Passengers may soon be allowed to travel with their pets on MTR trains, with the rail operator expected to make a final decision as early as the first half of this year, sources said.
The move, which could include designated pet carriages, has been debated internally for years, with earlier proposals suggesting restrictions during peak hours or on specific routes, particularly those serving the New Territories.
However, sources said these plans were shelved due to operational challenges and concerns about passenger convenience.
The issue has recently resurfaced, with renewed discussions on how to implement such a policy.
New Territories North lawmaker Gary Zhang Xinyu, a former MTR engineer, supports the initiative, saying it could boost the local economy by making travel more convenient for pet owners.
“People who love pets will welcome this while those who don’t might have strong reactions,” Zhang said in an interview on Tuesday.
He suggested that operational strategies, such as designating carriages during off-peak hours and deploying additional staff to guide pet owners, could help address concerns.
“This is not unique to Hong Kong; many cities already allow pets on public transport. I don’t see why it can’t work here,” he added.
Zhang said the current period is an opportune time to relax pet travel restrictions, citing the full operation of the Tuen Ma Line and the extension of the East Rail Line, which have made passenger distribution across the rail network more balanced.
“Carriages are rarely overcrowded during off-peak hours, creating suitable conditions for introducing pet carriages,” he said.
According to 2019 data from the Census and Statistics Department, over 240,000 households in Hong Kong own dogs or cats.
Over 80 percent of Hong Kong’s regular ferry routes, or 19, allow pets on board, provided they are leashed or kept in carriers and remain in designated areas.
Other transport operators, such as minibuses, non-franchised buses, and taxis, also have discretionary policies on pet travel while the MTR and franchised buses are subject to stricter regulations.
Under the Mass Transit Railway By-laws, only guide dogs or animals explicitly permitted by the MTR are allowed on trains, with violators facing fines of up to HK$5,000 and six months in prison.
Franchised buses prohibit animals except for guide dogs, with offenders liable to a HK$2,000 fine.
Kowloon Motor Bus launched a pet bus service on weekends last year, charging a minimum fare of HK$60 per trip.
Meanwhile, MTR CEO Jacob Kam Chak-pui said the fares this year are likely to remain unchanged under the current fare adjustment mechanism, pending the release of final government data.
Kam acknowledged the competing interests of passengers seeking lower fares and employees seeking higher wages, emphasizing the company’s efforts to strike a balance.
(Ayra Wang)
