Central-Mid-Levels Escalators

The Central-Mid-Levels escalator and walkway system has become a very popular tourist destination in Hong Kong. It is the longest outdoor escalator in the world. It is 800m long and has 20 escalators and 3 travelators. There are 14 entrances and exits. It was built to help the local residents as well as visitors go up the steep terrain in the area. We, as visitors, enjoyed the escalator ride up but walking down later was taxing on our knees.

May2025 HK's Iconic public transport system accessing the midlevels areas of the bustling city is also one of the best ways to go to the most notable streets, restaurants and heritage shops in the city. Do practice proper etiquette as this mode of traveling is used by all especially locals

An array of escalators at the central market, lot of escalators going up. Many shops also in this mall. One of the main tourist attractions in this area of Hong Kong.

Make sure to wear comfortable shoes. Going up is like a breeze as the escalator carries you all the way up. You can exit at any point along the way to your destination i.e. mall, shops, museums etc. However, going down requires a lot of walking down the stairs (heheh) and it is descending!!! It is a great experience though.

It's more of a Travelator rather than an Escalator as you just jump on and stand there on the right. People usually walk past you on the left if they are in a hurry. You travel over a large area near Central, so it definitely saves some energy not having to walk on the sloped paths. Entry and exit via multiple points

Arrived here at around 10.30 pm while on a 12 hour layover in HK. I decided to go up the escalators and they were still running. While most of the shops and restaurants were closed there were plenty of eateries still operational. I also had a short walking tour of the central city to catch the vibe and will be visiting here in the future for a week or two.

Welcome to the longest outdoor covered escalator system which offers a unique way to explore Hong Kong. It offers convenience for visitors, especially those exploring scenic views of the bustling streets, colonial buildings, and modern skyscrapers. There are nearby attractions like SOHO, Tai Kwun, Man Mo Temple, and trendy cafes. Best Time to Visit: Afternoons or evenings for a lively atmosphere.

Kinda cool, not very crowded, I don’t have a lot to say about this.

A lifeline for commuters, a perpetual filming location, and a popular free activity for tourists, the Central-Mid-Levels escalator is the longest (covered) outdoor escalator system in the world. It's also one of my favorite places to get away from the urban hustle and bustle of Central and a great way to people watch while admiring the city. After debuting 30 years ago, the escalator has recently been undergoing renovations to meet the demand that seemingly grows each year. There are 18 escalators in total, with moving walkways that are at a slight incline. From start to finish, it's about 20 minutes and covers just about 2,600 ft with a vertical climb of 443 ft. On the outside it looks like a one-way continuous escalator, but there are multiple bisections where folks can join in from different streets or hop off along the way. The most important thing to note is that the escalators run downhill in the mornings between 6AM-10AM and then uphill from then till midnight. One serious drag is that it's not wheelchair accessible, and has stairs for people to pass or reverse direction. There are several stops along the way, which are connected to bars, restaurants, and attractions. It's always recommended to stand on the right to let folks on the right pass. It's not uncommon to see sections of it closed for maintenance and it's a great way to stay out of inclement weather.

The Central-Mid-Levels escalator and walkway here is the longest outdoor covered escalator system in the world. It covers over 2,600 ft in distance and traverses an elevation of over 400+ ft from bottom to top, which serves as an improved link between Central and the Mid-Levels on Hong Kong Island. Three refurbished escalators between Mosque Street and Robinson Road went operational, which is a tourist attraction and is lined with restaurants, bars, and stores. It's more fun to walk to the bottom and take escalator up, although you still can walk the stairs from top to bottom.

World longest escalator called the Central Mid Level escalator is a nice tourist attraction in Hong Kong. I recommend going at night as you can see the color of the neon lights and HK's night life. My favorite part was looking into all the business shops, restaurants that the escalators are surrounded by. I would have love to ate at one of those restaurants that the escalators are surrounded by. I didn't go to the end of the escalators. I went to go eat at Ho Lee Fook which is a great excuse to use the escalators and place I would recommend when visiting HK for Cantonese food.

Landmark in Hong Kong... I don't have many bookmarks for Hong Kong... and I don't know why I bookmarked this place. I probably saw someone's check in here! The Mid-Level Escalator and Walkway System is known to be the longest series of escalators in the world. Something unusual, right? Since we were in the area, my friend pointed out this landmark to me. I wouldn't have known to look for it! Too bad it was under construction at the time (September 2019). We were only able to ride a short portion of the escalator. Shucks! Then we walked back down the stairs. Looks like the refurbishment may be done in 2022 according to the poster that hung along the wall. I'll be back!

The Soho escalators (as most of the locals refer to this place) was built in 1993 originally as a way to reduce traffic congestion in the mid-levels. While traffic hasn't gotten any better, these escalators have definitely had more people walking and commuting to work as opposed to driving, so in some regard I guess they can say "Mission Accomlmished". The escalators are not twinned, so they only go at one direction at any point in time. They go downwards from 6am-10am, to get people to work from the mid-levels, and then up from 10am to midnight. The escalators stop, but are still accessible to the public from midnight til 6am. Speaking as a local, I don't really have much to say about the views from this escalator. You may get some really nice views from here, but after seeing them for over a thousand times, you begin to take it for granted. The people that built these escalators use a wide range of equipment that include full step and half step escalators as well as travelators. They all get you where you need to go pretty quickly, but you should definitely be careful on the travelators on a wet day because they are very slippery. I've fallen onto my backside several times when I tried walking down them, and on my knees when I tried to go up them. These escalators are generally quite dependable considering how they manage to get me up to my home almost all the time, but considering how these escalators are around 25 years old, and run 16 hours daily come rain, shine or hail, that's understandable. They are going to be rebuilding escalators til 2020 to improve reliability, so some escalators will be taken out of service. Considering how each escalator travels relatively short distances, inactive escalators normally just become minor annoyances since you can reach the next escalator following a relatively short walk. This escalator is a very unique concept in urban planning and alternative transportation. It's never really been done anywhere else, so if you want to see something unique, unusual, functional, and FREE TO USE, check the escalators out. Urban planners should also check this out.

One of my favorite places in the world. It can be super fun riding the escalators and peeking into the windows of the buildings on the side. You can also choose to walk on the stairs instead, as it's super crowded during rush hour. I love coming here because it feels so nostalgic... probably because of the movie Chungking Express. And it's gorgeous at night time.

Its cool. But I would not travel far just to see this.....especially as far as the States or the HK Airport haha But these are famous, and in plenty of movies. Fun when its on, and tedious when its closed. Make sure you get your times right. Nearby is the Lan Kwai Fong (Expat Nightlife) area for some drinks, eats and hookah at night.

Hong Kong review #4 There is a very different, very convenient form of public transportation in Hong Kong. This one surprisingly, is a system of escalators (and stairs) that stretch nearly HALF A MILE (800 m) up a hillside! Elevation change from bottom to the top? 443 feet (135 m)! http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/%E4%B8%AD%E7%92%B0%E8%87%B3%E5%8D%8A%E5%B1%B1%E8%87%AA%E5%8B%95%E6%89%B6%E6%89%8B%E9%9B%BB%E6%A2%AF-%E9%A6%99%E6%B8%AF?select=jqrLGgqaf7yNWvC3tnR4dA Pretty unique, right? Definitely! AND.... it turns out this is THE longest outdoor covered escalator system in the world! It's a very interesting layout consisting of 20 escalators and 3 inclined moving walkways. http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/%E4%B8%AD%E7%92%B0%E8%87%B3%E5%8D%8A%E5%B1%B1%E8%87%AA%E5%8B%95%E6%89%B6%E6%89%8B%E9%9B%BB%E6%A2%AF-%E9%A6%99%E6%B8%AF?select=URFvaiiZjaEVWLoAI6gyQA Yes you could take a taxi to go from the same "point A" to the same "point B", but due to the steep, hilly terrain and zigzagging road layout, the same distance by car is several miles (km). Travel time from one end to the other is just 20 minutes if you stand there and "ride along", faster of course of you walk too. Now just imagine you are riding along minding your own business, when the escalator suddenly ends because a street crosses its path. What to do, what to do?!? Simply walk across the road and step on the next escalator to continue your journey, it's that easy! http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/%E4%B8%AD%E7%92%B0%E8%87%B3%E5%8D%8A%E5%B1%B1%E8%87%AA%E5%8B%95%E6%89%B6%E6%89%8B%E9%9B%BB%E6%A2%AF-%E9%A6%99%E6%B8%AF?select=lBuw6QL8nE4iGy1u6_xpcA As you are riding (or walking) you'll see numerous restaurants, coffee shops, plus other stores and businesses along each side of this escalator system. Hungry, thirsty or need to do some shopping? Just take the next exit. Important directional info: these escalators run downhill from 6 to 10 am, then uphill 10:30 am to midnight. OVERALL: A very unique, free, public transportation system that is extremely convenient and I've used a number of times!

REVIEWER # 16 One of the most interesting escalators. One of the top things to do in Hong Kong? You guessed it....Central Mid-Levels Escalator and Walkway! The Mid Levels Escalators are not your ordinary escalators that you will see on a normal bases. The escalator connects Central and Western District with SoHo and residential district. These walkways and escalators are brilliant. It is so easy to get around a busy city without having to worry about traffic. Wish more busy cities had these. The Mid levels escalators are known as the longest outdoor escalator system in the world and it is totally unique! This was definitely on my to-do list coming to visit HK! In the morning time the escalator runs downhill from 10:30AM until 12AM and then switches direction and runs uphill. The escalator is designed to get working people down the hill during the morning peak time then for the remainder of the day it runs uphill. Depending on how far and where you need to go it could be very convenient but is close to a 10 minute walk from the nearest MTR station just to get to the start. Stand at the end of a street and look up, and you'll easily know the reason to why such an escalator was built. There's nothing much to experience and see on the escalator, just a quirky form of transport to travel from one spot to another. Although this is not the "tourist attraction" that catches many tourist attention it certainly takes you around to different areas introducing you to different little alleys. Coffee shops and stalls and exploring the Central area. What I enjoyed about this escalator is that it has an array of different entry and exit points and there are even "rest areas" in between the long walkways. A great perspective of Hong Kong life from the mid-level escalator, and an ideal way to commute or just to see the sights. And all for free! Stop mid-way for refreshments or just hop off and take a stroll to the many side streets. Such a long set of escalators and I'm surprised how well they're maintained. The total journey should take approximately twenty to twenty five minutes. I definitely recommend doing this if you around the area and have some time to spend. You will not regret it.

WOW! This was the coolest thing ever!!! I have never seen such a thing! I was very impressed to say the least. I went up the escalator both during the night and day.. I enjoyed the night scene a lot better. Along the way, you will see a lot of restaurants and bars that remind you of England/America--it appears lots of foreigners and EX Pat hang out here! Hahahah For a second, you think you're back in America, and not even Hong Kong!

Ah the Mid-Levels escalator. I like it a lot because it's very useful going up or down from Conduit/Mosque St. right down to the bottom at Queens Rd quickly which gives you access to the tram / MTR / or IFC. I also like the MTR fare saver at the half way mark (as long as I'm not stuck behind someone with half a dozen Octopus cards!) to save a bit of money on the MTR. The escalator is also an engineering marvel. Apparently the longest escalator in the world with a total length of 800m. It's worth riding it all the way to the top if you're visiting Hong Kong for the first time. And you can also walk up to the peak from the top of the escalator from Conduit Rd / Old Peak Rd if you wanted to, thats why the name for Mid-Levels in Chinese 半山 literally means "Half Mountain"

Hong Kong is known to be having limited space and it is not surprising to see buildings constructed on steep terrains. Take Hong Kong island as an example, it is rather hilly and extremely excruciating to walk uphill without the help of technology. Therefore, in 1993 the escalator was finally opened for public which connects the Central and Western District ever since. One fun fact is that It is said to be the longest outdoor escalator around the world. Except the fact that it makes people commuting easier, it also has countless restaurants, bars and stores along this route. You may ascent conveniently from IFC nowadays and then walk past Hang Seng Bank. Then you may see an outdoor covered gallery where it hosts some exhibitions from time to time; and up you walk to the Hollywood Road, SOHO area and to the Mid-levels district. As a matter of that, I wrote this review because the escalators seem to be invisible on most maps here but the area around it is definitely worth a visit. My suggestion would be to go on it and decide where to go when you are on it because there simply are too many things going on in that area. What my friends and I love to do on the evenings is that we would do bar-hopping there, with quite a lot of bars and even gay bars there, you may have some free drinks on certain days (yup, finally not just a ladies night), after a drink or two we will take the escalator down and go in for a few more and arrive in LKF for more partying Currently there are still construction undergoing but it does not really affect much. Also if you are using Octopus Card, there is a discount stand on a certain spot along the escalator (you won't miss this), and you will have a HKD$2 dollar discount if you take the MTR from Central station later that day.

My friends and I came across these while exploring the area before a walking tour and then ended up back here on that walking tour. It's a great way to to save some energy especially if you will be out and about all day. These are covered escalators so you will be protected from weather elements as well. We learned later that these were installed to encourage the people living uphill to use the MTR rather than driving and adding to the congestion. Be sure to look for a MTR kiosk that applies a $2 HKD discount to your Octopus card. Around noon on a Sunday the escalators were running uphill, but I did read that they will run in different directions at different times. If you happen to be there on a Sunday you'll notice a lot of people seemingly tailgating in some of the elevated passageways between escalators. Those are the maids just enjoying their day off with each other.

This was quite a cool stop, as the super long series of escalators probably helps thousands of people commute home, to work, dine, and shop on a daily basis. This escalator must hold a world record. We also stood on the exact spot where Christian Bale and Morgan Freeman acted out a scene in the 2nd Dark Knight movie. Worth going by to see if you are going near the Hard Rock Cafe, shopping, and just taking in the sights.

While on holiday in Hong Kong, I was told that downtown had the longest escalator in the world. Curious, I went to check it out. If you are expecting one super long and steep escalator, you will be disappointed. It is actually broken into several segments and you have to walk from one escalator to another. At the end of the last escalator, it is just a normal street which is kind of anti-climax. My friend was unimpressed but I think that if you are in downtown anyway, it is convenient and free to check it out! In fact, you can tap your Octopus card on the way and get a rebate!

Oh the escalator. Who doesn't love it? It maybe a tourist spot. It maybe the longest outdoor escalator system in the world. It maybe your daily route but you never think about its importance. But my nonwithholding love to the escalator is much more than that. It spoils me to the max. From 6am till 10am each morning, the escalator goes down, which means a trip from Robinson Road/Caine Road to IFC (my office) is merely 10mins. I have a lot of sympathy to those who need to take a long ride to work by MTR or bus, but my life is never the same after I save an hour a day commuting. After 10am the escalator reverses and starts going up, so when I go off work, I'll have another free ride home. It directly breeds the Soho area. Imagine a Soho without escalator... yeah, you got it. It may have turned a bit touristy (but not as cheesily touristy as LKF), but it always has some good crowd and good vibe around. It is funny to walk up the escalator from work, 'cause I almost ALWAYS run into some friends, colleagues, or clients drinking at the bars next to the escalator. Well, what can you do? "Yeah, I'll have just ONE drink..." the next thing you know it's 2am in the morning! Story of my life.. =| It was also featured heavily in the local movie classic, and also one of my all time favourites, Chungking Express (重慶森林). Wong Kar Wai definitely did take the most advantage of this unique facility in Hong Kong, by showing a couple of times how close Tony Leung's flat was to the escalator. Little did I know that, until really recently, the escalator system was built in Oct 1993, and the film was released in 1994. So Wong must have seen the scenes in his mind right after the escalator was built, and making Chungking Express the first movie featuring the escalator. My only complaint? Oh why are you stopping at midnight...?

The best. I commute to & from work on it. If you're going down, get there before 10am or you're walking. Not available coming up on New Year's eve either.... With no cabs, I walked all the way up last year. Not good with beers in the belly

I once heard the Central escalator described as one of the modern wonders of the world; I didn't understand it at the time but when you sit down and think about it- this thing really is a marvel. Not comparing this with the pyramids but think about this: the escalator moves not only in one direction but actually changes with the flow of people going to work and coming back at the end of the day. The escalators not only takes you between different streets but actually lifts you from ground level to Conduit Road which is halfway up the hill as it is. This escalator is also a relaxed way for people to sample the town by what they get to see from both sides of the escalator- old buildings in Central with bars and hip shops, colonial buildings on Hollywood Road, fine dining in Soho and of course the residential areas right at the end of the staircase. This is a must if you are a tourist in Hong Kong- you won't see anything like it elsewhere.

This a must if you are visiting Hong Kong, especially for the first time. You walk a series of walkways and escalators through neighborhoods, including the very fun SoHo. It's primarily used by residents to get up and down the steep hill from the residences to and from Central Hong Kong. You'll pass bars and restaurants that resemble a chic New York Chinatown feel with lots of westerners. It's just a fun and neat way to explore Hong Kong.