Citybus Route 3B

Citybus Route 3B
Overview
Operator	Citybus
Garage	to be determined
Vehicle	Volvo Olympian (9**/90**) Dennis Dragon (7**) MAN NL262 (15**) Volvo B6LE (13**)
Route
Start	Central (Rumsey Street)
Via	Mid-levels, the University of Hong Kong
End	Pokfield Road
Length	5.9 km
Other routes	Citybus Route 12 and 12M
Competition	Minibus Route 8, 22 and 22S
Service
Level	0630 - 2354
Alt. level	0655 - 2325
Frequency	12 - 20 min
Journey time	29 min
Fare	HK$3.4 (Fully air-conditioned)

Route 3B is a bus route operated by Citybus, between Central (Rumsey Street) and Pokfield Road Bus Terminus by way of Mid-levels. Before 1997, the number of the route was 3.

History

The route was opened by The Hongkong and Shanghai Hotels in the 1920s, between Royal Pier, Central and University of Hong Kong via Caine Road, with no route number. On 1933-06-11 the route was taken over by China Motor Bus as part of the Hong Kong Island bus franchise, and given the number 3.

In 1934 the Central terminus was changed to the Hongkong and Yaumati Ferry Piers. On 1935-04-01 the route became circular with the Central bound by way of Sai Ying Pun, but the arrangement was cancelled on 1937-06-14. During Japanese occupation of Hong Kong no service on the route was provided.

Service was resumed on 1946-04-16 between Royal Pier and University of Hong Kong. The Central terminus was changed to Central Piers on 13 May the same year, then to Jubilee Street on 1960-01-01. On 1963-10-01 service was extended to Pokfield Road bus terminus. On 1974-04-16 the route was changed to Robinson Road for the Central bound in conjunction with the inauguration of the first bus lane in Hong Kong. On 1976-03-01 service was extended to Queen Mary Hospital, but cut back to Pokfield Road on 1982-09-01. On 1985-12-20 the Central terminus was changed to Hong Kong-Macau Ferry Pier, and to Rumsey Street on 1986-05-23 in conjunction with the opening of Sheung Wan Station on Island Line of MTR.

Patronage decreased after Citybus took over routes 12 and 12M and converted to air-conditioned routes, since route 3 was still a non air-conditioned route with the same prices. On 1997-06-02 China Motor Bus gave up the route due to low patronage. Citybus was interested in taking over the route, and it did so immediately. Since the route was not taken over directly from China Motor Bus, Citybus cannot use the number 3, and the number was changed to 3B. The route became an air-conditioned, and patronage level had increased since then. ^[1]

Route

Journey is 5.9 in total in 29 minutes.

In the following chart, the brackets denote locations of intermediate stops on that road.

Towards Pokfield Road Man Kat Street Connaught Road Central (Jardine House, City Hall) Cotton Tree Drive (Hong Kong Park) Kennedy Road (Kennedy Heights) Upper Albert Road Caine Road (Caritas House, Dr Sun Yat-sen Museum, Ladder Street, Caine Road Garden) Bonham Road (Euston Court, Kenyon Court, Centre Street, HKU East Gate) Pok Fu Lam Road (HKU East Gate, Lady Ho Tung Hall, Pokfield Road Bus Terminus)

Towards Rumsey Street Pok Fu Lam Road (Pokfield Road Bus Terminus, Academic Terrace, Lady Ho Tung Hall, Chiu Sheung School Hong Kong) Bonham Road (King's College, Ning Yeung Terrace) Park Road (St. Stephen's Girls' College, Euston Court) Robinson Road (Ying Wa Girls' School, Peaksville, Seymour Road, Raimondi College, Garden Terrace) Garden Road (Hong Kong Zoological and Botanical Gardens, St. John's Cathedral Des Voeux Road Central (The Landmark, Central Market) Wing Wo Street Connaught Road Central Man Kat Street

^{[1] [2] [3]}

References

1. ^ ^{a b} Lo, Eric. "Citybus Route 3B". 681 Bus Terminal. http://www.681busterminal.com/hk-3b.html. Retrieved 2008-06-21. 
2. ^ Citybus. "Route 1". http://www.citybus.com.hk/eng/RouSer/RouteSearch/busroute_info.asp?route=1++++&routetype=D&company=5&routenumber=1. Retrieved 2008-02-13. 
3. ^ 2007 Hong Kong Map. Easy Finder.