Hong Kong woman goes viral online for bringing mattress on tram. What rules did she break?
- Photo shared on social media showing woman bringing mattress onto Hong Kong tram sparks questions about what passengers can take on public transport
- Transport operators have their own limits on what commuters can and cannot bring onto trains, trams, buses and boats
A photo shared on social media showing a woman bringing a mattress onto a Hong Kong tram has sparked questions about what passengers can take on public transport.
The image shows a woman holding a handrail and standing in the aisle near the driver’s seat and leaning against a large mattress next to the wall of the vehicle.
Hong Kong Tramways said the incident happened at about 1pm on May 14 when a female passenger took a tram to Kennedy Town from Happy Valley.
The passenger was later told to get off the tram after another commuter complained that she was blocking a passageway.
To help everyone start their journey on the right foot, the Post is breaking down the rules for carrying bulky items on trains, trams, buses and boats.
MTR trains
Many internet users in Hong Kong have probably seen at least one photo of an MTR traveller carrying plants or even ceiling-tall trees, not to mention oversized picture frames, mattresses, wheelie bins and the occasional fridge.
According to the MTR Corporation’s by-laws, rail passengers can only carry one large piece of luggage or several small ones grouped together.
The by-laws state the item’s total dimensions of length, width and height should not exceed 1.7 metres (5.57 feet). Any one side must measure no more than 130cm.
Under the policy, passengers travelling with a bicycle must either be able to fold it or remove the front wheel to meet the requirement.
Commuters can get special passes for musical instruments and sports equipment, but the item’s total dimensions cannot exceed 235cm and no side can measure more than 145cm.
A cello or double bass carried in a hard case will easily exceed the limit.
But the same rules do not apply to passengers travelling on the Airport Express.
The by-laws also prohibit any dangerous or flammable goods such as paints, thinners or liquid gas.
Travellers cannot bring animals on board trains, with the exception of guide dogs.
In 2015, commuters gathered outside Tai Wai station to protest passengers reportedly being stopped from boarding trains over carrying a cello and guzheng, or Chinese zither.
Trams
According to Hong Kong Tramway’s website, luggage must be under 7kg (15.4lbs) in mass, or 30 litres in volume.
Tram drivers are allowed to decide whether a passenger cannot bring on oversized items that might cause inconvenience for other travellers.
The tram operator said the driver had stepped away for a toilet break and had not seen the woman bring on board the mattress before starting the journey from the Happy Valley terminus.
Buses
Local bus operator KMB has said commuters should avoid bringing onboard items with a total volume exceeding 0.1 cubic metres or those with a weight of more than 5kg.
Any large items brought on a bus should not occupy seats or the vehicle’s gangways and stairways, according to the firm.
But anyone heading to or from the local airport using the A or NA routes can bring one piece of luggage with maximum dimensions of 71cm by 56cm by 26cm, and a piece of hand luggage no greater than 56cm by 36cm by 23cm.
The rules for the firm’s E, N, R, S and X routes stipulate passenger luggage cannot exceed dimensions of 71cm by 56cm by 26cm.
Citybus applies the same rules on its buses.
Ferry
Those looking to haul items by ferry will find the rules varying according to the respective operator.
On the Star Ferry boats going between Hong Kong Island and Kowloon, travellers cannot bring aboard any items with a length, width and height exceeding 40cm by 40cm by 17.5cm.
Anyone travelling between the city’s urban spaces and outlying islands via Sun Ferry will need to make sure their belongings do not exceed the length, width and height of 81cm by 48cm by 30cm.
Each passenger can bring up to two bags, but face extra charges if they bring items bigger than the specified limit. They can bring onboard baby carts and trolleys for shopping at no extra cost.
Another option for sailing between the city and outlying islands is the Hong Kong and Kowloon Ferry, which charges an extra fee for luggage, but no dimension of the item may exceed the size limit of 2.13 metres
