Cross-Harbour Tunnel

Not to be confused with Cross-Harbor Rail Tunnel.

Cross-Harbour Tunnel

Entrance to the tunnel in Hung Hom, Kowloon Route 1 and Route 4
Overview
Location	Beneath Victoria Harbour, between Hung Hom and Causeway Bay
Coordinates
Status	Active
Start	Hung Hom, Kowloon (between Hong Chong Road and Salisbury Road)
End	Northern Causeway Bay, Hong Kong Island (Canal Road Flyover)
Operation
Opened	2 August 1972
Owner	Hong Kong Government
Operator	Serco Group (HK) Ltd
Vehicles per day	116,754
Technical
Line length	1.86 kilometres
No. of tracks	2 per tube, 4 in total

Cross-Harbour Tunnel
220px Toll plaza of the Cross Harbour Tunnel in Hung Hom, Kowloon
Traditional Chinese	香港海底隧道
Transcriptions Yue: Cantonese Yale Romanization Hēunggóng Hóidái Seuihdouh
Alternative Chinese name
Traditional Chinese	紅磡海底隧道
Transcriptions Yue: Cantonese Yale Romanization Hùhngham Hóidái Seuihdouh

The Cross-Harbour Tunnel (abbreviated CHT or XHT) is the first tunnel in Hong Kong built underwater. It consists of two steel road tunnels each with two lanes constructed using the single shell immersed tube method.

It is the earliest of three vehicular harbour crossings in Hong Kong, opened for traffic on 2 August 1972. It was constructed under 30-year private-sector franchise based on a build–operate–transfer model, and title passed to the Hong Kong government in August 1999 upon termination of the franchise. It has become one of the most congested roads (mainly towards the Hong Kong Island direction) in Hong Kong and the world, with 116,753 daily vehicles in 2013.

History

Constructed by a private company and operated under a 30-year franchise, the 1.8 km long tunnel crossing opened in 1972, providing the first road link between Kowloon and Hong Kong Island. Prior to the opening of the tunnel, cross-harbour vehicular traffic depended on ferries and for passengers, the Star Ferry.

The tunnel links the main financial and commercial districts on both sides of Victoria Harbour, connecting Kellett Island (a former island now connected to Hong Kong Island by reclamation), with a reclaimed site at Hung Hom Bay, Kowloon. The toll plaza is located at the Hung Hom end of the tunnel, and has 14 toll booths.

It was administered by The Cross-Harbour Tunnel Company Ltd until August 1999, when the operation franchise agreement expired and the government assumed control. Since 1 November 2010, the tunnel is managed, operated and maintained by Serco on contract basis.

Evolution of fares

	Initial (1972)	from 1984	from 1992	from 1999
Private car	$5	$10	$10	$20
Taxi	$5	$10	$10	$10
Light goods vehicle (LGV)	$10	$15	$15	$15
Heavy goods vehicle (HGV)	$20	$25	$30	$30
source: Consultancy report

The tunnel generates approximately HK$700 million in annual toll revenue.

Transport

Bus routes that pass through the tunnel:

• Kowloon Motor Bus/New World First Bus: 101, 101R, 101X, 102R, 104, 106, 106A, 106P, 109, 110, 111, 111P, 112, 113, 115, 115P, 116, 301, 802, 811
• Kowloon Motor Bus/Citybus: 102, 102P, 103, 103P, 107, 107P, 117, 118, 118P, 170, 171, 171A, 171P, 182, 182X
• Kowloon Motor Bus: 108
• Overnight buses: N11, N118, N121, N122, N170, N171, N182, N368

See also

• Harbour crossings in Hong Kong
• List of tunnels and bridges in Hong Kong
• Megaproject

External links

• Cross-Harbour Tunnel By-laws (chapter 2301, Laws of Hong Kong) [1984 Ed.], c/o University of Hong Kong.

Preceded by Canal Road Flyover

Hong Kong Route 1 Cross-Harbour Tunnel

Succeeded by Hong Chong Road