Driving in Hong Kong; Rules of the road and getting around

Expats who have come to Hong Kong from a country where they have previously owned a car and driven will be surprised to find that driving is more of a chore than a luxury in this country. Hong Kong is a very small country with a very large population and a great and efficient public transport system where owning a car is unnecessary. There are many people who do choose to drive and incur higher costs in the form of parking, petrol and taxes. The traffic is very dense too, which makes getting to and from meeting or appointment a nightmare.

Traffic jams are the norm for drivers in Hong Kong as there are far too many vehicles for the limited amount of space in the city. Finding parking is nearly impossible, and once a spot has been located, it will be very expensive to leave a car there for long periods of time. Parking illegally will result in the wheels of the car being clamped and a hefty fine to boot. Hong Kong’s transport department website has information on the location of car parks. 

Expats who choose to own a car and drive in Hong Kong should be aware of the following rules of the road. Cars are driven in the left hand lane and only right hand steering columns are allowed. This is important information for those who wish to import their cars from countries with a left hand drive.
Expats who live in Hong Kong’s new territories, however, find driving a pleasure as the traffic is not as dense and parking is relatively easy to find. However venturing into mainland Hong Kong and Kowloon Island will also cause these vehicle dwelling New Territories residents to abandon their vehicles in favour of the clean and efficient public transport system.

The traffic department website has a great many resources for drives in Hong Kong, this includes snapshots of live traffic conditions and a driving route search service.