Central-Mid Levels Escalator, Hong Kong
Snaking through a massive swath of skyscrapers and narrow streets, the Central-Mid Levels Escalator is Hong Kong’s ingenious solution to the country’s topologically uneven Central District. As the world’s longest outdoor covered escalator system, she is an 800-metre chain of architectural magnificence, servicing both locals and tourists alike. With the heat and humidity characteristic of regions near the equator, exploring Hong Kong’s notoriously hilly Central District can be a true test of one’s stamina. The escalator system provides a reprieve to this, while even allowing for commuters to hop on and off whenever they please to explore some of the best markets, antique stores, museums, historic buildings and restaurants that Asia’s World City has to offer.
The Escalator starts at the core of The Central District, and weaves up and out towards the more laid-back residential areas. As a form of commute as well as a tourist attraction, the stretch of moving walkways and steps is essentially a cost-free equivalent of a tour bus.
With a whopping HK$245 million (US$31.2 million) budget, the Central-Mid-Levels Escalator officially started taking rides in October 1993, and at present serves approximately 85,000 commuters on the daily.
Often mistaken to be one long 800m escalator, the system is actually fragmented first into 3 moving walkways which then segues into 20 escalators, peppered throughout with 14 entrances and exits – perfect for exploring the district’s every nook and cranny. A typical journey on the Central-Mid Levels Escalator takes about 25-30 minutes, though with so many sights to see in between, you’re better off putting aside more time for it!
At the junction of 100 Queens Road Central and Cochrane Street, the first travellator whisks you to Wellington Street, which houses the famous entertainment district – think clubs, pubs, and restaurants – Lan Kwai Fong. If you’re in the mood for drinks and dance, this is your stop.
For the hungry, take the second travellator to Lyndhurst Terrace. Nestled here is the Central Street Market, the oldest street market in Hong Kong. Deeply steeped in history, the market houses hundreds of stalls selling a gamut of products from souvenirs to food and everything in between.
The third travellator brings you to Hollywood Road. This for the lovers of history; walking down Hollywood Road brings you to Possession Street which, funnily enough, is the spot where the British first staked their flag in 1841.
But Hollywood Road holds much more than just historical significance – it’s also the hub of Hong Kong’s antiquity industry. Numerous auction houses and antique shops line the road, and the signboards adorned with large Chinese characters announce the sales of porcelain ware, sculptures, statues, oriental furniture, rugs and curios. Recently, art galleries have also begun sprouting up among the stores, augmenting Hollywood Road’s cultural value.
The first of the 20 escalators begin on Shelley Street, running all the way up to the Mid-Levels, through Staunton Street and Elgin Street. The latter gives way to the notorious SoHo district – thus named more as an acronym for ‘South of Hollywood Road’ and less after its New York counterpart. That said, Hong Kong’s SoHo district boasts its own unique blend of bars and restaurants, its night life thrumming just as brilliantly as the latter.
After Elgin Street, the remaining escalators climb up and through various residential districts, finally ending in Conduit Road in Mid-Levels.
Clearly one of the coolest commute systems in the world, the Central Mid-Levels Escalator is popular with both visitors exploring the city, as well as with locals making the daily commute from home to office. To accommodate as many people as possible, the escalators travel downwards from 6am to 10am (so people living in the hilly residential areas can travel towards the centre) and uphill from 10am to midnight (so that people can get back home with ease) daily.
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