Kowloon Motor Bus (KMB) launched their pet-friendly bus service earlier in October, this year, covering a range of pet-friendly destinations such as West Kowloon, Science Park and Sai Kung, to name a few!
The pet-friendly buses operate on the weekend and public holidays at set times, and although you have the option to select for English in the app, it does not translate everything over, which is why we have decided to write this blog, to help make exploring Hong Kong with your pet easier! So without further ado, here's everything you need to know!
Routes
There are 6 day routes (PB) and 4 night routes (PBN) available.
Although there will still be a few pet owners who will complain that there aren't enough direct routes from Central to the New Territories, their current network of bus routes (left) covers all corners of Hong Kong, and for only a fraction of the cost of a taxi, and should be considered a win for pet owners in Hong Kong.
Cost
For only HK$60, you and your pet (one person and one pet: 一人一寵) can hop on and hop off your desired route as many times as you want for your selected day of travel, or purchase an All Day Pass for all routes for just HK$90!
If you're a couple travelling with one pet (兩人一寵), one route costs a total of HK$90 or HK$135 for the All Day Pass.
Advanced Booking is Required
Tickets need to be purchased in advance via the KMB website or use their app, App 1933 (Google Play / Apple). You will not be able to rock up to a bus stop and pay on the spot in cash or with your Octopus card.
All purchases must be done via the website or their app before you travel, but not to worry - you can purchase on the day or even an hour before you board.
Once you have purchased your ticket, you will then receive two emails - one invoice and one confirmation email with a clickable link which gives you a QR code to present to the driver upon boarding.
Note: if you have downloaded their app, give it a second to load when you click in as it does take a while and is not as responsive as the apps we're accustomed to.
Departure Times
As soon as you have clicked into your desired route, there are several times displayed.
If we use route PB2 as an example, these times are listed as 10:45; 12:45; 14:45; 16:45; 18:45, and are the times the bus departs from the location listed at the top of the bus route. In this case, this would be Ma Wan.
It then provides the estimated arrival time at each stop after it's listed departure time. For example, if you are looking to catch the first bus from Central (中環海濱) to Ma Wan (馬灣), this would be 1 hour and 15 minutes (約1小時15分鐘) from it's 10:45am departure from Ma Wan, giving you a 12pm departure time from Central.
We highly recommend arriving at your desired boarding point in advance to wait for the bus.
If you download the app, this can give you approximate arrival times of your bus using Bluetooth, though from experience, it does not always work, and it is just best to arrive 5 to 10 minutes before the estimated arrival time.
On Board
It is, of course, important to be considerate of your pet and other passengers when riding the pet-friendly bus. If your pet is not potty trained, consider giving them a decent walk or potty break before boarding or consider putting on a diaper for the duration of the journey.
Do also consider if being on a bus with other pets and strangers for 30-50 minutes is something that your pet would enjoy or is suitable for. You may need to consider putting a muzzle on your pet.
With that being said, there is usually plenty of space for everyone to sit comfortably in their own row of seats, which makes for a safe and enjoyable ride for both pawrent and pet, but we cannot stress enough the importance of being responsible pet owners. KMB have done an amazing job in being the first public transportation company in Hong Kong to offer pet-friendly travel solutions to pet owners in Hong Kong, and hopefully this is just the first of many other steps towards making Hong Kong a more pet-inclusive city. Happy Exploring!
Comentários