Coronavirus: Hong Kong cable car gets boost as hundreds line up for a change of scene amid months of coronavirus restrictions

Lines, mostly of families with children, began forming in the morning at the Ngong Ping 360 terminus in Tung Chung for panoramic 25-minute trip

Friday was its busiest day since reopening on September 11 and all 108 cable cars on the 5.7km (3.5-mile) route were in use as visitors enjoyed long weekend

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Families were out in force to enjoy the long weekend. Photo: Dickson Lee

Published: 10:51pm, 2 Oct 2020Updated: 2:47am, 3 Oct 2020

Hundreds of Hongkongers waited in long lines for a cable car ride on Lantau Island on Friday, looking for fresh air and a change of scenery over the long weekend as a welcome relief from months of Covid-19 rules.

The lines, mostly of families with children, began forming in the morning at the Ngong Ping 360 terminus in Tung Chung for a panoramic 25-minute cable car trip to the Ngong Ping highlands, home to the “Big Buddha” statue and Po Lin Monastery.

Visitors wore masks as required under social-distancing rules but stood near one another.

Buses and private cars also caused congestion on the road leading to the tourist attraction. At the nearby bus terminus, hundreds waited to make their way home after their ride.

There were long lines in Tung Chung for the cable car. Photo: Dickson Lee

The cable car service reopened on September 11 after being closed from July after the third wave of coronavirus cases hit the city. Infections have dropped in recent weeks and the authorities have gradually relaxed social-distancing measures.