DBTPL Central - Discovery Bay Route is an Outlying Island Route operated by Discovery Bay Transportation Services Limited (DBTPL). It runs between Central Pier No.3 and Discovery Bay Ferry Pier.
History[]
- 1982: This route entered service with the berthing point located at Blake Pier.[1]
- 28 November 1993: Berthing point at Central was relocated to Star Ferry Pier East Wing with the closure of Blake Pier on 30 November of the same year.[2]
- 30 July 2002: Berthing point at Central was relocated to Pier No.3.
- 1 May 2009: Fare was adjusted with overnight surcharge introduced to sailings between 00:00 and 06:00.[3]
- 6 July 2014: Cash and Octopus fares were adjusted.
- 4 January 2015: T Card fare was adjusted.
- 10 June 2018: Fares were adjusted.[4]
- 1 July 2018: Sailings from Central at 09:30-11:00 on Saturdays, Sundays and Public Holidays additionally called at Disneyland Pier.[5][6]
- 20 September 2018: Arrangement of detouring via Disneyland Pier was suspended due to serious damage caused to the pier after Typhoon Mangkhut hit Hong Kong.[7][8]
- 3 February 2020: A special fare of $23.0 is offered on Saturdays, Sundays and public holidays to foreign domestic helpers employed by Discovery Bay residents on presentation of a valid Foreign Domestic Helper Card issued by Discovery Bay Transportation Services Limited[9], with the concession ending on 1 January 2021.
- 30 July 2020: Weekday peak hour headways were reduced temporarily due to the worsening of pandemic.
- 10 August 2020: Sailings from Central at 01:00 - 05:00 and from Discovery Bay at 00:30 - 04:20 were cancelled temporarily with these sailings being replaced by residents' bus route DB08R due to the worsening of pandemic.[10]
- 10 September 2020: Due to emergency vessel repairs, weekday AM sailings to Central were adjusted with a replacement bus service introduced[11], which was resumed to normal on 21 September.[12]
- 5 February 2021: A concessionary fare of $23.0 on Saturdays, Sundays and public holidays was again offered to Foreign Domestic Helpers employed by Discovery Bay residents, upon presentation of a valid Foreign Domestic Helper card issued by Discovery Bay Transportation Services.[13]
- 26 April 2021: Multiple service changes were implemented:[14]
- Service hours were revised:
- Service hours from Central were changed to 06:30 - 00:30 with last sailing delayed to 01:00 on Saturdays, Sundays and Public Holidays;
- Service hours from Discovery Bay were changed to 06:00-00:00 with last sailing delayed to 00:30 on Saturdays, Sundays and Public Holidays;
- The overnight ferry service and the late-night surcharge were cancelled and replaced by residents' bus route DB08R;
- Special departures via Disneyland Pier were formally cancelled.
- Service hours were revised:
- 21 November 2023: The T Card system was been changed from a stored point system to a stored trip system.[15]
- The single-journey token was also replaced by single-journey ticket from the same day onwards.
- 17 December 2023: Some sailings on Sundays and public holidays were extended to Discovery Bay North on a trial basis until 16 June 2024.[16]
- This arrangement was further extended to 31 March 2025.[17]
- 11 August 2024: Fares were adjusted.[18]
- 1 September 2024: Concessionary fares for Foreign Domestic Helpers employed by Discovery Bay residents were adjusted until 31 March 2025.
- 1 December 2024: Payment of ferry fares by AlipayHK "EasyGo" and Alipay (Mainland version) was accepted.
Timetable[]
- Seats are available on a first-come-first-served basis, passengers please wait for the next sailing when the current sailing is full.
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| Remarks |
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# Special departures to Discovery Bay North. Sailings to DB North will stop at Discovery Bay for disembarkment only; and sailings to Central will stop at Discovery Bay for embarkment only.
| Remarks |
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- Seats are available on a first-come-first-served basis, passengers please wait for the next sailing when the current sailing is full.
- Please use DBTSL Route DB08R outside of service hours.
- Special ferry services may be added on special days such as New Year's Eve, please refer to passenger notice for details.[23]
| Edit | DBTPL Central ↔ Discovery Bay (↔ Discovery Bay North) | ||||||||||||||||||
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Fares[]
| Fast Ferry | ||
|---|---|---|
| Normal passengers (Visitors) | DB Resident Octopus Card holders | |
| Octopus | ||
| Adult | $55.8 | $38.2 |
| Student | $19.1 | |
| Children | $27.9 | |
| Elderly and disabled | $2.0 | |
| Domestic Helpers | N/A | Mondays to Fridays: $33.5 Saturdays, Sundays and Public Holidays: $23 |
| Single-journey ticket (Cash) | ||
| Adult Student Disabled |
$55.8 | |
| Children Elderly |
$27.9 | |
| Multiple journey T Card (max. 20 trips)[24] | |
|---|---|
| Adult Student |
Student Senior |
| $884 | $442 |
| Fare remarks |
|---|
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Fleet[]
This route is operated by DBTPL's entire fleet, including catamaran jetfoils Discovery Bay 1 - 8 and monojetfoils Discovery Bay 19 - 20, with some of the monojetfoils rented out to operate routes serving Third Runway during peak hours, and catamaran jetfoils being the mainstay of the route during that period.
As some of the vessels started maintenance in early 2020 and spare parts could not be delivered in time due to the outbreak of the pandemic, the shipping company has repeatedly rented out the New World First Ferry and Hong Kong and Kowloon Ferry fleets for operation[25][26], which has aroused the dissatisfaction of the residents.
Ridership[]
According to the land grant terms for Discovery Bay, the developer is required to provide a ferry service to Central[27][28], primarily serving residents and visitors travelling to and from Central.
In the past, ferries were the only means of transportation for Discovery Bay. With the opening of the Discovery Bay Tunnel in 2000, residents' bus routes DB01R and DB03R, which connect Tung Chung Station and Sunny Bay Station, were successively put into service, leading Discovery Bay residents to gradually switch to buses as a means of transportation. Furthermore, the ferry has seen consecutive fare increases over the years, making fares increasingly expensive, leading more residents to switch to buses for outings. As a result, except during peak commuting hours when passenger numbers are only average, passenger numbers remain at a relatively low level during other times. In 2009, the average daily passenger volume for this route was 12,122 passengers.[29]
In June 2014, DBTPL stated that due to soaring fuel prices and rising operational costs, the Central ferry service had accumulated losses exceeding one hundred million HKD and therefore it was necessary to review fares at an appropriate time to reduce losses; however, each fare increase failed to achieve cost-effectiveness. During the 2013–2014 fiscal year, the total number of passengers on the Central route was approximately 4.29 million.[30] Regarding overnight services, according to data from the Discovery Bay Passenger Liaison Group in October 2018, the average passenger volume was 0 to 60 people. Therefore, it was suggested that overnight services be replaced by a new bus route DB08R to reduce costs.[23]
Despite ranking second in passenger volume among outlying island ferry services, the Central route recorded losses. DBTPL stated at the Outlying Islands District Council's Transport and Transportation Committee meeting in March 2019 that the operational environment remained uncertain.[31]
Additionally, DBTPL and district councillors hope this route will be included in the special assistance measures for outlying island ferry routes. On 28 May 2019, media reports stated that the government decided not to provide subsidies, as the government was not responsible for tendering operators. When Discovery Bay was developed, the developer had already committed to providing ferry services for residents. If there are operational pressures now, coordination with residents should be sought, and public funds should not be used.[32]
Chief Executive Carrie Lam announced in her Policy Address on 16 October 2019 that the special assistance measures would be expanded to cover eight additional outlying island ferry routes. The annual subsidy expenditure for the 14 routes amounts to approximately 260 million dollars, with subsidies to be provided starting from 2020. However, the routes continue to incur losses.[33] Additionally, the government will undertake a two-phase plan over the next decade starting in 2021 to fully update the fleets of 11 ferry routes and adopt more environmentally friendly vessels. This is expected to involve the purchase of 47 new vessels to enhance service quality and promote environmental protection.[34]
With the decrease in passenger demand affected by the novel coronavirus pneumonia pandemic (especially during overnight hours), the late night services were eventually replaced by buses permanently in April 2021.
- 2020: The average daily number of passengers was 7,644.[35]
- 2021: The average daily number of passengers was 9,265.[35]
- 2022: The average daily number of passengers was 7,853.[35]
In response to the residential and tourism development in Discovery Bay North, the operator proposed in 2023 to extend some sailings to Discovery Bay North on Sundays and public holidays to alleviate passenger volume within the area, and the trial run commenced on 17 December of the same year.[36]
Gallery[]
Related articles[]
- Hoi You Ferry Tsim Sha Tsui - Central Route
- PITCL Park Island - Central Route
Notes and References[]
- ↑ 快閃香港：昔日的愉景灣, YouTube.
- ↑ Government of Hong Kong, "維多利亞港實施船隻停泊新安排" (New vessel berthing arrangements at Victoria Harbour to be implemented) [Press Releases], 25 November 1993.
- ↑ "愉景灣渡輪下月加4元" (Fares for DB Ferry to be raised by $4), Wen Wei Po, 17 April 2009.
- ↑ "Fare Adjustment for Ferry - 4 June 2018" [Passenger Notice], Discovery Bay Transportation Services Limited.
- ↑ Rerouting of Four Sailings of the “Discovery Bay – Central” on Weekends via Disneyland Resort Pier [Traffic Advice], Transport Department HKSARG.
- ↑ "Specified Holiday Trips via Disneyland" [Passenger Notice], Discovery Bay Transportation Services Limited.
- ↑ [1] (Link broken)
- ↑ 愉記週末,日紅日中環至愉景灣經廸士尼碼頭是否已取消? (Arrangement of DBTPL Central - DBAY route via Disneyland Pier on weekends and holidays cancelled?), hkitalk.net
- ↑ Franchised and Licensed Ferry Service Details, Transport Department HKSARG.
- ↑ Discovery Bay Transit Services Limited, "Temporary Overnight Bus Service" [Passenger Notice], 7 August 2020.
- ↑ [2] (Link broken)
- ↑ "平日時段渡輪服務" (Weekday ferry services) [Passenger Notice], Discovery Bay Transportation Services Limited.
- ↑ Franchised and Licensed Ferry Service Details, Transport Department HKSARG.
- ↑ "Service adjustment of “Discovery Bay – Central” Licensed Ferry Service" [Traffic Advice], Transport Department HKSARG.
- ↑ Fare Adjustment (Transport Card) for “Central – Discovery Bay” Licensed Ferry Service [Traffic Advice], Transport Department HKSARG.
- ↑ "Extension of some departures of “Central – Discovery Bay” licensed ferry service to Discovery Bay North" Traffic Advice], Transport Department HKSARG.
- ↑ Extension of some departures of “Central – Discovery Bay” licensed ferry service to Discovery Bay North" Traffic Advice], Transport Department HKSARG.
- ↑ Transport Department HKSARG, "Fare Adjustment for “Central – Discovery Bay” Licensed Ferry Service" [Traffic Advice], 7 August 2024.
- ↑ Arrives at Discovery Bay at 11:55.
- ↑ Arrives at Discovery Bay at 13:25.
- ↑ Arrives at Discovery Bay at 15:55.
- ↑ Arrives at Discovery Bay at 18:25.
- ↑ 23.0 23.1 Discovery Bay Enhancement Project, 29 October 2018.
- ↑ Including refundable $20 deposit
- ↑ 愉景灣「船荒」未止 出入續靠外援馳 (Lack of vessels for Discovery Bay led to external rentals), HK Bus Channel, 25 June 2020.
- ↑ 新渡輪拓展版圖？ 愉景灣租船嚟用！ (Expansion of NWFF business? That's Discovery Bay renting the vessel!), HK Bus Channel, 20 May 2020.
- ↑ Response to Public Accounts Committee (PAC) Queries Chapter 6, Director of Audit Report No. 43, Legislative Council Public Accounts Committee, 5 January 2005.
- ↑ 離島區議會交通及運輸委員會會議記錄 (Minutes of the Traffic and Transport Committee Meeting of the Outlying Islands District Council), 18 March 2013.
- ↑ Review on Ferry Services for Outlying Islands, Legislative Council Panel on Transport Paper No. Legislative Council Panel on Transport , 23 April 2010.
- ↑ "中環至愉景灣渡輪加價8.1%" (Fares for Central - Discovery Bay ferry service to increase by 8.1%), Oriental Daily News, 28 June 2014.
- ↑ 有關離島渡輪航線特別協助措施的提問 (Queries regarding special assistance measures for outlying island ferry routes), Recording of the meeting of the Traffic and Transport Committee of the Islands District Council, March 2019.
- ↑ "珀麗灣、愉景灣渡輪困局膠着 消息：政府拍板不補貼兩航線" (Financial conditions for Park Island and Discovery Bay ferry remain in limbo; news: government decides not to subsidise the two routes), HK01, March 2019.
- ↑ Transport Department HKSARG, "「中環—愉景灣」持牌渡輪服務 票價調整申請" (Application for fare adjustment for Central - Discovery Bay licensed ferry service), 19 March 2024.
- ↑ The Chief Executive’s 2019 Policy Address - Treasure Hong Kong: Our Home
- ↑ 35.0 35.1 35.2 Controlling Office's Reply Serial No. TLB141 of the Examination of Estimates of Expenditure 2023-24, Legislative Council Finance Committee, 14 April 2023
- ↑ 中環 - 愉景灣持牌渡輪航線的服務調整建議 (Suggestions on service adjustment for Central - Discovery Bay licensed ferry service), Document No. 24/2023 of the Transport and Transportation Affairs Committee of the Central and Western District Council, 12 July 2023
External links[]
| Sun Ferry | |
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| HKKF | Central ↔ Lamma Island (Yung Shue Wan)🌙 • Central ↔ Lamma Island (Sok Kwu Wan) |
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| Cross-harbour routes • Kaito routes • Cross-boundary routes Italic: service provided during specified times only; 🌙: late-night service also provided | |