Star Ferry and the crossing that shaped Hongkong
Published on 09/15/2026 at 09:03 | Editorial responsibility: Rafael Müller, Editor-in-Chief AD HOC NEWS
Star Ferry crosses Victoria Harbour between Hongkong Island and Kowloon, and the crossing itself is the attraction. The service began in the 1880s under Dorabjee Naorojee Mithaiwala, with the Star name entering use in 1898.
From coal-fired boats to a harbour landmark
The company’s origins reach back to 1880, when Dorabjee Naorojee Mithaiwala launched a steam ferry called the Morning Star across the harbour. The business later became the Kowloon Ferry Company and then, under the Star Ferry Company, took the name it still carries.
The harbour crossing became part of Hongkong’s daily rhythm long before road tunnels and bridges changed movement across the water. In its present form, the service remains tied to the same water route, the same city edge and the same two-sided geography.
The boats and the water they cross
The ferries work on an open expanse of water rather than a enclosed transport corridor, with the skyline of Hongkong on one side and Kowloon on the other. That setting keeps the route legible as a harbour crossing, not merely a commute.
The fleet has changed over generations, but the service still belongs to the same cross-harbour tradition that began in the late nineteenth century. The company’s history links Dorabjee Naorojee Mithaiwala, Sir Catchick Paul Chater and the Victoria Harbour crossing that made the name familiar.
Star Ferry as a piece of Hongkong’s urban history
The crossing sits within the wider story of Hongkong as a port city built around the water between island and mainland. The ferry’s endurance gives the harbour a visible thread between Victorian-era beginnings and the city’s present layout.
The service is also a reminder that transport can become part of a city’s visual identity. Star Ferry is not just a way across the harbour; it is part of the harbour’s own picture, with the boats moving between two heavily built shorelines.
Visiting Star Ferry: what travellers from Western Europe should know
- Star Ferry runs across Victoria Harbour between Tsim Sha Tsui, Central and Wan Chai. The crossings use Hongkong’s harbour frontage and are reached from the city’s waterfront piers.
- The route is entirely by water, so the main feature is the harbour itself. Boarding takes place on piers, and the experience centres on the open crossing between the two shores.
- The official language is Cantonese and the currency is the Hong Kong dollar.
- Hongkong lies in the China Standard Time zone.
Searching for Star Ferry on social platforms
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Frequently asked questions about Star Ferry
Where is Star Ferry?
Star Ferry operates on Victoria Harbour in Hongkong, linking Hongkong Island with Kowloon. Its name is tied to the city’s waterfront and its cross-harbour geography.
What does a visit involve?
The visit centres on a harbour crossing rather than a museum-style stop. The setting is water, piers and city frontage on both sides.
What makes Star Ferry distinctive?
The service carries a long harbour tradition linked to Dorabjee Naorojee Mithaiwala and Sir Catchick Paul Chater. Its identity comes from the crossing itself, not from a building or monument.
