The Mid-Levels Escalators

The Mid-Levels Escalators are a uniquely Hong Kong attraction. What started as the longest outdoor covered escalator in the world has since become a world of its own. The entire thing covers 800 metres in distance and rises 135 metres. As Hong Kong island is dominated by steep, hilly terrain, this is one commute you would not want to walk. To ride the complete length of the escalator one way takes about 20 minutes!

The project was originally intended to ease traffic congestion between the Central and Mid-Levels. Although it failed to do this, it has become hugely popular among pedestrians and tourists. For visitors, a journey on the escalators offers the perfect opportunity to explore the bustling streets of Central, Hong Kong’s oldest market district, where you can find galleries, museums and historic buildings.

It is, in fact, not a single escalator but a series of 20 escalators and several moving walkways, all connected by covered footways. But alongside the escalator itself is a very unique micro-culture of bars, restaurants and market stalls, thus making the escalator an attraction in its own right, not simply a means to an end. A trip on the escalator gives you fascinating little cross-sections of everyday life in Hong Kong.