KMB Route 70
| Company type | Subsidiary |
|---|---|
| Industry | Public transport |
| Founded | April 13, 1933 in Hong Kong |
| Founder | Tang Shiu-kin, William Louey Sui Tak, Lui Leung, Tam Woon Tong, Lam Ming Fan |
| Headquarters | Hong Kong , Hong Kong |
Area served | Kowloon and the New Territories, Hong Kong |
| Products | Bus services |
| Owner | Transport International |
| Parent | Transport International |
| Website | www |
The Kowloon Motor Bus Company (1933) Limited (KMB) stands as the largest franchised bus operator in Hong Kong, boasting a fleet exceeding 4,000 vehicles—mainly double-deckers—and servicing 420 routes. It functions as a subsidiary under Transport International.
History
Founded on 13 April 1933 amid a government-led overhaul of public transportation, KMB replaced several independent bus operators that previously operated on both sides of Victoria Harbour. The government regulates bus franchises strictly, prosecuting any unauthorized operators encroaching on franchised territories.
KMB’s franchise territory encompasses Kowloon and the New Territories. By June 1933, the company managed a fleet of 106 single-deck buses. The founding directors included Tang Shiu-kin, William Louey Sui Tak, Lui Leung, Tam Woon Tong, and Lam Ming Fan.
By December 1941, KMB operated 140 single-decker buses across 17 routes. After sustaining heavy losses during World War II, the company temporarily converted trucks into buses. Following the post-war surge in population due to immigration, KMB acquired 20 Daimler double-decker buses in 1949—the first double-deckers introduced in Hong Kong.
The inauguration of the Cross-Harbour Tunnel in 1972 allowed KMB to commence cross-harbour services jointly with China Motor Bus, marking its expansion onto Hong Kong Island. That same year, KMB experimented with conductor-less fare collection by implementing front-door boarding equipped with payment boxes.
In 1996, KMB initiated Hong Kong’s pioneering bus advertising campaign aimed at revitalizing its corporate image. On 1 June 1997, it established the subsidiary Long Win Bus to operate services on the Lantau Link and to Hong Kong International Airport.
KMB ventured into mainland China in 1998 through a joint enterprise with Dalian Hong Kong Macau Company. In 1999, it assumed contractual operation of certain KCR East Rail feeder routes, effectively running these as franchised lines with revenue benefiting KCR.
The company secured a franchise renewal for ten years in July 2007, later extended until June 2027. In April 2023, KMB commemorated its 90th anniversary by introducing new electric double-decker buses and holding events to honor its staff.
Routes
As of December 2023, KMB manages 446 routes serving Kowloon and the New Territories, including those crossing via harbour tunnels. Some cross-harbour routes are operated jointly with Citybus; others are exclusively managed by KMB.
Route Numbering by District
- Numbers 1–29 and 201–229: Kowloon Peninsula (with route 14S as an exception serving Tseung Kwan O Chinese Permanent Cemetery in Sai Kung District)
- Numbers 30–49 and 230–249: Kwai Tsing and Tsuen Wan Districts
- Numbers 50–69 and 250–269: Tuen Mun and Yuen Long Districts (excluding routes 64P and 65K which serve only Tai Po District)
- Numbers 70–79 and 270–279: Tai Po and Northern Districts
- Numbers 80–89 and 280–289: Sha Tin District
- Numbers 90–99 and 290–299: Sai Kung District
- Numbers 100–199: Cross-harbour routes via Cross-Harbour Tunnel
- Numbers 300–399: Express peak-hour cross-harbour services using any harbour crossing tunnel (except route 307)
- Numbers 600–699: Cross-harbour routes via Eastern Harbour Crossing
- Numbers 900–999: Cross-harbour routes via Western Harbour Crossing
Originally, routes numbered between 200 and 299 were deluxe single-decker services. Since retiring the last non-air-conditioned vehicle in 2012, all KMB buses are equipped with air-conditioning.
Letter Designations in Bus Services
- Prefixes*
- A: Routes serving Hong Kong International Airport (Chek Lap Kok)
- B: Routes operating in border regions
- H: Hospital-specific routes active during the 2002–2004 SARS epidemic
- K: Feeder services linked to former Kowloon–Canton Railway lines (currently managed by MTR)
- M: Previously operated feeder routes for the Airport Express (now discontinued)
- N: Overnight or late-night routes
- P: Premium cross-harbour routes connecting New Territories areas (e.g., P960, P968)
- R: Routes for marathon events and Hong Kong Disneyland shuttle services (e.g., R230, R33)
- T: Peak-period express routes designed to alleviate East Rail line congestion
- W: Feeder routes to the Shenzhen–Hong Kong high-speed rail terminal at West Kowloon Station
- X: Express bus services
- Suffixes*
- A-F: Standalone or branch lines (e.g., 2, 2A, 33B)
- E: Designated express routes (e.g., 40E, 87E)
- H: Hospital-related routes (e.g., 14H, 32H)
- K: Feeder services to former Kowloon–Canton Railway lines (East Rail and Tuen Ma lines)
- M: Feeder routes connecting to MTR lines
- P: Peak-hour or all-day service variants (e.g., 40P)
- R: Seasonal or event-specific routes, excluding full-day service 5R
- S: Special services including overnight, event-based, or peak-hour routes
- X: Express services with certain exceptions
Fares
Fares can be paid using cash (exact amount required), contactless credit cards such as VISA, MasterCard, American Express, UnionPay, Discover, and JCB, QR code scanning, mobile wallet applications, or via the Octopus card, a contactless smart card system. Octopus cardholders benefit from discounted fares on selected route transfers. Since 2012, senior citizens and qualifying disabled passengers enjoy a reduced fare of HK$2 per journey on franchised buses, ferries, and standard MTR lines to encourage broader community involvement.
In 2018, KMB launched the KMB Monthly Pass priced at HK$780, which excludes MTR Feeder Bus services. This pass permits holders to take up to 10 rides on regular routes and 2 rides daily on route B1 within the validity period. Passes are available for purchase at Octopus card vending machines located at major transportation hubs.
Fleet
By December 2023, Kowloon Motor Bus's fleet comprised 4,056 vehicles, including 584 compliant with Euro VI standards (among which three are diesel-electric hybrids), 2,935 Euro V buses, and a fleet of 10 battery-electric buses.
Traditionally, KMB procured buses from British manufacturers such as AEC, Daimler, Dennis, Guy Motors, Leyland, Metro Cammell Weymann, and Seddon. In 1975, KMB introduced Hong Kong’s inaugural air-conditioned bus and became the pioneer worldwide in operating air-conditioned double-decker buses during the early 1980s. From 1995 onwards, all newly acquired buses featured air-conditioning; older non-air-conditioned models were phased out by May 2012. Certain recent models incorporate solar photovoltaic panels that reduce fuel consumption by approximately 5-8%, equating to a yearly reduction of around six tonnes of carbon emissions per vehicle.
Starting in the late 1970s, KMB diversified its procurement by acquiring European chassis from manufacturers including MAN, Mercedes-Benz, Scania, and Volvo.
KMB’s bus liveries have transitioned over time—from an original red and cream scheme to white and grey for air-conditioned buses in the early 1990s—then adopting a champagne color in 1997. In June 2017, a new red and silver livery featuring an updated logo was unveiled. The early 2020s introduced an "Electric Green" color scheme for zero-emission buses as part of the ‘Green is Good’ initiative. The company plans to operate approximately 500 battery electric buses by the end of 2025, representing about one-eighth of its total fleet.
In 2024, KMB commenced operations of one of its ten Alexander Dennis Enviro500EV electric double-decker buses on Route 112 connecting So Uk Estate in Cheung Sha Wan with North Point.
Depots
KMB manages four principal depots located in Kowloon and the New Territories, each designated by the letters K, L, S, and U, which are displayed on the drivers' windscreens:
- K: Kowloon Bay depot
- Affiliate: Tseung Kwan O depot
- L: Lai Chi Kok (Stonecutters Island) depot
- Affiliates: Yuet Lun Street depot, Tsing Yi depot
- S: Sha Tin (Siu Lek Yuen) depot
- Affiliates: Tai Po depot, Sheung Shui depot (relocated from Tuen Mun depot in 2009)
- U: Previously known as Un Long (Yuen Long) depot, currently operating as Tuen Mun depot
- Affiliates: Tuen Mun South depot, Yuen Long depot, Tin Shui Wai depot, Sheung Shui depot (until 2009)
Apart from the Kowloon Bay Depot, these facilities also service part of the Long Win Bus fleet, demonstrating operational integration under their common parent organization.
Football team
Founded in 1947, Kowloon Motor Bus launched a football club that participated in the Hong Kong First Division League starting with the 1947/48 season. Known by the nickname "Atomic Bus," the squad won league championships in 1953/54 and 1966/67. The team experienced its strongest era during the 1950s and 1960s, engaging in notable rivalries such as the "South China - Kowloon Motor Bus Co. crash" (). After narrowly avoiding relegation due to another club’s withdrawal, they were demoted in the 1972/73 season. Their final First Division appearance was in 1976/77 before leaving the league in 1981. The club was re-established for competition in the Hong Kong Third Division League during the 2017/18 season.
See also
- 2003 Tuen Mun Road bus accident – The most fatal accident ever recorded in Hong Kong
- 2018 Hong Kong bus accident
- The Bus Uncle – A widely shared 2006 video of an incident on a KMB bus that became an internet sensation
- Transport in Hong Kong