Public Light Bus - Red Minibuses

Red Minibuses

Red minibuses run a non-scheduled service, although many routes may in effect become fixed over time. Red minibuses may operate anywhere where no special prohibitions apply, without control over routes or fares. The operation of red minibuses provides services according to market demand.

On some routes red minibuses may run through the whole day (24-hour service), such as Tai Po-Mong Kok, Tsuen Wan-Kwun Tong, Kwun Tong-Mong Kok, Yuen Long-Jordan Road etc. Other routes may only run as midnight services, such as from Yuen Long-Causeway Bay.

In most red minibuses, passengers pay just before they alight, and change for cash payment may be available, or may have a small amount deducted off the amount of change for the inconvenience (of giving change). Only a few red minibuses are equipped to accept payment by Octopus card. Red minibuses' fares and timetables are not regulated by the Government, and so, may occasionally be more expensive than their Green counterparts.

When travelling on a red minibus, the destination shown on the destination box may be an historical name of a place or a building which no longer exists (e. g., Daimaru (Chinese: 大丸), a defunct department store located in Causeway Bay). In the New Territories, they usually display Sheung Shui, Castle Peak Road (and other busy roads), or Tai Po, etc., and sometimes carry a number. This number is a legacy of the pre-1973 route numbering in the New Territories. In those days red minibuses would carry a number indicating that it would travel on essentially the same route as bigger buses with that route number.