"20 Minutes On An Escalator": American Traveller Stunned By Hong Kong's Never-Ending Ride (WATCH)

An American travel vlogger took around 20 minutes to ride Hong Kong's famous Mid-Levels Escalator system. She documented the journey, admired the city views and wondered how she would make her way back down after reaching the top.

Hong Kong is known for its impressive skyline, bustling streets and unique urban attractions. Among its many distinctive features is the Mid-Levels Escalator system, an extensive network of outdoor covered escalators and walkways that offers commuters and visitors a different way to explore the city. Stretching through busy neighbourhoods, the system passes shops, restaurants and eateries, making the journey an experience in itself. An American travel vlogger recently documented her ride on the famous escalator system, revealing that it took her around 20 minutes to reach the top.

American Vlogger Takes On Hong Kong's Mid-Levels Escalator

Travel vlogger Kat, who runs the social media page Travel with Kat, shared a video documenting her experience of riding the Mid-Levels Escalator in Hong Kong. In the video, she described it as the world's longest outdoor covered escalator system and compared its overall length to the height of the Burj Khalifa.

She began her journey at 2:51 pm, telling viewers that she wanted to find out how long it would take to reach the top. After travelling for 10 minutes, she revealed that she was still making her way upwards.

As the journey continued, the vlogger was surprised by the number of escalators along the route and the increasingly steep sections. She also admired the city views from the elevated stretches. At one point, she expressed concern about how she would return to the starting point, assuming that there were no escalators to take her back down.

After approximately 20 minutes, she finally reached the end of the escalator system. While celebrating completing the journey, she said she now had to figure out how to get back down.

How Does Hong Kong's Mid-Levels Escalator System Work?

The Mid-Levels Escalator system is a well-known transport feature in Hong Kong. It connects the Central business district with the Mid-Levels residential neighbourhoods and provides a convenient route through the city's hilly terrain.

The system operates in different directions depending on the time of day. It runs downhill from 6 am to 10 am to accommodate the morning commute. From 10:20 am until midnight, it operates uphill, helping people travel towards the Mid-Levels area.

The covered escalators and moving walkways pass through several commercial and residential stretches, with shops, restaurants and eateries located along the route. This also gives visitors an opportunity to explore parts of Hong Kong beyond its popular tourist attractions.

How Did Social Media React?

The vlogger's experience prompted several reactions from social media users, particularly regarding her concern about finding a way back down after reaching the top. Some users pointed out that returning on foot was possible.

One user suggested, "There is road to go down."

A second user commented, "I did it yesterday, no figuring out needed, I just walked down the steps to get back back down."

A third user commented, "Fun fact: the escalators switch directions halfway through the day to take commuters down."