[Franek]

I have heard that when the weather is bad it is difficult to travel to DB. How often is the weather so bad that it affects commuting and what happens on such occasions, especially if it is after 1 a.m. and the MTR isn't running?

Thanks

Franek

[carang]

only happens when there is a typhoon #8 or higher. there is usually about 2 ours notice if they are going to stop the ferries. if it happens during the day, then you can still get MTR to tung chung then bus. for another couple of hours. lived here for 4.5 years and have never had a problem.

many years ago i lived in clearwater bay. if a typhoon was heading to HK the taxis refused to take people home, unless you paid $500 for a trip that normally cost about $70....

[wing]

After 1 a.m., take the bus/train/taxi/whatever to the airport and then take the DB airport bus (cost $28) back to DB.

See bus schedules below:

<http://www.hkri.com/cms1/DBTSL/DBTSL320.html>

[Franek]

Thanks guys, this is really useful. I saw somewhere that residents who live on Lamma island are able to get a sampan from Aberdeen when there are no ferries. Is there any private means of getting to DB in the early hours to avoid hanging around for a ferry and if so, how much is it? Also, I'm right in thinking that you can't take the MTR after 1 a.m. right?

[carang]

there are no forms of private transportation to DB. however, the airport bus stops in tung chung, but only on it's late, late, late/early, early, early runs.

you know, DB and Lamma have TOTALLY different looks & feels about them. I understand trying to do research before coming over, however, you really need to be here to make a judgement as to where you want to live. when you come, take a day trip to lamma and then a day trip to DB, then decide.

there's only so much other people can tell you about living in a place. it doesn't really matter what i lthink of living in DB, it's you who will matter most. and only you can decide what are the determinimng factors and what will be the over-riding decision (for us, we looked at lamma too, but lamma's ferry stops much earlier and the sampan ride home costs much more than we were willing to pay...when there is a ferry and you know the schedule, you just make damn sure that you are on it. it's that simple...hubby only ever missed the ferry once coming home from work late)

[discobay]

Living on Lamma will turn you into a hippy.
Discobay rocks with reservations - see similar threads re the pros and cons of living in DB.

[texasaxel]

On week days there are 1 am, 2 am, 3:30 am and 5 am ferries from Central, Saturday/Sunday early mornings, there are additional 1:30am and 2:30am ferries to DB.

Should this be insufficient there is a bus every 30 minutes from the airport 24/7. This bus stops at Tung Chung bus station during the hours that normal bus services cease (e.g. between approximately 1:30 and 5 am). Now why you would take a night bus all the way to Tung Chung instead of waiting for a ferry, I don't know.

As for ferries not running due to bad weather, I wouldn't worry about it. Most people would not be out and about when there is a Taifun #8 warning; most companies will not expect their employees to come to work in that kind of weather. But if you do have to go somewhere in that weather or didn't make it home on time, the procedure describing the bus operations via Tung Chung in case ferries cease operations are well posted in the ferry terminal.

As for Lamma or any of the other outlying islands, I don't think there is any way to get there during a Taifun #8 situation.