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Mid levels Escalator

Landmarks ·Hong Kong ·Open now
4.113.3K
#2Landmarks in Hong Kong#2Landmarks in Hong KongTravelers' Choice 2025
  • Visit: 20 min
  • Free
  • Good on a rainy day
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About

Mid-Levels Escalator, also called the Central Escalator: an 800-metre covered outdoor escalator linking Central and Mid-Levels in Hong Kong.

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Mid levels Escalator

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Why go

  • The 800-metre escalator system, climbing over 135 metres from Central up into the Mid-Levels
  • The escalators where Chungking Express (1994) was filmed
  • Cochrane Street, which the escalators run the full length of, named for Rear Admiral Thomas Alexander Cochrane

Opening hours

Today06:00 – 00:00Show all
Monday06:00 – 00:00
Tuesday06:00 – 00:00
Wednesday06:00 – 00:00
Thursday06:00 – 00:00
Friday06:00 – 00:00
Saturday06:00 – 00:00
Sunday06:00 – 00:00

Know before you go

  • Open every day from 06:00 to 00:00.
  • Anyone may use it free of charge and without limit during opening hours.
  • Going against the escalator direction, use the staircases and ramps alongside.

Tips for your visit

  • Walk up alongside the escalators to make the ride faster.
  • Start at Queen's Road Central, where Central Market connects to the Central Elevated Walkway.
  • If you come by train, Central Station and Hong Kong Station, served by four lines, are nearby in Central.

Best time to visit

  • The direction changes through the day, so check which way the escalators run when you arrive.

With kids

  • A full ride takes about 20 minutes; walking up along the escalators makes it shorter.

Interesting facts5

1/5
  1. 782 steps

    Staircases and ramps alongside the escalators total 782 steps from Conduit Road to the Queen's Road Central footbridge.

    Central–Mid-Levels escalator - Wikipedia
  2. 1997

    The main character's office in Chinese Box (1997) sits directly at the escalators.

    Central–Mid-Levels escalator - Wikipedia

  3. The system's opening helped develop the SoHo entertainment district and spurred new restaurants.

    Central–Mid-Levels escalator - Wikipedia
  4. 2018

    Daily use was first estimated at 27,000 people; over 85,000 used it each day by 2018.

    Central Mid-Levels Escalator - Wikipedia

  5. The moving walkways are one metre wide, so faster people can pass slower ones.

    Central–Mid-Levels escalator - Wikipedia

Shorts

History

A 1996 audit found that the project overran its budget by 153 percent. The system has been used by visitors and commuters ever since, free of charge.

  1. early 1980sThe project began.
  2. February 1991A joint venture of Paul Y.–ITC Construction and Sogen started building the system.
  3. 15 October 1993The escalators opened to the public, to ease rush-hour traffic and the climb up to Mid-Levels.
  4. November 1996An audit report found the project 153 percent over budget.

How to get there

  • 20 minOn footStart at Queen's Road Central and ride the escalators up to Conduit Road; a full ride takes about 20 minutes.

Accessibility

  • Step-free entry

Sources: Central–Mid-Levels escalator - Wikipedia · Central Mid-Levels Escalator - Wikipedia · checked 26 Oct 2026

Where
Jubilee St, Central, Hong Kong Island, Hong Kong

Plan from here: A day out →

Questions and answers

How much does it cost to ride the Mid-Levels Escalator?

It is free. Anyone may use the Mid-Levels Escalator free of charge and without limit during its opening hours.

What are the opening hours of the Mid-Levels Escalator?

It is open every day of the week, from 06:00 to 00:00.

How long does a ride on the Mid-Levels Escalator take?

A full ride takes about 20 minutes. Walking up alongside the escalators makes the ride faster.

How do I get to the Mid-Levels Escalator by public transport?

Start at Queen's Road Central and ride up to Conduit Road. Central Station and Hong Kong Station, served by four lines, are nearby in Central.

Can children use the Mid-Levels Escalator?

Yes, anyone may use it free of charge during opening hours, so children can ride it too.

Does the Mid-Levels Escalator run in both directions?

It runs in one direction at a time, and the direction changes through the day. Going the other way, use the staircases and ramps alongside.

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