Star Ferry across Victoria Harbour in Hongkong
Published on 09/11/2026 at 20:52 | Editorial responsibility: Rafael Müller, Editor-in-Chief AD HOC NEWS
Star Ferry in Hongkong is a compact cross?harbour journey that weaves together everyday transport and more than a century of maritime history between Hong Kong Island and Kowloon. Originating in the late nineteenth century, the service grew into a familiar element of Victoria Harbour, with green?and?white boats shuttling between piers on both shores.
A harbour crossing shaped by history
The origins of Star Ferry lie in the late nineteenth century, when Parsee Zoroastrian businessman Dorabjee Naorojee Mithaiwala began running a regular steam ferry across Victoria Harbour with a vessel named Morning Star.Dorabjee Naorojee Mithaiwala He established the Kowloon Ferry Company in 1888 to operate passenger services between Central on Hong Kong Island and Tsim Sha Tsui on the Kowloon side, creating an organised crossing where travellers had previously relied on small wooden craft.Kowloon Ferry Company in 1888
In May 1898 the ferries were acquired by Armenian businessman Sir Catchick Paul Chater and incorporated as The “Star” Ferry Company Limited, a name inspired by the “star” theme carried by the fleet.incorporated as The “Star” Ferry Company Limited From the early twentieth century, Star Ferry became part of the daily transport system across Victoria Harbour, using purpose?built piers on both sides and ferries named for celestial bodies such as Morning Star and Twinkling Star.Star Ferry company history
Boats, piers and the short journey across Victoria Harbour
Star Ferry operates double?ended boats painted in bottle?green and ivory, with enclosed lower decks and open upper decks that give views across Victoria Harbour and the high?rise skyline.bottle?green and ivory boats The ferries shuttle between Central and Wan Chai on Hong Kong Island and Tsim Sha Tsui on the Kowloon peninsula, linking business districts, shopping streets and promenade walks in a short crossing framed by water and towers.routes between Central, Wan Chai and Tsim Sha Tsui
Purpose?built piers on each shore provide covered approaches, simple waiting areas and direct access to the ferries, with wide gangways for boarding and disembarking. The piers stand close to other transport links and waterfront spaces, so a short harbour crossing can be combined with urban walks along the promenades and views towards Hong Kong Island, Kowloon and the surrounding hills.
Star Ferry in Hongkong’s wider transport story
For many decades Star Ferry was a central element of public transport between Hong Kong Island and Kowloon, carrying passengers across Victoria Harbour before cross?harbour road tunnels offered an alternative route.main means of public transportation between Hong Kong Island and Kowloon A diesel?electric passenger ferry named Electric Star was introduced in 1933, marking a step in the modernisation of the fleet and reflecting wider changes in maritime technology across the region.Electric Star launched in 1933
Star Ferry’s history also includes interruptions and changes linked to Hongkong’s twentieth?century experience. Services were suspended during the Japanese occupation in the Second World War and resumed after the conflict, and dual?level piers were built in the 1950s to accommodate heavy usage as the city expanded along both shores of the harbour.service history and later piers The fleet and piers visible today carry these layers of history in their names, layouts and role within the wider transport network.
Visiting Star Ferry: what travellers from Western Europe should know
- Star Ferry connects Central and Wan Chai on Hong Kong Island with Tsim Sha Tsui on the Kowloon side, crossing Victoria Harbour between waterfront piers served by local transport.
- Boarding involves short walks along covered approaches and crossing gangways between pier and ferry; staircases inside the boats link the lower and upper decks.
- The official language is Chinese and the currency is the Hong Kong dollar.
- Entry requirements depend on your nationality; UK travellers can check the FCDO travel advice at gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice, Irish travellers the Department of Foreign Affairs at ireland.ie.
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Frequently asked questions about Star Ferry
Where is Star Ferry in Hongkong located?
Star Ferry operates across Victoria Harbour between Central and Wan Chai on Hong Kong Island and Tsim Sha Tsui on the Kowloon peninsula.
What can travellers expect on a Star Ferry crossing?
Travellers board compact double?deck ferries with simple seating, short crossings between waterfront piers and open views of Victoria Harbour and the city skyline.
What makes Star Ferry distinctive among Hongkong’s transport options?
Star Ferry combines a brief link between key districts with a transport history dating back to the 1880s and ferries named for celestial bodies.
