramps at the crosswalks, as well as in Kowloon. curbs that dip.
For all the accessibility improvements Hong Kong has made for wheelchairs, there are a lot of businesses that do have a step or steps to enter. Tsim Sha Tsui’s buildings are less accessible than in Mongkok and Hung Hom and Hong Kong Island. McDonald’s both McDonald’s in Tsim Sha Tsui are wheelchair inaccessible because they are downstairs in the basement of corporate buildings. But, the McDonald’s in Mongkok only has a step. A lot of local restaurants in Mongkok have ground level entrances.