Ocean Park cable car or train? Which to take up, and which to take down

Ocean Park cable car or train? For most visitors the answer is both: take the Ocean Express train up to the Summit in the morning, and ride the cable car back down in the afternoon. The train is faster and carries more people, so its queue moves when the cable car line doesn't. The cable car is the better ride, so save it for when the queue is short and you are not racing the crowds to the big rides.

Both are included in your admission ticket, so this is about time and views, not money. Here is how the two compare and when each one wins.

Why you have to choose at all

Ocean Park is built on both sides of Brick Hill. The Waterfront, with the entrance, the Grand Aquarium and the pandas, sits at the bottom. The Summit, with the thrill rides, Marine World and Polar Adventure, sits on the headland on the other side. You cannot walk between them. The only links are the cable car over the hill and the Ocean Express funicular through it.

Both Waterfront stations are on the left side of the main entrance, so you can see both queues before you commit.

Ocean Park cable car vs Ocean Express at a glance

• Journey time: the cable car takes about 8 minutes. The Ocean Express takes about 4.
• Distance: the cable car runs about 1.5km. The Ocean Express tunnel is about 1.3km.
• Capacity: the cable car moves about 4,000 people an hour in six-person cars. The Ocean Express handles up to 5,000 an hour, with each train carrying up to 250 people.
• Views: the cable car has the sea, the cliffs and the bays around Aberdeen. The Ocean Express is in a tunnel, with a submarine-themed show on screens instead.
• Weather: the cable car is exposed and stops in bad weather. The Ocean Express is underground and air-conditioned.
• Cost: both are free once you are in the park.

The cable car: the better ride, the slower queue

The cable car opened with the park in 1977, and Ocean Park still calls it world famous. It runs 252 cars on two pairs of ropeways, and the ride swings out over the coastline with open views of the sea and the hills. You also see most of the park from above, which helps you work out where you want to go next.

The catch is the queue. It is the first thing most people head for when the gates open, and the cars only take six at a time, so on busy days the line can get long soon after opening. Parent blogs lajollamom and tothotornot both report the same pattern: the line up is the bad one in the morning, and the line down stays fairly quiet until near closing time.

Two other things to know. The cars are small and can feel windy, so anyone nervous about heights may prefer the train. And because the cableway is exposed, it does not run in bad weather. On a stormy day the Ocean Express may be your only way between the two halves of the park.

The Ocean Express: faster, and a ride of its own

The Ocean Express is a funicular that opened in September 2009, built to take pressure off the cable car. Two trains run through a tunnel under Brick Hill, one going up while the other comes down, and the trip takes about four minutes.

It is not just a shuttle. The cars are themed as a submarine, with dimmed lights and ceiling screens showing sea creatures as you climb. It is also air-conditioned, which matters on a hot day.

Its big advantage is capacity. Each train carries up to 250 people, but only 40 of them sit, so most people stand. A long Ocean Express line still moves quickly. lajollamom calls it "probably your best bet" on peak days, when the cable car line can be very long even shortly after opening.

Which to take, and when

Going up in the morning: the Ocean Express. The big rides are all at the Summit, and their queues are shortest early. Take the train, save yourself the cable car line, and ride the Hair Raiser before the crowds arrive. Our ranking of the best rides at Ocean Park for adults lists what to ride first.

Coming down in the afternoon: the cable car. Ride it back to the Waterfront once you are done at the Summit. You get the views without the morning crowd, and the walk from the bottom station takes you through Old Hong Kong, a street modelled on 1950s Hong Kong.

Avoid the last hour. Everyone heads down at the end of the day, so the cable car queue grows again near closing. On the day we checked, both the cable car and the Ocean Express ran 10am to 6:30pm. Hours change by date, so check the best days and times to visit Ocean Park before you go.

If you have FasTrack: Ocean Park's paid Ocean FasTrack covers both the cable car and the Ocean Express. The Standard tier gives seven priority entries for HK$320, so spending one on the cable car on a busy morning can be worth it. Admission prices and more on FasTrack are in our Ocean Park tickets guide.

Strollers, wheelchairs and fear of heights

Strollers: you have to fold your stroller to ride the cable car. The tothotornot family guide says it was the only place in the park they had to fold theirs, so the Ocean Express is the easier way up with a baby. Ocean Park rents strollers in Aqua City at the Waterfront for HK$150 a day, plus a HK$100 refundable deposit.

Wheelchairs: the cable car has specially designed cars that fit one wheelchair and one companion, and staff help you board. The Hong Kong NGO guide e-cgo notes there are only a few of these cars, so boarding can take longer, and it recommends the Ocean Express instead because the gap between platform and train is small. Wheelchairs can be rented at the same Aqua City counter for HK$60 a day, plus a HK$100 deposit.

Fear of heights: take the Ocean Express both ways. You will miss the views, not any part of the park.

Quick answers

Is the Ocean Park cable car included in the ticket? Yes. Both the cable car and the Ocean Express are included in general admission. There is no extra charge once you are inside.

How long is the Ocean Park cable car ride? About 8 minutes each way over roughly 1.5km. The Ocean Express takes about 4 minutes.

Where does the cable car start and end? It runs between the Waterfront Cable Car Station, on the left side of the main entrance, and the Summit Cable Car Station on the headland.

Can you walk from the Waterfront to the Summit? No. The two areas are separated by Brick Hill, so you need the cable car or the Ocean Express.

Does the cable car run in bad weather? Not always. It is exposed and can be suspended in strong wind or storms. The Ocean Express runs through a tunnel, so it is the reliable option when the weather turns.

Is it worth going to Ocean Park Hong Kong? For pandas, the aquarium and a handful of good thrill rides, yes. The rest of the park is covered in Ocean Park Hong Kong: is it worth it?

How many hours do you need for Ocean Park? Most visitors spend six to eight hours. Allow a little time for each crossing between the two areas, more if the cable car queue is long.