Several weeks ago, I went to explore Central which is the financial district of Hong Kong. The terrain on Hong Kong island is very steep. So a moving escalator/walkway was built some years ago to alleviate the pedestrian linkage from Central to Mid Levels, which is an affluent neighborhood located up near the mountain peak. This escalator, though not all continuous, stretches for about 0.5 of a mile and is the longest in the world. It took me 20 minutes from the bottom to the top.Interesting, huh?
According to the Guinesss Book of World Records, the Central-Mid-Levels Escalators in Hong Kong is the longest outdoor covered escalator system in the world.
The escalators were supposed to improve traffic, but they attract so much foot traffic, that more businesses - such as restaurants, shops and night clubs - started moving into the area. The result has been that the traffic in the adjoining streets has become even worse!
It was originally estimated that the system would serve about 27,000 people a day. However, since it opened in 1993, the system attracts more than 55,000 people per day. It consists of 20 escalators and three moving side-walks.
It runs downhill from 6 a.m. to 10 a.m.; and uphill from 10:30 a.m. to midnight. there is an entrance and an exit on each road it passes.
If it looks a bit familiar, it's because several movies have been filmed there, including the 2008 Batman movie, The Dark Knight.
Finally, here's Jonathan's view from the top:
Thanks, Jonathan, for continuing to educate us about life in Hong Kong!
- photos: J Louie, Wikipedia
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