Hong Kong's Central Kowloon Route to Open Fully on Dec 6 with HK$8 Toll
The Central Kowloon Route will open to traffic in full on December 6, 2026, with a toll of HK$8 for all vehicles. The route forms part of Route 6, cutting travel time between Tseung Kwan O and Yau Ma Tei from 65 to 12 minutes.
The Hong Kong government announced on Wednesday that the Central Kowloon Route will open to traffic in full on December 6, with a toll of HK$8 for all vehicles from that day.
The Legislative Council passed the arrangement to charge all vehicles using the route HK$8 last year. The Commencement Notice will be gazetted on October 16 and tabled before the legislature next Wednesday for the 'made after deliberation' procedure, according to the government.
The Central Kowloon Route comprises the already-operational Yau Ma Tei tunnel section and the Kowloon Bay tunnel section, which is scheduled to open on December 6. Together with the Tseung Kwan O–Lam Tin Tunnel, it forms Route 6, linking Tseung Kwan O, Kowloon East and Kowloon West.
Once Route 6 is fully operational, travel time between Tseung Kwan O and Yau Ma Tei during peak hours is expected to drop significantly from about 65 minutes to about 12 minutes, bringing great convenience to commuters, the government said.
A spokesman for the Transport and Logistics Bureau said that, taking full account of the public's ability to pay, the toll has been set at HK$8. It is expected to recover part of the operating costs while achieving the intended traffic diversion effect, thereby easing congestion on major roads in Kowloon.
The government has already launched promotional activities to help the public understand the specific toll arrangements and ensure the smooth implementation of the new charges.