Cable Car Ticket Only, Standard Cabin
25 minutes each way Ngong Ping 360 Limited Free cancellation
from $21.15 ★ 4.7 61,900 reviews
Check availability →The Ngong Ping 360 cable car runs 5.7 km from Tung Chung, next to Citygate Outlets, up to the Ngong Ping plateau on Lantau Island. The ride takes about 25 minutes. At the top sit the Tian Tan Buddha, reached by 268 steps, and Po Lin Monastery. This guide lays out the one self-guided cable car ticket, priced from $21.15 one way, and four guided Lantau day tours that pair the ride with Tai O and the monastery.
Check Klook Availability → See All Five Options
The cable car closes for scheduled maintenance, 10 November 2026.
Ngong Ping Village stays open, and New Lantao Bus 23 still runs from Tung Chung up to the plateau.
Confirm your date before booking, as the cable car sometimes closes.
Every visit starts with the same fork in the road. Either you buy a cable car ticket and explore Ngong Ping, the Buddha and Tai O on your own clock, or you book a guided day that bundles the ride with a coach, a guide and usually a Tai O boat trip. The second choice is simpler; the first is cheaper and more flexible.
Only after that does cabin type matter. Standard, Crystal with its glass floor, and Crystal+ each carry different prices and different boarding lines. The shortlist picker below holds all five options on this site, from the bare ticket to a private coach day, so you can weigh them side by side.
All five options are shown below, from the cable car ticket itself to full guided days taking in the Big Buddha and Tai O. Answer any question to start narrowing them down.
25 minutes each way Ngong Ping 360 Limited Free cancellation
from $21.15 ★ 4.7 61,900 reviews
Check availability →5 hours Free cancellation
from $67.60 ★ 4.7 752 reviews
Check availability →Riding up only: The one-way Standard Cabin ticket at $21.15 is the cheapest way up, and you can ride New Lantao Bus 23 back down.
Round trip: The round-trip Standard Cabin at $29.39 covers both legs, with the return leg valid the same day only.
Glass floor: The Crystal Cabin round trip at $31.55 adds a full-width glass floor and a shorter boarding line than Standard.
Families: Children aged 3 to 11 pay child fares, and under-12s must ride with someone aged 15 or over.
Guided day: Five hours with the Tai O boat runs from $67.60, the six-hour tour from $70.15, the VIP day from $100.76, and the private coach day, no cable car included, from $45.92.
The ropeway stretches 5.7 km between two terminals, Tung Chung at the bottom and Ngong Ping at the top, with the one-way journey taking about 25 minutes. After leaving Tung Chung it crosses Tung Chung Bay, passes the edge of Hong Kong International Airport and the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macau Bridge, then climbs through Lantau North Country Park toward Nei Lak Shan, at 751 m, before arriving beside Ngong Ping Village with the Tian Tan Buddha in view.
The system runs 108 cabins continuously, and it carried 1.56 million guests in 2024, an average of 4,843 a day. It is the longest bi-cable ropeway in Asia and opened on 18 September 2006.
Live map, loads on tap
Tung Chung terminal sits a 5-minute walk from Exit B of Tung Chung MTR station, next to Citygate Outlets, with the ticket office on the first floor. This is where standard e-tickets are scanned at the turnstile and where tours meet before boarding. The upper terminal deposits you inside Ngong Ping Village, the 1.5-hectare site from which the Buddha and Po Lin Monastery are each about 10 minutes on foot. The operator recommends 3 to 4 hours up top to explore and eat.
The sequence below the cabin is the point of the ride. First Tung Chung Bay, then the airport skyline and the bridge, then country park slopes as the line climbs. Two angle stations steer the cable along the way; at the Airport Island angle station it turns 60 degrees. Passengers cannot get off at either angle station, so every cabin runs the full distance.
Bus 23 covers the same ground in winding fashion along Tung Chung Road, and some passengers get motion sickness on it. The cabin gives you the plateau from above instead. Tour listings budget about 30 minutes including boarding, which makes the ride a scheduled stop in the day rather than dead time.
The self-guided option is the Ngong Ping 360 Cable Car Ticket on Klook, rated 4.7 across 61,900 reviews. It starts at $21.15 for a one-way Standard Cabin and runs to $29.39 for a round-trip Standard and $31.55 for a round-trip Crystal. A Crystal private cabin for up to 10 guests is listed at $494.75, collected as a physical ticket.
Three cabin types on the same line
Round trip at the gate: HK$295
Round trip at the gate: HK$365
Round trip at the gate: HK$545
Standard e-tickets arrive as a QR voucher scanned at the Tung Chung terminal turnstile, with no counter exchange. The regular options carry free cancellation before redemption. The ticket is valid to 31 December 2026 on the one-way option, and the ride runs year-round except scheduled maintenance closures.
The Standard Cabin has a solid floor and panoramic windows and carries up to 17 guests, 10 seated and 7 standing, departing continuously. The Crystal Cabin swaps in a full-width glass floor of three tempered layers about 4.84 cm thick and takes 10 guests every 3 to 7 minutes. Crystal+ adds full-height laminated glass side walls with over 80% transparency across 21 cabins, departing every 7 to 10 minutes, and ran above 90% utilisation at peak periods in 2024. The deeper comparison, including the boarding-line differences visitors report, is in our Crystal versus Standard guide.
Infants aged 0 to 2 ride free, and the child fare applies from 3 to 11. Children under 12 must be accompanied by someone aged 15 or over under the Tung Chung Cable Car Bylaw. The senior fare is open only to Hong Kong residents holding a JoyYou Card or Senior Citizen Card; adult and child fares are identical for visitors and residents. Guests with a disability get 30% off at the ticket office with valid proof. Tickets are non-transferable and the booker must be the user.
Both legs of a round trip must be used the same day. You cannot stay in the cabin at the top: everyone gets off at Ngong Ping and rejoins the queue for the return. A Crystal round-trip holder may come back down in a Standard Cabin, but no refund of the difference is given. Upgrades to Crystal on arrival happen only if circumstances allow, and the operator points to its popularity, so a glass floor booked in advance is the sure thing.
Backpacks or luggage larger than 48 x 34 x 23 cm or heavier than 4 kg cannot go on board. Left luggage costs HK$100 per piece at the Tung Chung terminal and at the Ngong Ping Village information centre, collected before closing. Only water may be consumed in the cabin, and smoking is not allowed. Wheelchair users can ride with an able-bodied companion, and no pets are permitted except guide dogs.
Largest bag allowed on board
All 11 published fares are listed below, with the adult, child and senior price on every line.
| Ticket | Cabin | Trip | Gate fare in Hong Kong dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Round Trip, Crystal+ Both Ways | Crystal+ | Round trip | Adult HK$545 about US$70 Child 3-11 HK$400 about US$51 Senior HK$405 about US$52 |
| Round Trip, Crystal+ Up and Standard Back | Mixed cabins | Round trip | Adult HK$420 about US$54 Child 3-11 HK$275 about US$35 Senior HK$280 about US$36 |
| Round Trip, Crystal Cabin | Crystal | Round trip | Adult HK$365 about US$47 Child 3-11 HK$220 about US$28 Senior HK$235 about US$30 |
| Round Trip, Crystal One Way and Standard One Way | Mixed cabins | Round trip | Adult HK$330 about US$42 Child 3-11 HK$185 about US$24 Senior HK$195 about US$25 |
| Round Trip, Standard Cabin | Standard | Round trip | Adult HK$295 about US$38 Child 3-11 HK$150 about US$19 Senior HK$155 about US$20 |
| Single Trip, Crystal+ | Crystal+ | Single trip | Adult HK$330 about US$42 Child 3-11 HK$225 about US$29 Senior HK$230 about US$29 |
| Single Trip, Crystal Cabin | Crystal | Single trip | Adult HK$240 about US$31 Child 3-11 HK$135 about US$17 Senior HK$145 about US$18 |
| Single Trip, Standard Cabin | Standard | Single trip | Adult HK$205 about US$26 Child 3-11 HK$100 about US$13 Senior HK$105 about US$13 |
| Private Crystal+ Cabin, One WayWhole cabin, up to 10 guests, booked at least 3 days ahead | Crystal+ | Single trip | Whole cabin HK$3,050 about US$389 |
| Private Standard Cabin, Round TripWhole cabin, up to 10 guests | Standard | Round trip | Whole cabin HK$4,200 about US$536 |
| Private Crystal Cabin, Round TripWhole cabin, up to 10 guests | Crystal | Round trip | Whole cabin HK$4,800 about US$612 |
That pairing has no fare listed. Not every cabin type is sold for both journey options, so pick a different cabin, or change between single and return travel and check again.
These are the operator's own gate fares in Hong Kong dollars, taken from its ticket page. A ticket booked ahead is priced by whoever sells it, so the amount you pay can differ from the figure in this table. US dollar figures are converted at 7.8403 to the dollar, the reference rate of 2026-09-04, and are approximate rather than official.
Four guided days pair the cable car with the Buddha, the monastery and Tai O, and they differ more in shape than in price. Two run five and six hours from Tung Chung with the boat included; a VIP version adds downtown pickup and headsets; a private coach day runs during cable car maintenance. All four allow cancellation up to 24 hours before for a full refund.
The four guided days: length and from-price
The comparison table below sets out duration, operator, rating and from-price for each. The two tours covered here are the closest in format and the ones most visitors choose between.
The Tai O and Big Buddha Tour with Cable Car is operated by Ngong Ping 360 Limited and runs about 5 hours in total, with the guided portion 3 to 3.5 hours. Meet at the Tung Chung Cable Car Terminal and redeem the digital voucher at ticket counter 14 or 15 by 11:00 AM for priority boarding. The cable car ride takes about 30 minutes, and the guided tour starts at 12:00 PM at the Information Centre at the top. From there a private air-conditioned coach runs to Tai O for the boat excursion, where pink dolphins may be spotted but are not guaranteed, followed by the Big Buddha and Po Lin Monastery.
The five-hour tour, step by step
It includes a round-trip cable car ticket with priority boarding, an English or Chinese speaking guide, the coach, the boat tour and the monastery visit. Tips are excluded. If the cable car is cancelled for weather or other reasons, the guided tour is cancelled too, and if the Tai O boat is suspended, guests receive a HK$20 Ngong Ping 360 souvenir shop voucher. The listing shows 4.7 across 752 reviews, from $67.60 per person. Reviews praise the skip-the-line access and the guides, while some ask for clearer meeting point and collection instructions.
The 6-Hour Cable Car, Big Buddha and Fishing Village Tour, run by Hong Kong Free Tours, runs 10am to 4pm and meets at Tung Chung MTR station, finishing there. It includes a single standard cable car ride with priority boarding, then begins the walking day at the front door of Po Lin Monastery, bypassing Ngong Ping Village entirely. The guide climbs the 268 steps to the Tian Tan Buddha with the group, about 30 minutes there and 30 at the monastery, and explains the Buddha's hand gesture on the way. A quieter "secret" temple stop of 20 minutes follows.
The six-hour tour, stop by stop (10am to 4pm)
Private transport then runs to Kwun Yam Temple and Tai O for a stilt house visit and a 20-minute boat ride, before a 45-minute coach ride back. The listing shows 4.9 across 608 reviews, from $70.15 per person. Reviewers mention the small group size and named guides; some note that clearer transport coordination and notice of cable car closures would help. Cancel up to 24 hours in advance for a full refund.
Choosing between them comes down to the cable car and the village. The five-hour Ngong Ping 360 Limited tour rides round trip and includes the boat; the six-hour Hong Kong Free Tours day includes a single ride, bypasses the village and adds the temple stop.
Visitor reports collected on TripAdvisor between late 2025 and March 2026 describe Standard Cabin waits of 1 to 3 hours, including on non-holiday weekdays. One report from a November Monday put the wait at 2.5 hours. These are visitor accounts, not operator data, but the pattern is consistent.
Boarding line at Tung Chung, as visitors report it
A pre-bought e-ticket, such as the cable car ticket on Klook, skips the ticket-purchase queue. It does not skip the boarding queue. Crystal and Crystal+ cabins have their own separate boarding line, and visitors report waits of around 10 minutes there against an hour or more for Standard. The official ticket office sits on the first floor of the Tung Chung terminal.
The Lantau VIP Priority Cable Car, Big Buddha and Tai O tour on GetYourGuide runs from US$100.76 per person over 7 hours, operated by GL Tours of Hong Kong Limited. It holds a 4.3 rating across 430 reviews, the lowest of the five listings on this site.
How the VIP seven hours are itemised
Its core promise is friction removal. A round-trip coach collects from three listed downtown pickup points, including the Holiday Inn Golden Mile in Tsim Sha Tsui, with Kowloon-side hotel pickup available as an optional add-on. The skip-the-line round-trip cable car ticket is included. A private coach runs between Ngong Ping and Tai O, and the listing says this saves a 45 minute wait.
At the top, a guide with wireless headsets covers Ngong Ping Village, Po Lin Monastery and the Tian Tan Buddha in timed stops. The Tai O boat cruise, about 20 minutes, is optional at an extra HK$50 per person, and a VIP vegetarian lunch at Po Lin Monastery can be added. Free cancellation applies up to 24 hours before.
Several reviewers mention an unannounced shop stop at the end of the day, one visit to a store, which is not in the advertised itinerary. One reviewer reports a tip was asked for. On the other side of the ledger, guides draw consistent praise, the wait for priority boarding was reported as not long, and the group entrance appeared to be timed.
If the cable car is suspended, travellers choose between a full refund or continuing by bus with a Tai O boat ride. That is a fair fallback, though it converts the headline attraction into a coach ride.
Three routes exist to a shorter line. A Crystal or Crystal+ ticket bought on its own gets you the separate cabin line without a guide or a coach. The 6-Hour Cable Car, Big Buddha and Fishing Village Tour at US$70.15 includes a single standard ride with priority boarding, a guide and a Tai O boat trip. The VIP tour at US$100.76 adds the downtown coach, the return ride and the headsets.
What the extra money buys: VIP day against the six-hour tour
The honest answer depends on whether the queue or the itinerary is the pain point. If you only fear the wait, a Crystal ticket is the cheapest fix. If you want the whole day arranged, the two tours compare directly, and the US$30.61 gap buys transport from downtown, a return cable car ride and about an extra hour. Our cabin comparison guide works through the ticket-only choice.
The Lantau Tour with Big Buddha, Tai O and Private Coach costs from US$45.92 per person, runs 5 hours from 11:00 am to 4:00 pm, and carries a 4.8 rating across 82 reviews. The listing names Ngong Ping 360 Limited, the cable car operator itself, as the tour operator.
How the five hours add up
The pitch is simple: a coach reserved for the group, no public buses at any point, and a guide covering Ngong Ping Village, the Giant Buddha, Po Lin Monastery and Tai O with a boat excursion included. The cable car is not part of the package, and an optional one-way ride from Ngong Ping to Tung Chung is listed as excluded, bought separately if you want it.
Meet at the Tung Chung Cable Car Station coach parking bay by 11:00 AM. The coach takes about 45 minutes to Tai O, the first stop, before a 15 minute transfer to Ngong Ping Village.
Roughly 1.5 hours go to the Tian Tan Buddha, the longest single block of the day, with Po Lin Monastery alongside it. The return coach to Tung Chung takes about 40 minutes, landing you back around 4:00 pm. The itinerary can shift with weather, and the listing flags walking that may not suit guests with mobility issues.
This tour exists partly for maintenance days. The cable car closes several times a year, the listing names 10 November 2026 specifically, and the operator positions this as the official alternative. It is also the cheapest guided day on this site.
The independent fallback is New Lantao Bus 23 from Tung Chung Tat Tung Road to Ngong Ping, HK$20.40 on a normal day and HK$37.00 on Sundays and public holidays, though the winding road causes motion sickness for some. The listing's sub-ratings are guide 4.9 and value for money 4.7.
Tours run in English and Chinese. Walking is involved, no food or drink is allowed in the vehicle, and meals, personal expenses and gratuities are excluded. Cancel up to 24 hours before for a full refund. One reviewer says a group of 3 felt almost private.
The full price ladder, bottom to top: US$21.15 for a one-way Standard Cabin e-ticket, US$29.39 for a Standard round trip, US$31.55 for a Crystal round trip with the glass floor, and US$494.75 for a private Crystal cabin seating up to 10 guests. Above the ticket-only tier sit the guided days: the private coach tour from US$45.92, the Tai O and Big Buddha tour from US$67.60, the 6-hour fishing village tour from US$70.15, and the VIP priority tour from US$100.76.
Every figure here comes from the booking listings, which set final prices by date and option. The operator's own gate fares, in HK dollars, sit below as the reference point.
Adult gate fares, cheapest to dearest
At the Tung Chung ticket office, an adult Standard single costs HK$205 and a Standard round trip HK$295. Crystal round trip is HK$365, and Crystal+ round trip, glass floor plus full-height glass walls, is HK$545. Child fares apply from ages 3 to 11, and the senior fare requires a Hong Kong JoyYou Card or Senior Citizen Card, so visitors pay the adult rate.
The USD prices in the first paragraph are the platform's own, not a direct conversion of this list. For perspective, the adult round trip cost HK$88 when the cable car opened in 2006, against HK$295 today.
New Lantao Bus adult fares, normal day against Sunday and public holiday
Bus 23 runs from Tung Chung to Ngong Ping for HK$20.40 on a normal day, HK$37.00 on Sundays and holidays. Climbing the 268 steps to the Tian Tan Buddha is free. The HK$88 anniversary ticket offer on designated dates through December 2026 is for Hong Kong residents with ID, so it does not apply to visitor trips, and the HK$620 annual pass suits locals rather than a one-off visit.
Inside Ngong Ping Village, each attraction costs HK$20 as a top-up when bought with a cable car ticket at the Tung Chung ticket office or official webstore, or HK$40 for two.
The table below pulls each product's current rating, review count, from-price and duration straight from the listings as of November 2026. Platforms set the final price by travel date and option, so treat the listing itself as the authority at the moment you book.
| Option | Platform | Rating | Reviews | From | Length | Cancellation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cable Car Ticket Only, Standard Cabin | Klook | 4.7 | 61,900 | $21.15 | 25 minutes each way | Free cancellation before redemption on the regular options |
| Guided 5-Hour Tour, Tai O Boat | GetYourGuide | 4.7 | 752 | $67.60 | 5 hours | Free cancellation up to 24 hours before |
| 6-Hour Guided Tour, Fishing Village | GetYourGuide | 4.9 | 608 | $70.15 | 6 hours | Free cancellation up to 24 hours before |
| VIP Priority Boarding, 7-Hour Tour | GetYourGuide | 4.3 | 430 | $100.76 | 7 hours | Free cancellation up to 24 hours before |
| Budget Tour, Private Coach | GetYourGuide | 4.8 | 82 | $45.92 | 5 hours | Free cancellation up to 24 hours before |
The Tung Chung Cable Car Terminal sits a 5-minute walk from Exit B of Tung Chung MTR station, directly beside Citygate Outlets. The official ticket office is on the first floor of the terminal, and the cable car tours meet here or at the MTR station, and only the VIP tour collects from downtown.
Do not buy from anyone at street level. Details on that below. Our fuller Tung Chung guide covers the neighbourhood, the outlets and eating options around the terminal.
All 4 starting points are listed below. Pick one to narrow this to a single route.
MTR Tung Chung Line About 30 minutes, no change of line
The operator quotes a taxi from Central at about HK$290 and about 30 minutes, tunnel and bridge tolls included.
MTR to Tung Chung
The operator publishes a journey time for the Hong Kong Station run only, and the MTR open data carries fares rather than timings, so no minute figure is printed for this one.
Kowloon and Tsim Sha Tsui are priced the same to Tung Chung in the MTR fare data.
The operator quotes a taxi from Tsim Sha Tsui at about HK$220 and about 37 minutes, tolls included.
Road, on the same island The operator puts the Tung Chung terminal 20 minutes from the airport
No airport fare is stated here. The MTR fare data behind this block prices the Tung Chung Line, and it does not price a rail trip from the airport.
Cabin luggage is capped at 48 cm by 34 cm by 23 cm, or 4 kg, under the Tung Chung Cable Car Bylaw, which matters if you arrive with a case.
Left luggage costs HK$100 a piece at the Tung Chung terminal, no booking needed, collected before the cable car closes the same day.
Shun Tung Road bus station, where the E-route airport buses stop, is a 10 to 15 minute walk from the terminal.
MTR, with a change of line
The MTR open data prices this pair but publishes no journey time for it, so no minute figure is printed.
Disneyland Resort station sits on the Disneyland Resort Line and Tung Chung is the end of the Tung Chung Line, so the trip takes one change.
Tung Chung Cable Car Terminal sits next to Tung Chung MTR station: a 5-minute walk from Exit B, roughly 300 m. The ticket office is on the first floor of the terminal.
Route 23 climbs Tung Chung Road over the mountain to Ngong Ping, 38 stops in all. It is the road fallback when the cable car is closed for maintenance or stopped by weather, and the cheap option the rest of the time.
Frequencies and first and last departures are not in the Transport Department open data feed, so none are stated here.
The last stretch from the MTR

The Tung Chung Line runs from Hong Kong Station in Central to Tung Chung in about 30 minutes with no change. An adult Octopus fare is HK$24.30, or HK$28.00 for a single ticket. From Kowloon or Tsim Sha Tsui, expect about HK$18.70 on Octopus, HK$21.00 as a single ticket.
The airport is roughly 20 minutes away, and the airport-to-Buddha question comes up often enough that we keep a separate airport to Big Buddha guide with the transfer options worked through.
The operator quotes taxi fares including tolls at about HK$290 and 30 minutes from Central, and about HK$220 and 37 minutes from Tsim Sha Tsui. The terminal's own car park handles coach pick-up and drop-off only, so drivers should use the Citygate Outlets car park.
Airport buses on the E routes stop at Shun Tung Road bus station, a 10 to 15 minute walk from the terminal.
Luggage larger than 48 x 34 x 23 cm or heavier than 4 kg cannot go on board. Left luggage costs HK$100 per piece at the Tung Chung terminal and at the Ngong Ping Village information centre, collected before closing.
Since 29 May 2026, guests holding tickets from unauthorised channels are not permitted to board. People in uniforms resembling staff have sold already-used tickets near Tung Chung, and a fraudulent ticketing website was reported in 2025. Buy from the first-floor ticket office, the official webstore or the booking platforms linked on this site, and nothing else. The operator's hotline is (852) 3666 0606.
Tung Chung is the practical base: about 30 minutes by MTR from Central, with the terminal a short walk from the station, and the natural spot to start early before the queues build. The hotels listed below are affiliate links.
51 Man Tung Road, Tung Chung Town Centre, Lantau Island, Hong Kong, attached to Citygate Outlets beside Tung Chung MTR
The handiest full-service base for an early ride: it shares a block with Citygate Outlets and Tung Chung MTR, so the cable car terminal is a short walk with no bus or train leg to build into the morning.
Check rates9 Yi Tung Road, Tung Chung North, Lantau Island, Hong Kong
A full-service option at the comfortable end of Tung Chung, with a pool and dining, suited to travellers who want a proper hotel rather than just a bed near the station.
Check ratesNgau Au Village, Tung Chung West, Lantau Island, Hong Kong
A modest guesthouse for travellers who would rather put the savings toward a Crystal Cabin ride, accepting a short bus or taxi hop to reach the terminal.
Check ratesTwo separate weather risks shape the calendar here, and they sit at opposite ends of the year. From February to April the problem is fog: Hong Kong Observatory normals record 3.4 of the year's 3.7 fog days in those three months, with February and March combining the lowest sunshine (about 101.7 and 100.0 hours) and the highest humidity (79 and 82 percent).
The Hong Kong year at a glance
From June to October the risk is the typhoon signal, and those are not rare: signal days average 15.87 a year, peaking in August (4.17 days) and September (3.83). Service can be suspended in these conditions, so a ticket bought for a fixed date carries some weather risk in that stretch.
The statistical sweet spot. October brings 197.8 sunshine hours, 120.3 mm of rain and 73 percent humidity; November is drier still at 39.3 mm and 72 percent. Mean daily maxima are 28.1 C and 24.5 C. Note these are urban headquarters figures; Ngong Ping runs cooler, wetter and cloudier than the city.
Fog season. Nearly all of the year's 3.7 fog days fall here, and sunshine bottoms out at about 101.7 hours in February and 100.0 in March. Fares are unchanged, but visibility is the gamble.
Typhoon season, concentrated June to October. June is the wettest month at 491.5 mm, August 453.2 mm, and the July mean daily max reaches 31.6 C. Suspensions are possible whenever signals or severe winds are in force. When weather stops the service, the operator offers exchanges or refunds.
Visitor reports describe Standard Cabin waits stretching to 1 to 3 hours even on some non-holiday weekdays, so an early start matters. Weekends are busier, which is why weekend opening moves to 09:00 against 10:00 on weekdays. Crystal and Crystal+ lines have been reported at around 10 minutes.
Scheduled closures, 2025 and 2026
2025
2026
The cable car closes several times a year, announced in advance, and the pattern is consistent: one long overhaul of 10 to 20 days in March or September, plus shorter shutdowns. In 2026 that meant January (resumed 23 Jan), 3 to 5 March, May (resumed 21 May), June (resumed 22 June), 8 to 18 September, and 10 November, the date named on the private coach listing. In 2025 the closures ran 4 to 24 March, 14 to 17 May, 2 to 16 September and 25 November. Nothing for 2027 has been announced yet. During closures Ngong Ping Village stays open and New Lantao Bus 23 still runs from Tung Chung. Check the hotline on (852) 3666 0606 before booking a dated ticket.
Golden Week, 1 to 7 October 2026, brings the biggest Mainland crowds, and the operator has recorded record Mainland guest numbers during the National Day holiday. Hong Kong public holidays in 2026 include 1 October, 19 October, 25 and 26 December, and every Sunday runs busy, with weekend opening at 09:00 to absorb it. Into 2027, Lunar New Year falls on 6, 8 and 9 February, Easter on 26, 27 and 29 March, plus 1 May and 13 May, the Buddha's Birthday, reliably the busiest day of the year at Po Lin Monastery. Avoid those dates if queue length matters to you.
Dates to avoid if queues matter, October 2026 to May 2027
Service may be suspended in rainstorm or thunderstorm conditions. The 2006 Legislative Council reply on the system's design sets out the triggers: Typhoon Signal No. 8 or above, the black rainstorm warning, lightning, and strong winds, defined there as 90 km/h persistent or 135 km/h gusts. Observatory data cited in that reply showed such winds during operating hours on an average of 7 days a year, 23 hours. The operator publishes no current wind number. If the cable car stops, ticket holders can exchange or claim a refund at the ticket office.
The cabin door opens at the Ngong Ping terminal, on a plateau whose weather rarely matches the city below. From the terminal it is a short walk into Ngong Ping Village, a 1.5-hectare themed site that sits between you and everything else up top. The operator suggests allowing 3 to 4 hours to explore the village, see the Buddha and Po Lin Monastery, and eat.



Distances up here are small. The Big Buddha and the monastery are each about 10 minutes on foot from the village. What catches most visitors out is the weather: the plateau is cooler, wetter and cloudier than urban Hong Kong, so bring a layer even when Central is warm.
Tian Tan Buddha is 26.4 m tall at the body, 34 m including the lotus throne and base, and weighs 250 tonnes of bronze. It was built over 12 years from 202 bronze pieces, with the face cast as a single 5-tonne piece measuring 4.3 m by 5.8 m. It was inaugurated on 29 December 1993 and sits on Mount Muk Yue facing north. The climb, all 268 steps, is free. The Buddha's right hand is raised to impart fearlessness, the left rests open to fulfil wishes. The base platform is modelled on the Altar of Heaven in Beijing, which is where the name Tian Tan comes from. Allow about 10 minutes on foot from the village. More detail is in the Big Buddha guide.
Construction of the monastery began in 1906, and it took the name Po Lin in 1924. It opens 09:00 to 18:00, sitting about 10 minutes on foot from Ngong Ping Village, directly beside the Buddha steps. The vegetarian kitchen serves from 11:30 to 16:30, a fixed communal set meal; no price is published. There is also a snack shop, known for bean curd dessert and mango glutinous rice dumplings, though the dumplings are made in small quantities only. The full background is in the Po Lin Monastery guide.
A day up top on one clock
The Wisdom Path has been closed for refurbishment since 5 June 2025. The Tourism Commission expects the works to finish in the last quarter of 2026, with reopening gradual after that. A viewing platform on the nearby Lantau Trail stays open. Do not plan an itinerary around the path itself; check the current status before relying on it.
The village holds the Cable Car Discovery Centre, Motion 360, the Ngong Ping Nature Centre and Fengyun Pavilion. Attractions cost an HK$20 per-attraction top-up when bought with a cable car ticket at the Tung Chung ticket office or the official webstore, or HK$40 for two. Food outlets include Starbucks, Subway and Mountain Cafe. The village stays open even during cable car maintenance closures, reachable by New Lantao Bus 23.
Tai O is Hong Kong's oldest fishing village, built on stilt houses over the water. The boat excursion runs about 20 minutes past the stilt houses, General's Rock and the Tai O Heritage Hotel, the former police station. Pink dolphins may be spotted, though sightings are never guaranteed. The village's Dragon Boat Water Parade has been on China's national intangible heritage list since 2011. Bus 21 from Ngong Ping takes about 20 minutes and costs HK$7.90 on a normal day, HK$19.20 on Sundays and public holidays; the operator also describes it as a 15-minute drive. The Ngong Ping bus terminus is a 5-minute walk from the village. Our Tai O guide covers the village in full.
Lantau Peak, Fung Wong Shan, stands at 934 m, Hong Kong's second-highest summit, and the start of the sunrise hike from Ngong Ping. Lantau North Country Park, established 1978, covers 22 square km. Route notes are in the hiking guide.
★★★★★
“We really enjoyed the cable car experience. The Crystal+ Cabin gave us amazing views, and the Standard Cabin ride was smooth and comfortable. Everything was well organized, and the ticket redemption process was easy. Definitely worth trying when visiting Hong Kong.”
SamBernard, operator-listing review of Cable Car Ticket Only, Standard Cabin
★★★★★
“Booked the crystal cabin for a nice view. It also saved us a plenty of time, as the lines in standard cabin were quite long when we got there. I suggest if you have a budget, booked the crystal or crystal+ cabin. So worth it!”
Bettina, operator-listing review of Cable Car Ticket Only, Standard Cabin
★★★★★
“Choosing a round trip cable is the best choice. It gave me plenty of time to go around the last stop (Giant Buddha) and 3 hours to hike Lantau Peak. Map says it's a 30minute hike up but it took me 2hrs to climb and 1hr to get back and catch the 6pm last trip cable car. This made my last day in Hong Kong memorable.”
Bon, operator-listing review of Cable Car Ticket Only, Standard Cabin
★★★★★
“Excellent way of seeing the side of Hong Kong that’s outside the hustle and bustle of the city itself. Being able to experience the wonderful nature, picturesque Buddhist mountain monastery, and a real-life fishing village where friendly locals greet you with their fresh produce, took us to a place of how Hong Kong territory used to be a few decades ago. Our guide, Lisa, was absolutely wonderful, patient and accommodating, making our overall experience that much more enjoyable.”
Bojan, South Africa, operator-listing review of VIP Priority Boarding, 7-Hour Tour
★★★★★
“Do not have to redeem ticket from the counter. Go straight to the queue and there is a scanner to scan the QR code. After passing thru the scan you will proceed to one of the lane based on the type ticket purchased. The standard ticket has the longest queue while the Crystal+ ticket has shortest queue. If you do not wish to waste time queuing, then buy Crystal+ ticket.”
Boon, operator-listing review of Cable Car Ticket Only, Standard Cabin
★★★★★
“This tour well and truly exceeded our expectations! Hody our guide was superb, she was knowledgeable, funny and cared for the group very well. We would 100% recommend this tour for anybody wishing to visit Hong Kong for the first time, or maybe if you just missed Lantau Island the first time around. Thank you once again Hody!!!”
Adey, United Kingdom, operator-listing review of 6-Hour Guided Tour, Fishing Village
★★★★★
“The cabin can accommodate upto 8 people so you’ll have to share the cabin. Queue was pretty longer for the standard cabin, so I’m glad I booked the crystal one. Overall, I’m so happy with this experience!”
Raquel, operator-listing review of Cable Car Ticket Only, Standard Cabin
★★★★★
“Alfred was a star! His knowledge was impressive and his instructions really clear. Without a group we’d never have managed to do half these things and it was a well-organised and very memorable day. The trip to Tai O felt very special (and we saw a dolphin!) and was something we never would have tried without a guide. Fantastic trip and felt like very good value.”
Hannah, United Kingdom, operator-listing review of Guided 5-Hour Tour, Tai O Boat
★★★★★
“Ivan was a brilliant guide. Super knowledgeable, funny and interesting! I’d recommend this to anyone, it’s great value and on our trip, we even managed to see a dolphin! Highly recommended”
Callum, United Kingdom, operator-listing review of Budget Tour, Private Coach
Quotes are copied as written from these operators’ public listing reviews; we do not collect, select or edit them for tone.
The ropeway is 5.7 km long and the journey takes about 25 minutes one way, or about 30 minutes including boarding as the tour listings put it. Cabins leave continuously from both terminals, Tung Chung and Ngong Ping. The route crosses Tung Chung Bay, passes Hong Kong International Airport and the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macau Bridge, then climbs through Lantau North Country Park toward Nei Lak Shan.
At the operator's gate, an adult Standard single is HK$205, a Standard round trip HK$295, a Crystal single HK$240 and a Crystal round trip HK$365. On Klook, a round-trip Standard Cabin ticket is US$29.39, a Crystal round trip US$31.55 and a one-way Standard US$21.15. Child fares apply from ages 3 to 11, and infants aged 0 to 2 ride free.
The Crystal Cabin has a full-width glass floor of three tempered layers about 4.84 cm thick, carries 10 guests and departs every 3 to 7 minutes, against up to 17 guests in Standard. Crystal floors carry an anti-slip film and no footwear restriction is published. Visitor reports put the Crystal boarding line at around 10 minutes, versus an hour or more for Standard. The price gap is modest, so the shorter queue alone often justifies it.
Only the ticket-purchase queue. A pre-bought e-ticket is scanned as a QR voucher at the Tung Chung terminal turnstile, with no counter exchange, but you still join the boarding queue. Visitor reports describe Standard Cabin waits of 1 to 3 hours, including on some non-holiday weekdays. Crystal and Crystal+ cabins have their own shorter boarding line. Tours with priority boarding, such as the Tai O and Big Buddha Tour, skip more of it.
Weekday hours are 10:00 to 18:00. On Saturdays, Sundays and public holidays the cable car opens earlier and closes later, 09:00 to 18:30, because weekends are busier. Hours may vary at festive times. The operator does not publish a last-boarding time for normal days, so aim to arrive well before the 18:00 or 18:30 closing, and check festive-period hours before you travel.
The cable car closes several times a year, announced in advance, typically one 10 to 20 day overhaul in March or September plus shorter closures. In 2026: January (resumed 23 Jan), 3 to 5 March, May (resumed 21 May), June (resumed 22 June), 8 to 18 September and 10 November. The hotline is (852) 3666 0606. Nothing for 2027 has been announced yet, so check before booking a dated ticket.
Take the MTR Tung Chung Line from Hong Kong Station, about 30 minutes with no change; adult Octopus fare HK$24.30, single ticket HK$28.00. From Kowloon or Tsim Sha Tsui it is about HK$18.70 on Octopus. The terminal is a 5-minute walk from Exit B of Tung Chung station, next to Citygate Outlets, with the ticket office on the first floor. Taxi from Central costs about HK$290 including tolls.
No, not a full-size one. Luggage or backpacks larger than 48 x 34 x 23 cm or heavier than 4 kg are not allowed on board. Left luggage costs HK$100 per piece at the Tung Chung terminal and at the Ngong Ping Village information centre, collectable before closing. Only water may be consumed in the cabin, and smoking is prohibited.
Children aged 3 to 11 pay child fares, for example HK$100 on a Standard single. Children under 12 must be accompanied by someone aged 15 or over under the Tung Chung Cable Car Bylaw, and infants aged 0 to 2 are free. The senior fare applies only to Hong Kong residents holding a JoyYou Card or Senior Citizen Card. Visitors with a disability get 30% off at the ticket office with valid proof.
Yes. The 268 steps up to Tian Tan Buddha cost nothing to climb. The statue itself is 26.4 m at the body, 34 m including the lotus throne and base, and 250 tonnes of bronze, inaugurated on 29 December 1993. It is about 10 minutes on foot from Ngong Ping Village, next to Po Lin Monastery.
No. The Wisdom Path has been closed for refurbishment since 5 June 2025. The Tourism Commission expects works to be complete in the last quarter of 2026, with reopening happening gradually. A viewing platform on the nearby Lantau Trail remains open. Check the current status before relying on the path in your itinerary.
Ngong Ping Village stays open during maintenance closures, and New Lantao Bus 23 still runs from Tung Chung Tat Tung Road to Ngong Ping, HK$20.40 on a normal day, HK$37.00 on Sundays and public holidays. If the service is suspended for weather, ticket holders can exchange or claim a refund at the ticket office. The operator also runs a private coach tour positioned as the official alternative on closure days.
Three mid-priced options cover the essentials. The Tai O and Big Buddha Tour, from US$67.60, rated 4.7 across 752 reviews, includes priority boarding, a guide, Tai O boat ride and monastery tour. The 6-Hour Cable Car, Big Buddha and Fishing Village Tour, from US$70.15, rated 4.9 across 608 reviews, adds a stilt house visit and a quieter temple stop. The Lantau VIP tour, from US$100.76, rated 4.3, adds downtown coach pickup and headsets but makes the boat optional. First-timers wanting the highest rating and the fullest itinerary lean toward the 6-hour tour; those wanting round-trip cable car included lean toward the Tai O option.