There is NO Star Ferry Service to Central from the Terminal

**Me Jamie, your host, I am English and I have lived in Hong Kong since January 2nd 1972 - I know the place.**

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Kai Tak Cruise Terminal Hong Kong - A huge white elephant

There is NO Star Ferry Service to Central from the Terminal

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Kai Tak Cruise Terminal | Still a huge white elephant | Hong Kong

…. and a solution will not be in place until 2031 | 2032 at the earliest

The Kai Tak Cruise Terminal in Hong Kong

Hong Kong’s biggest white elephant

I have written a few times about the Kai Tak Cruise Ship Terminal in Hong Kong and it is back in the news again with the Government asking for expressions of interest and solid bids from companies looking to take over the running of the terminal from June 1st 2028 onward’s and I am quite sure there will be lots of bidders.

The Cruise Ship Terminal opened in 2013 so the current operator will have been in charge for 15 years by then and I believe it highly unlikely that they will win the new tender, they make for a convenient scapegoat despite the fact they have had one hand tied behind their back (no rail link) and it was closed for 3 years due to Covid and without that rail link the new operator might also have a lot of trouble meeting targets and Government mandated KPI’s

Let me make something very clear, I am not a journalist, I am just a normal person that has a few opinions when it comes to Hong Kong, I have lived here since January 2nd 1972 and as I am in tourism, this is my area of expertise.

I am believe it or not a big fan of the Hong Kong Government, having lived here for so long, well I just love the place, it is still unique and for the most part the Government has done a great job but sometimes they screw up and well, they really screwed up the Kai Tak Cruise Ship Terminal Project which does not make a lot of sense given that they absolutely nailed the “new” Hong Kong International Airport which opened in 1998 after the old Kai Tak Airport closed

I appreciate the Cruise Ship Terminal is not a mega, mega project but it was certainly a very expensive one and I still believe that they could have looked at extending the Ocean Terminal or building a new terminal in West Kowloon

Based on historical planning documents and academic analyses, it's reasonable to speculate that the Hong Kong government did indeed evaluate alternatives to building a new cruise terminal at Kai Tak, including the possibility of extending or enlarging the existing Ocean Terminal in Tsim Sha Tsui. This option would have leveraged its prime central location near key attractions and transport links like the Star Ferry and MTR, potentially minimizing the need for a entirely new facility. However, such an expansion was likely deemed insufficient for accommodating the growing size of mega-cruise ships (e.g., those over 160,000 gross tonnes) without causing significant operational disruptions or requiring extensive harbor reclamation, which faced strong public and legal opposition under the Protection of the Harbour Ordinance. The Ocean Terminal's berth limitations—handling mostly smaller vessels post-Kai Tak's opening—and scheduling conflicts with increasing demand (e.g., utilization rates hitting 76% by 2005) probably made a full-scale upgrade impractical, pushing the focus toward a greenfield site that could support long-term expansion without compromising existing operations.

As for West Kowloon, evidence suggests it was also considered as a potential location during the early 2000s planning phases, particularly given its proximity to emerging cultural and transport developments (e.g., the West Kowloon Cultural District and high-speed rail links). Speculatively, this site might have appealed for its integration with urban redevelopment plans and better connectivity to Kowloon and the New Territories. However, it appears to have been abandoned due to institutional pressures, including public objections to any associated reclamation works in Victoria Harbour and competing land-use priorities (e.g., prioritizing arts, museums, and residential/commercial zones over a cruise facility).

The decision to pivot to Kai Tak - on the decommissioned airport runway - likely represented a political compromise, as it utilized already-available land without new reclamation, aligned with the broader Kai Tak Development Area's urban renewal goals, and allowed for a larger, purpose-built terminal capable of handling two mega-ships simultaneously. This choice avoided the environmental and societal backlash that plagued other options, though it came at the cost of the terminal's more remote location and delayed transport links (which the Government knew was a priority)

As true as that statement might be, other than cost, there is still no explanation for why a rail link was do not done, the Kai Tak Cruise Terminal is according to the numbers only running at about 40% of its actual capacity even after almost 12 years of operations and it is pretty obvious why and the Government is also aware of the problem and in hindsight they are probably regretting not adding the rail link as part of the terminals construction, it would have been a lot cheaper.

From day 1 with the new Hong Kong International Airport, they key component was transport links to all of Hong Kong as I said they nailed it, fine, passengers numbers for cruise ships are dwarfed by plane passenger numbers but the Terminal was never about just Cruise Ship Passengers, they have a lot of empty retail space, they have lots of space to host events, they have a magnificent garden area and they are keen for residents to visit but it remains a ghost town on non cruise ship days because it is such a pain to get to.

I should point out that Cruise Terminal Management have voiced their frustration quite a few times at being blamed for the transport fiasco, is simply is not their fault, in addition the Hong Kong Tourism officials hate any comparisons to Singapore but as I have laid out further in this post, the statistics do not line, Singapore crushes Hong Kong when it comes to Cruise Ship tourism

I have no doubt that when a rail link or ferry service is added (or both) things will improve but that is many years away and I will only believe it when I see it.

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The Ocean Terminal | Amazing location, downtown Kowloon | Hong Kong

The Hong Kong International Airport has been a huge success and the Kai Tak Cruise Terminal a monumental failure by any KPI reference (Key Performance Indicator)

Why?

In a nutshell, transport links.

The distance between Hong Kong International Airport and Central District on Hong Kong island is around 38km and public transport (The Airport Express Train) will take as little as 25 minutes only to get to Central.

The distance between Kai Tak Cruise Terminal and the Star Ferry Pier in Kowloon is around 8.8km and public transport to there can take 45 - 90 minutes depending on traffic (bus, taxi, etc) NO Rail link

To me this is not entirely logical, road and rail links to and from Hong Kong International Airport are amazing and yet somehow getting downtown from the Kai Tak Cruise Ship Terminal is abysmal because of its location and traffic in surrounding areas you need to pass through, well gridlock is an appropriate word.

I have been to the Kai Tak Cruise Terminal well over a hundred times since it opened in 2013 and almost 13 years later, nothing much has improved, I am always elated when ships dock at the Ocean Terminal which is literally located next to the Star Ferry in TST Kowloon!

Transport Links from the Kai Tak Cruise Terminal

I am not a politician, I have no time for them in general but they are a necessary evil and like I said they do a pretty good job in general but for some reason they really suck when it comes to tourism and tourism projects

.. And yet they agreed that we had to have world class transport links for people arriving at Hong Kong International Airport (and they spared no expense) they also knew that the reason why the Ocean Terminal was a success was and still is because it is located right in the middle of town and for tourists getting around is a breeze.

They also talked about rail links for the Kai Tak Cruise Terminal during the planning stages in the late 1990's onwards and a lot of talk led to precisely nothing being done, all talk of rail links where shelved as if adding new bus services was going to help, it just makes the gridlock worse in an around that area of Kowloon..

I find that incomprehensible, the MTR (Subway) has a 100 stations on the netwrok and slowly but surely they are expanding it every year, given the development of the Kai Tak Runway Site which includes masses of huge apartment blocks plus the Cruise Terminal, the numbers totally justify it’s own MTR station, there is a subway station called Kai Tak but it is at least a 30 minute walk from the cruise ship terminal

The other problem is, the even when the Cruise Terminal rail link is completed, it will still take anywhere from 30 minutes to 1 hour to get down town in TST Kowloon, so the quickest way is a taxi which can be quite expensive and many taxi drivers are still reluctant to go to the Kai Tak Cruise Terminal.

Rail Link Completion Date

The proposed rail link to the Kai Tak Cruise Terminal is part of the Smart and Green Mass Transit System (SGMTS) in Kai Tak, an elevated automated people mover system connecting the terminal to the MTR Kai Tak Station and other areas like Kowloon Bay and Kwun Tong. The government launched an open tender for the project in October 2025, with construction expected to accelerate soon after. The system is targeted for commissioning in 2031, though the exact completion date could vary based on progress and any delays.

I am a little cynical about the proposed dates and will not hold my breath

Shareholders | Stakeholders of Worldwide Cruise Terminals

Worldwide Cruise Terminals (WCT), the current operator of the Kai Tak Cruise Terminal since 2013, is a consortium formed by Shun Tak Holdings (a Hong Kong-based company involved in ferry services and property), Royal Caribbean International (a major global cruise line), and Worldwide Flight Services (WFS, an aviation and logistics firm). This group was awarded a 10-year contract in 2013, with a five-year extension, but the terminal is set for re-tendering starting June 2028 and I doubt they will get a new contract. They cannot really be blamed for the issues and even in 2028 who ever gets the new contract will face the same issues for 3 or 4 years |

Overview of the Surrounding Area

The Kai Tak Cruise Terminal is situated in the larger Kai Tak Development Area, a massive urban redevelopment project spanning over 320 hectares on the site of the former Kai Tak Airport. The area is a mix of residential, commercial, tourism, and infrastructural developments. Key features include:

Temporary/Transitional Housing: Several sites have been repurposed for low-income and transitional housing, such as the T-Loft@Kai Tak project at 12 Muk On Street (519 units for about 1,460 residents) and former Covid-19 isolation facilities converted into temporary flats (e.g., around 10,700 new public flats proposed in 2023, with some concerns about blocked views impacting property appeal).
New Apartment Blocks: Extensive high-rise residential development is underway, including luxury complexes like Miami Quay II and Park Peninsula, with thousands of flats across multiple sites (e.g., 5,200 flats in Site 1A alone). Public housing estates dominate, with ongoing construction of modern blocks amid older temporary structures.
Other Developments: The area includes community facilities, business zones, parks, and a new stadium. It's transforming from an industrial | airport site into a vibrant mixed-use district, but challenges like traffic congestion in nearby Kowloon Bay and Kwun Tong persist. The development emphasizes green spaces and connectivity, though some residents note noise from nearby events and construction.

Current Transport Options to | from Kai Tak Cruise Terminal

The terminal's remote location relies heavily on buses and taxis, with no direct MTR (subway) or rail link yet. Here's a detailed breakdown, this has not changed much since 2013 when it opened.

Buses:
- Route 5R (Green Minibus): From Tsz Wan Shan (North) to Kai Tak. Operates daily; frequency: 10-15 minutes during peak hours (7am-7pm), 20-30 minutes off-peak. Journey time: ~20-30 minutes to nearest MTR (Kai Tak Station).
- Route 22M (Citybus, Circular): Loops between Kai Tak Cruise Terminal and Kai Tak MTR Station via Kowloon Bay. Frequency: 15-20 minutes weekdays, 20-30 minutes weekends. Ideal for quick MTR connection (~10 minutes).
- Route 22/22D (Citybus): From Kai Tak to various Kowloon areas (e.g., Yau Tong). Frequency: 10-15 minutes peak, 20 minutes off-peak.
- Route 86 (Green Minibus): To Kwun Tong MTR. Frequency: 5-10 minutes peak, 15 minutes off-peak.
- Free Shuttle 22R (Citybus): Operates on select days (e.g., cruise ship call days or events) from Kai Tak to Kwun Tong/Yau Tong MTR. Frequency: 15-30 minutes, but schedule varies—check terminal website.
- Fares: HK$4-10 per ride, payable via Octopus card.
Taxis: Readily available at the terminal's taxi stand. Red urban taxis to Central (~HK$150-200, 20-40 minutes depending on traffic); green New Territories taxis for Kowloon areas (~HK$50-100). Large Queues can form on busy ship days; app-based rides like Uber are an option but may have surge pricing.
Private Transfers | Shuttles: Cruise lines often provide paid shuttles to MTR stations or hotels on ship days. + Citybus route 20A operates bidirectionally between Kai Tak Cruise Terminal and HSR West Kowloon Station, with about 41 stops in total (including via Mong Kok, Yau Ma Tei, and Jordan). It's a convenient option for cruise passengers needing to connect to high-speed rail services to mainland China.
Walking| Cycling: Not practical due to distance (e.g., 25-30 minute walk to Kai Tak MTR), but cycle paths exist in the development area.(but tourists will not rent a bike to take them to the subway!)
Other: No ferries or direct MTR. Traffic in Kowloon Bay | Kwun Tong can add 20-30 minutes during rush hours (7-9am, 5-7pm).

I should also point out that for the first couple of years (2013 - 2014) the Terminal provided large coaches to take you to nearby shopping malls, tourist attractions and the MTR (Subway) and they where quite popular as they also included s return journey hours later, it has been a while since I have seen them

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The Star Ferry | Leaving the Pier next to the Ocean Terminal, Kowloon | Hong Kong

Proposal for a Star Ferry Service (or similar) from Kai Tak Cruise Terminal to Central Piers

One of lifes great mysteries as to why this has not been considered as a stop gap at the very least

So with this in mind I was thinking that surely a short term solution would be to have a Star Ferry Service from Central District to the Kai Tak Cruise Terminal, however I am not sure if there is space for a pier next to the terminal? This would be a game changer for tourists, a scenic ride of about 25 minutes across Victoria Harbour right into the heart of Central

The Star Ferry had previously run a ferry service to Hung Hom from Hong Kong Island but this closed years ago due to falling passenger numbers,

I am just wondering if there has been any proposals about running a Star Ferry Service (or any ferry service) from Kai Tak Cruise Terminal to Central District on Hong Kong Island? As we know from the Government proposal for the new tender it is not just about Cruise Ships but also making full use of the terminal and its garden, retail and event space etc 365 days of the year which is beyond ambitious because of tack of transport links - local people are not going to waste a lot of money and time trying to get to this remote terminal, even in 2028 when it will have a new operator

Seriously, the cost of adding a ferry service from the Kai Tak Cruise Terminal to Central District on Hong Kong Island would be fairly minimal and would be a huge hit for tourists and cruise ship passengers (not to mention locals) and would be a perfect stop gap until the proposed rail link comes online.

Announced in December 2025 - a new ferry service from Central Piers on Hong Kong Island to the West Kowloon Cultural District in Kowloon and this will have a fraction of the passengers coming to the Cruise Ship Terminal at Kai Tak

…. and this is the reality of the situation going into 2026

There are no confirmed or recent public proposals for a dedicated Star Ferry service from the Kai Tak Cruise Terminal to Central District on Hong Kong Island. Historical ferry services existed to nearby Hung Hom but were discontinued years ago due to declining passenger numbers and competition from other transport options. While the terminal's location on Victoria Harbour could theoretically accommodate a pier (space exists adjacent to the facility), no plans have been announced by the Star Ferry Company or government. Discussions in tourism circles highlight the potential for a scenic 20-25 minute crossing as a "game changer" for tourists, but current focus is on road | rail improvements rather than new water routes. Some private water taxi or shuttle ideas have been floated informally in cruise forums, but nothing official

Yes, it really does say focus on road and rail links, the road link suggestion just made me laugh as that will just make the congestion much worse in the area! and yes, taxis and buses have to deal with it every day, it can be a real nightmare

So now on to actual statistics which make for very interesting reading

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Cruise Ships | Numbers coming to Hong Kong since 2013 | Hong Kong

Estimated Maximum Practical Number of Ship Calls per Year

Theoretically, Kai Tak can handle up to 365 calls (one per day per berth, with two berths), but practical limits account for weather, maintenance, and logistics. Based on peak pre-pandemic years (e.g., 218 total in 2019) and recent recovery (164 in 2023), a realistic maximum is around 200-250 total calls per year across both terminals. This considers operational constraints like simultaneous berthing (Kai Tak can handle two large ships), passenger handling capacity (~1 million/year at peak), and regional competition. Ocean Terminal adds ~50-70 calls max due to its smaller size (but it can handle 2 ships at once as well)

Impact of Typhoons on Ship Calls

Yes, typhoons still significantly affect ship calls, often leading to cancellations, diversions, or delays due to high winds, rough seas, and port closures. Hong Kong's typhoon season runs from May to November, with peak activity in July-September (50%+ chance of storms). During signals T8 or higher, ports suspend operations, impacting 10-20% of potential calls in bad years (e.g., Super Typhoon Mangkhut in 2018 disrupted multiple calls). Cruise lines avoid scheduling during peak typhoon season when possible

On average we get 5 or 6 typhoons a year that come within 500km of Hong Kong but very few direct hits

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Cruise Ships | The Top 12 Cruise Ship Ports 2013 - 2025 | Asia

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Cruise Ship Calls | Hong Kong vs Singapore 2013 - 2025 | Asia

The numbers do not lie, Hong Kong is crushed by Singapore in the last 12 years since 2013.

I appreciate that getting cruise ships to visit involves a lot of long term planning but even so, we do not do terribly well do we ! and worse, our overall numbers of visitors to Hong Kong is far greater than Singapore.

There have been plenty of press reports over this time frame which criticise the transport issues that the Kai Tak Cruise Terminal has and that has not made any difference.

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Cruise Ship Calls | Top 12 ports in Asia 2013 - 2025 | Asia

Speculation on Cruise Operators' Views of Kai Tak Compared to Other Asian Ports

Cruise operators generally view Kai Tak as a state-of-the-art facility with excellent mega-ship handling (e.g., two berths for 100,000+ ton vessels) and modern amenities, but it's often criticized as underperforming due to poor transport links, remote location, and lack of vibrancy - echoing your "white elephant" sentiment. Compared to ports like Singapore (seamless city access, high calls), Shanghai (massive homeporting growth), or Jeju (scenic appeal with frequent calls), Kai Tak ranks lower in Asia (e.g., 4th-6th in calls). Operators appreciate its potential for turnaround operations but highlight connectivity issues as a barrier to more itineraries. Evidence from industry reports shows Hong Kong's market share lagging (e.g., 196 calls in 2015 vs. Singapore's 374), with operators favoring ports with better infrastructure. Post-2028 re-tendering could boost usage if the new operator invests in events and transport, but without the rail link until 2031, growth may remain modest. Your comparison to Ocean Terminal's prime location is spot-on—operators prefer TST's walkability for shore excursions.

Evidence of Rail Link Proposals in Planning Stage and Exclusion Reasons

Yes, rail links were proposed during Kai Tak's planning (early 2000s-2010s). An Environmentally Friendly Linkage System (monorail/people mover) was floated in 2012 as part of the Kai Tak Development, aiming to connect the terminal to MTR stations by 2023 at HK$12 billion cost. It was excluded and scrapped in 2020 due to high costs, construction difficulties (e.g., elevated tracks in dense urban area), and overlapping with other transport plans. The government prioritized road/bus enhancements initially, viewing rail as non-essential for the terminal's opening. This was seen as an oversight, especially compared to the new airport's excellent links. The current SGMTS revives the idea but delayed

The 2026 Tender to operate the Kai Tak Cruise Terminal for 10 years from 2028

As of December 27, 2025—the day after the Hong Kong government officially launched the open tender (Tender Reference: TC 1/2025) on December 24, 2025—no specific names of potential bidders or interested parties have been publicly disclosed or reported in news sources. The tender process is in its very early stages, with bids due by noon on May 22, 2026. This means expressions of interest or formal submissions are not yet public, and media coverage has focused on the tender launch, requirements, and goals rather than naming contenders.

Key Details on the Tender and Eligibility

The tender is open to qualified international and local operators, emphasizing experience in managing large-scale cruise facilities. To be eligible, bidders must:

Demonstrate at least three consecutive years of experience in operating and managing a cruise terminal within the past 10 years (from the tender closing date).
Have handled berthing of cruise vessels of 160,000 gross tonnes or above (to align with Kai Tak's capability for mega-ships up to ~220,000 GT).

The assessment uses a two-envelope system:

70% weighting on the non-price proposal (including a detailed execution plan addressing the new KPI framework).
30% on the price proposal.

The new operator will take over on June 1, 2028, for an initial 10-year term (with a possible 5-year extension based on performance). Responsibilities extend beyond cruise operations to managing public spaces (e.g., the rooftop Kai Tak Cruise Terminal Park and podium gardens), hosting non-cruise events year-round, and meeting strict KPIs on ship calls, non-cruise events, visitor numbers from events, and commercial space occupancy. Financial penalties apply for underperformance, starting from the third year to allow adaptation time.

This structure follows a May 2025 expressions of interest (EOI) exercise by the Culture, Sports and Tourism Bureau (CSTB), which received 14 submissions from commercial entities, cultural/creative groups, sports bodies, and young entrepreneurs. Many expressed preference for integrated management of both cruise and public/commercial spaces to enable more events during off-peak periods. While these EOIs informed the tender design, they were non-committal and not direct bids for the full operation.

Likely Profile of Potential Bidders

Although no names are confirmed, potential bidders are expected to include:

International cruise terminal operators with experience handling mega-ships (e.g., groups managing facilities in Singapore, Shanghai, or European ports like Amsterdam, which influenced Kai Tak's original design).
Consortia similar to the current operator (Worldwide Cruise Terminals, a partnership of Shun Tak Holdings, Royal Caribbean International, and Worldwide Flight Services), possibly involving global cruise lines, port authorities, or logistics firms.
Asian-based players focused on regional growth, given Hong Kong's ambition to become Asia's cruise hub under the Tourism Industry 2.0 blueprint.

The current incumbent (Worldwide Cruise Terminals) could potentially re-bid, as the tender is open and their experience meets the criteria, though the stricter KPIs and full-site management requirements may encourage fresh competition.

Next Steps and Monitoring

The tender documents are available for download from the CSTB/Tourism Commission website, and interested parties can contact ktcttenderenquiry@cstb.gov.hk for inquiries. As the bidding deadline approaches (May 2026), more details on shortlisted or announced bidders may emerge in industry reports or government updates. If you're tracking this closely as a local tour guide, keep an eye on announcements from the CSTB or cruise industry sources like Seatrade Cruise News for any early indications of strong interest.

So there you go.