Mid-Levels Escalators

In Hong Kong’s South of Hollywood (SoHo) neighborhood, you’ll find the largest network of outdoor covered escalators on earth, known simply as the Central Escalators (or Mid-Levels Escalators). The series of 20 escalators and three inclined walkways stretch 2,625 feet (800 meters) with a 443-foot (135-meter) total vertical rise. This unusual Hong Kong attraction ferries more than 50,000 commuters and tourists between Central and the Mid Levels each day, moving downhill for four hours in the morning then uphill for the rest of the day.

The ride takes about 25 minutes one way, but part of the fun is getting off at the various stops to explore these busy Hong Kong neighborhoods. The streets and alleys to either side of the escalators, particularly at the Staunton Street and Shelley Street stops, are lined with bars and restaurants serving cuisine from all over the world. If you’re planning to travel up, start from the elevated walkway passing over Queen’s Road in Central District. Once you make it to the top of the system at Conduit Road, you can either walk back to the bottom or catch a bus or taxi to your next destination.