Owned and operated by RATP Dev, the tramway runs on Hong Kong Island between Kennedy Town and Shau Kei Wan, with a branch circulating through Happy Valley.

Hong Kong's tram system is one of the earliest forms of public transport in the metropolis, having opened in 1904 under British rule.

[4] In addition to being used by commuters, the system is popular with tourists, and is one of the most environmentally friendly ways of travelling in the city.

F. Bulkeley Johnson, with the support of Ng Choy, proposed a Bill for the construction of a tramway system in Hong Kong.

[6] The government hoped that the tram system would provide quick access to all areas of Victoria and reduce dependence on chair coolies.

Track construction began in stages from Happy Valley, Causeway Bay to Shau Kei Wan in September 1903, and was connected westbound to Arsenal Street by August 1904.

Regular tram service commenced on July 30, 1904, with twenty-six single-deck cars delivered in sections and assembled in the depot.

By 1913, open-top cars were fitted with canvas roofs for wet weather protection, and the first dividend was paid by HKT for the year 1912.

Wooden roofs were progressively fitted on tramcars in 1923, and double track construction between Causeway Bay and Shau Kei Wan commenced in 1924.

[9] In 1927, sided indicators were fitted on tramcars, and in 1928, HKT commenced operation on island and Kowloon buses.

The relaying of double track at Causeway Bay began in 1948, and in 1949, Car 120, the first new design constructed by HKT, entered service.

HKT launched Signature trams on November 28, 2011, featuring a combination of modern interior design and traditional outlook with LED displays, stops reporting, and AC motors.

HKT proposed a modern light rail system for East Kowloon as a cheaper alternative to monorail in 2013.

[1] HKT provided real-time estimated time of arrival data to Citymapper in 2016, becoming the first transport operator in Hong Kong to do so.

HKT celebrated 115 years of service with a series of events in 2019, including the introduction of the Bright Ring Tram.

[27] Unlike most forms of public transport in Hong Kong, HKT fares are uniform regardless of the distance travelled.

The trams run on a double-track tram line built parallel to the northern coastline of Hong Kong Island from Kennedy Town to Shau Kei Wan, with a single clockwise-running track of about 3 km (1.9 mi) around the Happy Valley Racecourse.

The termini, from west to east, are Kennedy Town, Shek Tong Tsui, Western Market, Happy Valley, Causeway Bay, North Point, and Shau Kei Wan.

Several tram stops are located in the middle of the road on sheltered refugee islands, which are accessed by pedestrian crossings or footbridges.

The Pedder Street stop was previously named Shu Shun Kwun (書信館), which referred to a now-demolished former General Post Office building.

However, 6 stops, namely Kennedy Town Praya, Hong Kong Cemetery, Wong Nai Chung Road, Nam Hong Street, Chai Wan Road, and the alighting stop of Shau Kei Wan Terminus, have no dedicated platforms and are instead located in the middle of the roadway.

Sai Wan Ho Depot opened on 28 April 1989 and occupies a site of 0.7 hectares (1.7 acres) leased from the government on a 5-year renewable tenancy.

[42] It lies beneath the Island Eastern Corridor near Shau Kei Wan Road and Hoi Foo Street.

In July 1986, the Executive Council approved HKT's plan to establish new depots at Shek Tong Tsui and Sai Wan Ho.

In 2010, HKT appointed a consultancy firm to investigate the feasibility of constructing a 12 kilometres (7.5 mi) modern tramway system in the Kai Tak Development, built on the vacated site of the former Kai Tak Airport, in place of the Environmentally Friendly Linkage System monorail proposed by the Hong Kong Government.

Digital broadcasts will be placed inside the trams to inform passengers of the next stop, and LED lighting will be installed.

[45] In 1970, Chai Wan on the east side of Hong Kong Island was developed into a residential and industrial area, which greatly increased traffic demand to Central.

During the development of Tuen Mun New Town in the 1970s, the government reserved space for the construction of a rail transportation system.

HKT initially expressed interest in the construction of the railway and intended to operate it with double-decker trams, but later withdrew.

[47] Two days later, it was reported that HKT suspended a speed monitoring programme intended to discourage drivers from travelling too slowly.