When Britain signed the 99-year lease for the New Territories in 1898, it led to the development of Kowloon. And so to the need for easy access across the harbour. The Star Ferry was launched in the same year.
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Around 1970, the fare was cheap, only about 20 cents.
Nowadays the star ferry fee is at 1.70 HKD for lower deck and 2.20 HKD for upper deck.
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| Star ferry |
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There are four Star Ferry lines crossing Victoria Harbour, i.e. Central - Tsim Sha Tsui, Wan Chai - Tsim Sha Tsui, Central - Hung Hom, North Point - Hung Hom.
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In year 2006, a new land reclamation is ongoing in
Central to make way for a four-lane Central-Admiralty road link. This reclamation
has forced Star Ferry's Central pier relocation. 12,7 hectares of land would be reclaimed.
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| Land reclamation |
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The government also plans to relocate the bus terminal outside the Star Ferry pier on the Kowloon side to Tsim Sha Tsui East, making way for an amphitheatre at the Star Ferry site in a project to beautify the waterfront.
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The pier, built in 1957, has closed on November 12 2006.
The clock faces were dismantled from the now demolished Star Ferry Pier.
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| Star Ferry's former Central pier |
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Hundreds queued to buy tickets for the last Star Ferry services from Central pier. Tickets were priced at 88 HKD with the proceeds destined for charities.
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The relocation of the Central terminal from Edinburgh Place to a pier adjoining the
outlying islands ferry piers took place on November 12. An average of 60 000 passengers
travelled with Star Ferry on Saturdays and Sundays before the move.
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| Star Ferry's new Central pier |
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The 10-minute walk from Central to the new pier could lead to a 13 per cent drop in the number of passengers.
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The Star Ferry company hopes to lure more tourists with viewing deck, cafe and restaurants in
the new terminal and that it becomes a waterfront attraction,.
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| Star Ferry's new Central pier |
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The new pier is also offering a 5000 square-foot exhibition area for public hire.
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| Star Ferry's new Central pier |
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The double-decker open-air ferries carry 53 000 locals and tourists back and forth every day offering an amazing view of the Hong Kong skyline.
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The Edwardian design of the new pier, modeled on the 1912-era pier building, has been
criticized as being like something taken from a theme park.
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| Star Ferry's new Central pier |
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Hundreds of individuals have called for the pier's preservation, saying
the government should respect history and leave this heritage site for future generations.
Banners displayed messages such as "Donald Tsang, are you listening?".
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| Star Ferry's former Central pier |
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Some demonstrators entered the site in an attempt to stop workers from demolishing the pier.
They wanted to save the Star Ferry pier and the Queen's pier.
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| Star Ferry's former Central pier |
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The conservationists claim that protecting the Star Ferry pier building and the Queen's Pier is about protecting our public space as they are rooted in Hong Kong history.
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In 2006 a standoff between police and conservationists happened
when many people entered the site to stop construction workers from dismantling the pier.
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| Star Ferry's former Central pier |
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A 2007 survey shown the unpopularity of the demolition of the former Star Ferry pier. Fifty-six per cent disagreed with the government on this issue and only 18 per cent supported it.
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Queen's Pier was the site of the welcoming and farewell ceremonies for governors,
the starting point for harbour cruises and a popular location for wedding snaps.
Queen's Pier was scheduled to close about the same time as the Star Ferry Pier but its replacement,
Central Pier No9, is still under construction.
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| Queen's Pier |
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Queen's Pier is not the first colonial symbol to be wiped out by land reclamation in Central. Blake Pier was demolished in 1993, and the Tamar Basin was reclaimed in the mid-1990s. Queen's Pier was listed as a Grade I historic building in 2007 and shall make way for a highway.
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The Hunghom Ferry Pier provides ferry services to Central, Wanchai and North Point.
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| Star Ferry Hung Hom pier |
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