The New Territories Bus Route 249M is operated by Kowloon Motor Bus (KMB). It runs circular between Tsing Yi Station and Mayfair Gardens, via Tsing King Road, Chung Mei Road and Ching Hong Road, providing convenient en-route connections with the MTR Tung Chung Line/Airport Express.
History[]
In the 1998-1999 Bus Route Development Programme, the Government proposed to introduce this route in June 1998 between Mayfair Gardens (Sai Shan Road) and Tsing Yi AR Station.
- 22 June 1998: Route 249M entered service with the opening of MTR Tung Chung Line.[1]
- As the Tung Chung Line only operated between 07:00 and 20:00 daily at that time, the service hours of this route were similar.
- 6 July 1998: Service hours were extended with the opening of Airport Express, the opening of Hong Kong International Airport and the extension of Tung Chung Line service hours to late night.
- 19 October 2002: Interchange concessions with several routes terminating at Tsing Yi Station were introduced.[2]
- 27 June 2015: Estimated Time of Arrival Enquiry System was introduced to this route.[3]
- 26 November 2018: The last bus time was delayed from 00:50 to 01:15.[4][5]
- 17 March 2024: Interchange concession with route 41A was introduced.[6]
Historical route information[]
Details of the past service hours and headways, fares and other route information of this route are set out in the "Historical route information" sub-page of this article.
Service hours and headways[]
The latest update is on 6/2025, see here for the referenced link
| From Tsing Yi Station | |
|---|---|
| Service hours | Headways (mins) |
| Mondays to Fridays | |
| 05:45 - 07:05 | 10 |
| 07:05 - 07:45 | 8 |
| 07:45 - 08:35 | 10 |
| 08:35 - 11:35 | 12 |
| 11:35 - 14:44 | 9 |
| 14:44 - 17:00 | 8 |
| 17:00 - 20:00 | 7/8 |
| 20:00 - 23:00 | 9 |
| 23:00 - 00:00 | 12 |
| 00:00 - 01:15 | 15 |
| Saturdays | |
| 05:45 - 08:09 | 12 |
| 08:09 - 10:15 | 9 |
| 10:15 - 16:15 | 8 |
| 16:15 - 19:15 | 7/8 |
| 19:15 - 23:00 | 9 |
| 23:00 - 00:00 | 12 |
| 00:00 - 01:15 | 15 |
| Sundays and Public Holidays | |
| 05:45 - 08:00 | 15 |
| 08:00 - 08:36 | 12 |
| 08:36 - 14:00 | 9 |
| 14:00 - 19:44 | 8 |
| 19:44 - 22:08 | 9 |
| 22:08 - 23:48 | 10 |
| 23:48 - 00:00 | 12 |
| 00:00 - 01:15 | 15 |
- This route provides Estimated Time of Arrival enquiry Service.
Fares[]
| Journey/boarding stop | Air-conditioned fare |
|---|---|
| Full fare | $4.8 |
| Fare Remarks |
|---|
|
Bus-Bus Interchange Concessions[]
Passengers using the same Octopus card to interchange to the designated route after this route within a specific time, or transfer from the designated route to this route can enjoy an interchange concession. The details are as follows: (Half discount for children and senior citizens.) Template:KMB Route 249M Interchange Concession Scheme
LWB Airbus Routes and KMB Interchange Concession Scheme[]
| LWB Airport Routes, AsiaWorld-Expo Special Routes and KMB Interchange Concession Scheme | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st leg | Direction | 2nd leg | Direction | Discount for 2nd leg | Time limit |
| X33, X36, X40, X43, X47 | To Urban | KMB solely-operated routes | Unlimited | Positive difference between the fare payable for the 2nd leg minus the fare paid for the 1st leg Free if the difference is in negative number |
150mins |
| A30, A31, A32, A33, A33X, A34, A36, A37, A38, A41, A41P, A42, A43, A43P *, A46, A47X | 120mins | ||||
| KMB Solely-operated routes | Any | A30, A31, A32, A33, A33X, A34, A36, A37, A38, A41, A41P, A42, A43, A43P *, A46, A47X | to Airport | ||
|
Note:
＊: For interchanging from KMB Route B1 (Tin Tsz direction) to LWB Route A43P ( Airport direction), the actual fare paid for the first journey will be refunded for the next journey, except that the interchange concession cannot be enjoyed for the first journey of Route B1, otherwise, only the normal (i.e. maximum $6.0) interchange concession will be offered; for interchange from LWB Route A43P (Luen Wo Hui direction) to KMB Route B1 (Lok Ma Chau direction), passengers will be offered a free interchange concession for the second journey, but no interchange discount will be offered for the first journey of route A43P and no other interchange concession will be offered for route B1 thereafter. This special concession is not applicable to other LWB A routes (including Routes A36, A37 and A43). | |||||
Bus deployments[]
A total of 6 Enviro500 MMC 12m (ATENU) double-decker buses are assigned to this route as scheduled buses.
| List of buses on Route 249M | ||
|---|---|---|
| Fleet no. | Plate no. | Depot |
| ATENU88 | SF4417 | Lai Chi Kok Depot (Tsing Yi Sub-depot) (L) |
| ATENU113 | SG1779 | |
| ATENU354 | TB1819 | |
| ATENU692 | TR1503 | |
| ATENU698 | TR621 | |
| ATENU755 | TS6275 | |
The above list of scheduled buses are as of May 2024, forwarded from hk2007.buscess website (Chinese only). The above buses might not be listed according to running orders.
The related content is for reference only and will be updated according to fleet changes (check update list). To check scheduled bus changes, refer to detailed information on hk2007.buscess website.2524
Bus deployment evolution history[]
| Bus deployment evolution history of KMB Route 249M |
|---|
|
During its initial operation, Route 249M primarily utilised Volvo Olympian 11m (AV) buses, with exceptionally frequent services during peak hours. However, as the Tung Chung Line had only recently commenced operations, residents of Tsing Yi had yet to become accustomed to using it for commuting. Kowloon Motor Bus significantly overestimated passenger demand, leading to the entire route being converted to single-decker Dennis Dart (AA) buses the following year. Subsequently, as residents increasingly relied on the Tung Chung Line for travel, patronage on this route recovered. In 2002, the route was operated using a mixed fleet of Dennis Dart (AA) single-deckers and Volvo Super Olympian 12m (3ASV) double-deckers, before transitioning entirely to the latter type.[7] However, government regulations stipulated that bus routes operating along Nathan Road must use vehicles meeting Euro III or higher emission standards. Consequently, the original fleet was redeployed to routes 33A and 914, with the route being replaced by Dennis Trident 12m (ATR) buses previously operating on routes 33A, 36B and 960. In September 2009, a Volvo Super Olympian (3ASV456/KT8144) was reintroduced to replace a Dennis Trident (ATR198/JM7548), serving as the holiday order bus for Route 41A. Following multiple redeployments, the entire route's fleet reverted to Volvo Super Olympian (3ASV) buses. In September 2015, an Enviro500 MMC 12m (ATENU) originally assigned to Route 6C was introduced to serve sections requiring low-emission vehicle operation. This was replaced in December of the same year by a Volvo B9TL (AVBWU447/TW1903). From 2016, high-capacity vehicles were introduced, including Dennis Trident 12m (ATR) and Enviro500 MMC 12m (ATENU) buses. However, due to persistently high passenger volumes, the majority of vehicles were subsequently replaced with Enviro500 MMC 12.8m buses (3ATENU, reintroduced in July 2020 before being withdrawn again two years later). Nevertheless, all 12.8-metre vehicles were transferred to Tuen Mun Depot (U) in August 2018 to continue service, with vacancies filled by identical 12-metre models (ATENU) previously deployed on Route 118. In April 2021, Enviro500 12m buses (ATE, since withdrawn) were introduced on this route. |
Routing[]
The distance of this route is approx. 7.8km, and the journey time is approximately 32mins. (The average speed is 14.6km/h.)
Via: Tsing King Road, Tsing Yi Heung Sze Wui Road, Chung Mei Road, Ching Hong Road (eastbound), roundabout, Ching Hong Road (westbound), Chung Mei Road, Tsing Yi Heung Sze Wui Road and Tsing King Road
Ridership[]
According to the Bus Route Planning Programmes and other information, the ridership of this route is as follows:
- 2017: The occupancy rate during the peakiest hour was 71%.
- 2019: The occupancy rate during the peakiest hour was 60%.[8]
- 2020: The occupancy rate during the peakiest hour was 54%.[9]
Related events/incidents[]
- 17 January 2011: Route 249M was scheduled to receive order bus support from Route 43C at that time. However, on that day, the running order schedule for Route 43C experienced a situation that hot dog buses replaced air-conditioned buses in which a Dennis Dragon (S3N327/FZ6940), displaying the plastic route sign and destination board for Route 249M, was stopped from providing service by the regulator upon arrival at Tsing Yi Railway Station.[10]
- 5 January 2020: A girl with disabilities requiring a child's wheelchair and her mother were refused service by two successive bus captains on this route, on the grounds that a child's wheelchair did not qualify as a wheelchair. One bus captain even clashed with the mother, immediately ceasing service, prompting KMB staff to attend the scene. The mother subsequently lodged complaints with both the newspaper and KMB, and KMB responded that it would instruct the drivers concerned and arrange for plainclothes staff to monitor the situation.[11]
Gallery[]
Remarks[]
Related articles[]
- KMB Route 43B (1st generation) (Cancelled)
- KMB Route 49M
- KMB Route N243
- New Territories GMB Route 88F
References[]
- ↑ 機場鐵路東涌線通車及赤立角新機場啟用，巴士路線改動安排 (Bus route changes with the opening of Lantau Airport Railway Tung Chung Line and the new Chek Lap Kok Airport), BUStop, June 1998.
- ↑ The Kowloon Motor Bus Company (1933) Limited, "KMB Introduces Eight Octopus Bus-Bus Interchange Packages" [News Release].
- ↑ The Kowloon Motor Bus Company (1933) Limited, "Estimated Time of Arrival Enquiry service introduced to 146 routes covering more than half KMB and Long Win Routes" [News Release], 26 June 2015.
- ↑ Transport Department HKSARG, "Service Adjustment of KMB Route No. 249M" [Traffic Advice], 23 November 2018.
- ↑ The Kowloon Motor Bus Company (1933) Limited, "249M Extend Last Departure & Frequency Adjustment" [Passenger Notice], November 2018.
- ↑ The Kowloon Motor Bus Company (1933) Limited, "Interchanging is so Simple: KMB introduces interchange concessions in Kowloon City, Ngau Chi Wan and Tsuen Kwai Tsing to offer a more economical option for travelling around Hong Kong" [News Release], 15 March 2024.
- ↑ The Kowloon Motor Bus Company (1933) Limited, "Summary on the Bus Service Enhancement in June 2002" .
- ↑ "Bus Route Programme 2019-2020 of Kwai Tsing District (Reply from TD)" (Chinese only), KTDC(TTC) Paper No. 1v/D/2019.
- ↑ Transport Department HKSARG, "Bus Route Programme 2020-2021 of Kwai Tsing District" (Chinese only), February 2020.
- ↑ Related post on hkitalk.net (Chinese)
- ↑ "【九巴拒載】司機連番拒載留難傷殘女兒 媽媽：呢個世界仲有冇愛", HK01, 7 January 2020.
External links[]
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