NWFB Route 2
Encyclopedia
Route 2 on Hong Kong Island
is a bus service operated by New World First Bus
(NWFB), between Grand Promenade
, Sai Wan Ho
and Central (Macau Ferry) Bus Terminus
, Sheung Wan
.
between Royal Pier, Central and the east gate of Taikoo Dockyard
, and had no number at that time. On 1933-06-11 China Motor Bus
began operation of the route as part of its franchise of bus routes on Hong Kong Island, and the number "2" was assigned to this route. In 1934 the Central terminal was changed to HYF Ferry Pier. Since 1935 there were special daily services during the swimming season to the swimming yards at North Point
.
During the Japanese occupation
, service on the route was suspended. On 1947-03-16, service was resumed, with the Central terminus at Central Ferry Piers. In February 1948 there were five buses servicing the route, increased to ten in July, and a frequency of five minute per bus was achieved by November. Later the frequency was further increased to four minutes per bus, with 17 buses serving the route. Starting from 1949-11-12 the route was extended to Shau Kei Wan
. In mid-1951 a short service between Central Ferry Piers and North Point was started, but was soon replaced by a new route 10 on 1951-08-01. In 1959 the service time was extended to 00:30 for the convenience of night ferry passengers. On 1962-04-16 service time was further extended to 01:20 in response to the extension of service time by HYF. On 1962-06-16 the Central terminus was changed to Jubilee Street
.
In 1962 the first CMB double-decker, the Roline, started service on the route. On 1963-01-22 service of the first six CMB double-deckers started on Route 2. Because of the high level of patronage, CMB later had to introduce a large number of Guy Arab V double-deckers to operate this route.
On 1968-10-21 a special express service with no number was started, with a yellow sign that said "EXPRESS" hanging at every bus stop the express service serves. In early 1970 the service was designated an express service of Route 2. On 1973-11-01 the express service was cancelled and replaced by the newly designated route 20.
Route 2 was classified as an urban flat-road route in 1972, with a ticket price the cheapest amongst the then three types of CMB routes. In the same year the first rear-powered bus in Hong Kong
, a Daimler "Jumbo"
(RXF1, later SF1) was assigned to the route. The Central terminus was changed to Hong Kong-Macau Ferry Pier on 1982-09-01. In 1985 the terminal at Shau Kei Wan was moved to a newly constructed one. The completion of Island Line
caused a drop of patronage on the route.
On 1998-09-01 the route was handed over to NWFB with the franchise of CMB ended. In 2000 the route was designated a full air-conditioned route. On 2001-06-03 the route was changed to run via Gloucester Road
for the westbound direction to Central, instead of Hennessy Road
as part of NWFB's rearrangement of bus services, and the eastern terminus was changed to Aldrich Bay
. On 2002-06-30 the Aldrich Bay direction started to serve the new Central Ferry Piers, and on 2003-07-13 even the eastbound direction to Aldrich started to use Gloucester Road. On 2006-06-24 the eastern terminus of the route was moved to the newly opened bus terminal under Grand Promenade.
Hong Kong Island
Hong Kong Island is an island in the southern part of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region. It has a population of 1,289,500 and its population density is 16,390/km², as of 2008...
is a bus service operated by New World First Bus
New World First Bus
New World First Bus Services Limited , abbreviated as First Bus and "NWFB", is the third largest public bus operator in Hong Kong.NWFB was established in 1998, taking over China Motor Bus's franchise on 1 September 1998 to provide bus services on Hong Kong Island together with Citybus...
(NWFB), between Grand Promenade
Grand Promenade
The Grand Promenade is a high-rise development located in the Sai Wan Ho district of Hong Kong. The complex consists of five towers. Towers 2, 3, and 5, which are all interconnected and listed as one skyscraper by real estate data company Emporis, were built in 2005 and contain 66 floors each;...
, Sai Wan Ho
Sai Wan Ho
Sai Wan Ho is a primarily residential area on the northeastern shore of Hong Kong Island, Hong Kong, between Quarry Bay and Shau Kei Wan. It is part of the Eastern District, and is administered together with surrounding areas under the Eastern District Council.-Location:Sai Wan Ho is conventionally...
and Central (Macau Ferry) Bus Terminus
Central (Macau Ferry) Bus Terminus
The Central Bus Terminus is a major bus terminus located in Sheung Wan, Central and Western District, Hong Kong, next to the Hong Kong-Macau Ferry Terminal...
, Sheung Wan
Sheung Wan
Sheung Wan is an area in Hong Kong, located in the north-west of Hong Kong Island, between Central and Sai Ying Pun. Administratively, it is part of the Central and Western District...
.
History
The route was started in 1929 by Hong Kong TramwaysHong Kong Tramways
Hong Kong Tramways is a tram system in Hong Kong and one of the earliest forms of public transport in Hong Kong. Owned and operated by Veolia Transport, the tramway runs on Hong Kong Island between Shau Kei Wan and Kennedy Town, with a branch circulating Happy Valley...
between Royal Pier, Central and the east gate of Taikoo Dockyard
Taikoo Dockyard
Taikoo Dockyard and Engineering Company was a dockyard located in the present-day Taikoo Shing and part of Taikoo Place of Quarry Bay on the north shore of Hong Kong Island in Hong Kong.-History:...
, and had no number at that time. On 1933-06-11 China Motor Bus
China Motor Bus
China Motor Bus Company Ltd. , often abbreviated as CMB, was the first motor bus company in Hong Kong, and was responsible for the introduction of double-decker buses to Hong Kong Island....
began operation of the route as part of its franchise of bus routes on Hong Kong Island, and the number "2" was assigned to this route. In 1934 the Central terminal was changed to HYF Ferry Pier. Since 1935 there were special daily services during the swimming season to the swimming yards at North Point
North Point
North Point is a mixed-use urban area in the Eastern District of Hong Kong. It is the northernmost point of Hong Kong Island, adjacent to both Causeway Bay and Quarry Bay, and projecting toward Kowloon Bay. Fortress Hill occupies the western end of the North Point area.-History:In 1899, The...
.
During the Japanese occupation
Japanese occupation of Hong Kong
The Japanese occupation of Hong Kong began after the Governor of Hong Kong, Sir Mark Young, surrendered the territory of Hong Kong to Japan on 25 December 1941 after 18 days of fierce fighting by British and Canadian defenders against overwhelming Japanese Imperial forces. The occupation lasted...
, service on the route was suspended. On 1947-03-16, service was resumed, with the Central terminus at Central Ferry Piers. In February 1948 there were five buses servicing the route, increased to ten in July, and a frequency of five minute per bus was achieved by November. Later the frequency was further increased to four minutes per bus, with 17 buses serving the route. Starting from 1949-11-12 the route was extended to Shau Kei Wan
Shau Kei Wan
Shau Kei Wan or Shaukeiwan, Shaukiwan is a town in Eastern District, Hong Kong. Literally, Shau Kei means a pail, and Wan implies that the town is developed along the coast. Nowadays it is a relatively densely populated town compared with some developing areas.-Name:The name Shau Kei Wan comes...
. In mid-1951 a short service between Central Ferry Piers and North Point was started, but was soon replaced by a new route 10 on 1951-08-01. In 1959 the service time was extended to 00:30 for the convenience of night ferry passengers. On 1962-04-16 service time was further extended to 01:20 in response to the extension of service time by HYF. On 1962-06-16 the Central terminus was changed to Jubilee Street
Jubilee Street
Jubilee Street is a street in Central, Hong Kong Island, Hong Kong. The street links Queen's Road Central, Des Voeux Road Central and Connaught Road Central. It is where Central Market and the headquarters of Hang Seng Bank locates...
.
In 1962 the first CMB double-decker, the Roline, started service on the route. On 1963-01-22 service of the first six CMB double-deckers started on Route 2. Because of the high level of patronage, CMB later had to introduce a large number of Guy Arab V double-deckers to operate this route.
On 1968-10-21 a special express service with no number was started, with a yellow sign that said "EXPRESS" hanging at every bus stop the express service serves. In early 1970 the service was designated an express service of Route 2. On 1973-11-01 the express service was cancelled and replaced by the newly designated route 20.
Route 2 was classified as an urban flat-road route in 1972, with a ticket price the cheapest amongst the then three types of CMB routes. In the same year the first rear-powered bus in Hong Kong
Hong Kong
Hong Kong is one of two Special Administrative Regions of the People's Republic of China , the other being Macau. A city-state situated on China's south coast and enclosed by the Pearl River Delta and South China Sea, it is renowned for its expansive skyline and deep natural harbour...
, a Daimler "Jumbo"
Daimler Fleetline
The Daimler Fleetline is a rear-engined double-decker bus chassis built between 1960 and 1973 in Coventry, Warwickshire, England, and from 1973 until 1980 in Farington, Lancashire, England. However, the last complete vehicle did not enter service until 1983...
(RXF1, later SF1) was assigned to the route. The Central terminus was changed to Hong Kong-Macau Ferry Pier on 1982-09-01. In 1985 the terminal at Shau Kei Wan was moved to a newly constructed one. The completion of Island Line
Island Line (MTR)
The Island Line is one of 10 lines of the MTR, the mass transit system in Hong Kong. It runs from Sheung Wan in the Central and Western District to Chai Wan in the Eastern District. The line first opened in 31 May 1985...
caused a drop of patronage on the route.
On 1998-09-01 the route was handed over to NWFB with the franchise of CMB ended. In 2000 the route was designated a full air-conditioned route. On 2001-06-03 the route was changed to run via Gloucester Road
Gloucester Road, Hong Kong
Gloucester Road is a major road in Hong Kong. It is in the north of Wan Chai and East Point on Hong Kong Island. It connects to Harcourt Road at its western end and it ends east along west side of Victoria Park. It forms part of Hong Kong's Route 4 and connects to the Island Eastern Corridor via...
for the westbound direction to Central, instead of Hennessy Road
Hennessy Road
Hennessy Road is a thoroughfare on Hong Kong Island, Hong Kong. It connects Yee Wo Street on the east in Causeway Bay, and Queensway on the western end in Wan Chai.The road is named after John Pope Hennessy, the Governor of Hong Kong between 1877 and 1882....
as part of NWFB's rearrangement of bus services, and the eastern terminus was changed to Aldrich Bay
Aldrich Bay
Aldrich Bay was formerly a bay in the north shore on the Hong Kong Island, Hong Kong. It is now reclaimed and is a housing area outside the area of Shau Kei Wan, neighbouring A Kung Ngam and Lei King Wan. Outside Aldrich Bay, it is the Shau Kei Wan Typhoon Shelter. It is not a small community...
. On 2002-06-30 the Aldrich Bay direction started to serve the new Central Ferry Piers, and on 2003-07-13 even the eastbound direction to Aldrich started to use Gloucester Road. On 2006-06-24 the eastern terminus of the route was moved to the newly opened bus terminal under Grand Promenade.
Central (Macau Ferry) towards Grand Promenade
The route length is 13.3km in a time of 55 minutes, via:- Macau Ferry access road
- Connaught Road Central
- Man Kwong Street
- Man Yiu Street
- Harbour View Street
- Exchange Square Bus Terminus
- Connaught Road Central
- Harcourt RoadHarcourt RoadHarcourt Road is a major road in Admiralty in Hong Kong, connecting Wan Chai and Central.-History:Built after World War II, Harcourt Road was once a waterfront promenade and to ease congestion on Hong Kong Island...
- Cotton Tree DriveCotton Tree DriveCotton Tree Drive is a road in Central to Mid-levels on the Hong Kong Island in Hong Kong. The road is famous because of the Cotton Tree Drive Marriage Registry, a hotspot for marriage registration in Hong Kong Park....
- QueenswayQueensway, Hong KongQueensway is a major road in the Admiralty of Central, Hong Kong. It was originally a section of Queen's Road East to its westmost before the Hong Kong Government separated and renamed it as its present name in 1967...
- Arsenal StreetArsenal StreetArsenal Street is a street between Admiralty and Wan Chai in Hong Kong. It ends south in Queensway and north Gloucester Road. The street is the ends of Lockhart Road and Jaffe Road.-History:...
- Gloucester RoadGloucester Road, Hong KongGloucester Road is a major road in Hong Kong. It is in the north of Wan Chai and East Point on Hong Kong Island. It connects to Harcourt Road at its western end and it ends east along west side of Victoria Park. It forms part of Hong Kong's Route 4 and connects to the Island Eastern Corridor via...
- Victoria RoadVictoria Road, Hong KongVictoria Road is a main road near the west shore of Hong Kong Island in Hong Kong connecting Kennedy Town and Wah Fu and an alternative connection of Pok Fu Lam Road. It begins north with Belcher's Street in Kennedy Town and goes along Mount Davis, Sandy Bay, Telegraph Bay and Waterfall Bay and...
- Causeway Bay Flyover
- Glocester Road
- Causeway RoadCauseway RoadCauseway Road is a main road in Hong Kong. Situated in Causeway Bay, it joins Yee Wo Street in the west and King's Road. It is a boundary of Eastern District and Wan Chai District...
- King's Road
- Shau Kei Wan RoadShau Kei Wan RoadShau Kei Wan Road , formerly known as Shaukiwan Road, is the main road in Shau Kei Wan and Sai Wan Ho, Hong Kong.-History:The road was originally a main road lying on the north coast of Hong Kong Island from Causeway Bay to Shau Kei Wan, passing through North Point, Tsat Tsz Mui and Quarry Bay.In...
- Aldrich Street
- Nam On Street
- Shau Kei Wan Bus Terminus
- Po Man Street
- Mong Lung Street
- Aldrich Bay Road
- Oi Yin Street
- Oi Kan Road
- Tai On Street
- Tai Hong Street
Grand Promenade towards Central (Macau Ferry)
The route length is 12.6km in a time of 55 minutes, via:- Tai On Street
- Oi Kan Road
- Oi Yin Street
- Aldrich Bay Road
- Tung Hei Road
- (unnamed road)
- Nam On Street
- Shau Kei Wan Bus Terminus
- (unnamed road)
- Nam On Land
- Shau Kei Wan RoadShau Kei Wan RoadShau Kei Wan Road , formerly known as Shaukiwan Road, is the main road in Shau Kei Wan and Sai Wan Ho, Hong Kong.-History:The road was originally a main road lying on the north coast of Hong Kong Island from Causeway Bay to Shau Kei Wan, passing through North Point, Tsat Tsz Mui and Quarry Bay.In...
- King's Road
- Kornhill RoadKornhill RoadKornhill Road is a road in Tai Koo, Hong Kong Island, Hong Kong. It is a main road which links King's Road and Shau Kei Wan Road.The Road is named after the Kornhill, that was the site of the company residence of the senior manager of the Taikoo Sugar Refinery and the first senior manager was...
- King's Road
- Tung Lo Wan RoadTung Lo Wan RoadTung Lo Wan Road is a road in Causeway Bay and Tai Hang on the north side of Hong Kong Island in Hong Kong. The road joins east with King's Road, Tin Hau Temple Road, Causeway Road and west with Yee Wo Street, Irving Street, Leighton Road and Causeway Road.The road draws the early shore line in...
- Tai Hang Road Flyover
- Glocester Road
- Harcourt RoadHarcourt RoadHarcourt Road is a major road in Admiralty in Hong Kong, connecting Wan Chai and Central.-History:Built after World War II, Harcourt Road was once a waterfront promenade and to ease congestion on Hong Kong Island...
- Cotton Tree DriveCotton Tree DriveCotton Tree Drive is a road in Central to Mid-levels on the Hong Kong Island in Hong Kong. The road is famous because of the Cotton Tree Drive Marriage Registry, a hotspot for marriage registration in Hong Kong Park....
- QueenswayQueensway, Hong KongQueensway is a major road in the Admiralty of Central, Hong Kong. It was originally a section of Queen's Road East to its westmost before the Hong Kong Government separated and renamed it as its present name in 1967...
- Des Voeux Road Central
- Hilly Street
- Connaught Road Central
- Macau Ferry access road