Hong Kong franchised bus firms request fare hikes of up to 17.7%

Four franchised bus companies in Hong Kong have submitted proposals for fare increases: Kowloon Motor Bus (16%), Citybus (17.7%), Long Win (8.1%) and New Lantao Bus (9.8%). A paper from the Transport and Logistics Bureau to the Legislative Council highlighted that daily journeys on these routes have stayed just under pre-COVID figures, moving from 3.67 million in 2023-24 to roughly 3.7 million in 2024-25. The bureau warned that operators face a tough environment due to competition, higher operating costs and persistent fuel price pressures.

Secretary for Transport and Logistics Mable Chan indicated that a panel will review the requests on Friday, emphasizing the need to balance service reliability, financial health of the operators and fare affordability for the public. The government previously approved fare hikes for KMB, Citybus and New Lantao Bus that will take effect in January 2025.