Greater China
Hong Kong
UMR Index Rank
#16
(-1)
Score: 61%
Sustainable Mobility
#10
(-3)
Score: 63.8%
Public Transit
#2
(-1)
Score: 72.5%
Technology Adoption
#14
Score: 53.7%
| Population | 7.6 million |
| Surface area (km2) | 290 |
| Population-density (people/km2) | 26,245 |
| GDP per capita ($) | 50,030 |
UMR Index Rank
#16
(-1)
Score: 61%
Sustainable Mobility
#10
(-3)
Score: 63.8%
Public Transit
#2
(-1)
Score: 72.5%
Technology Adoption
#14
Score: 53.7%
What Hong Kong Does Well In Urban Mobility
Hong Kong claims 16th place in the Urban Mobility Readiness Index. The city also excels on the Public Transit sub-index, ranking second.
Hong Kong has an excellent public transit system characterized by its efficiency, affordability, and accessibility, with most residents just a short distance from the nearest station. The city also boasts an excellent rail network. As a result Hong Kong has one of the highest public transit ridership levels globally, with a modal split of 70%. Authorities are investing in more improvements to station density and connectivity. The city began work in 2023 to extend the Tung Chung Line to a growing development southeast of the airport, while construction of the 2.4-kilometer (1.5-mile) Tuen Mun South extension entails a new viaduct and station along the Tuen Mun River to better connect the community with light rail.
Hong Kong does well in moderating car use, with ownership levels well below its peers such as Beijing or Singapore. Indeed, owning a car in Hong Kong is expensive. Parking prices are high and the annual license fee can reach just under HK$15,000 ($1,900) for an internal combustion engine vehicle.
Urban Mobility Readiness Index, Sustainable Mobility, Public Transit, and Technology Adoption scores
Source: Oliver Wyman Forum and University of California, Berkeley
Challenges And Opportunities For Hong Kong’s Transportation System
Most Hong Kong residents use public transit, while few opt for active mobility options like cycling and walking. This partly reflects the city’s hot and humid summers and hilly topography, as well as the lack of dedicated pedestrian and cycling infrastructure. However, in 2021 Hong Kong published a plan pledging to incorporate cycling lanes into 13 major harborfront development projects. A new lane reportedly opened in 2022 in the Central Harborfront district. To encourage walking, the city in 2022 showcased a street sign system in three busy neighborhoods to help pedestrians plan their journeys, which the authorities may extend across the territory.
The city has ambitious plans to restrict the sale of internal combustion engine vehicles by 2035 in favor of electric vehicles (EVs). While the EV market share in sales is increasing year-on-year, the city will still need to improve its charging infrastructure to meet expected demand. Efforts are already underway to strengthen that infrastructure, with plans that include an approximately HK$2 billion ($257 million) package to subsidize charging points in existing private residential buildings and installing EV chargers in 30% of parking spaces at new government buildings.
Dimensions of the Urban Mobility Readiness Index score
Source: Oliver Wyman Forum and University of California, Berkeley
How Hong Kong Can Improve Its Urban Mobility Performance
Hong Kong has yet to embrace cycling. It can focus on improving its cycling infrastructure by building dedicated and connected bike lanes on popular roadways in addition to efforts along the harborfront. Supporting bike-sharing companies can help overcome bike ownership barriers for commuters while investing in e-bike initiatives can address some of the climate and geographic hurdles that discourage cycling. The city can enhance public transit accessibility for cyclists by removing bike restrictions on the bus and metro or by investing in a bike-friendly bus fleet to further harmonize these mobility modes. Hong Kong also can create more pedestrian walkways to encourage more active mobility.
High levels of noise and light pollution have long been an issue for Hong Kong residents, with high noise levels also likely to act as a further disincentive to active mobility. Government initiatives, such as a voluntary Charter on External Lighting launched in 2016, appear to have had limited success. To improve noise and light pollution, Hong Kong could make measures compulsory instead of voluntary. Hong Kong can also encourage EV uptake by offering greater incentives including more subsidies or tax rebates, and invest in more zero-emission buses to combat noise pollution.
Urban Mobility Readiness Index relative ranking evolution (2020-2024)
Source: Oliver Wyman Forum and University of California, Berkeley