🏙️ Area guide
Complete Guide to Learning to Drive in Kowloon 2026: 5 Test Centres: Routes, Waiting Times, Difficulty and Instructors
The Kowloon and New Territories region has Hong Kong's largest number of test candidates, covering Chung Yee Street, Pui Ching Road, Tin Kwong Road, Yau Tong, Chak On Road and other centres. This guide examines each centre's routes, difficulty, pass rates and waiting times, with recommended Kowloon instructors and practice areas.
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Test centres
5
Chung Yee Street · Pui Ching Road · Tin Kwong Road · Yau Tong · Chak On Road
Test waiting times: see the latest shared information below
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Road test pass rate
53-60%
Private car Part C 60% · Van 53%
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Instructor fees
$280-$380
45 minutes per lesson
Overview of Kowloon test centres
The Kowloon and New Territories region has several test centres. Candidates cannot choose their test centre; allocation is random by Transport Department computer. These are the vehicle types and route counts at Kowloon's main centres:
| Test centres | Address | Telephone | Vehicle types tested | Number of routes | Difficulty |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chung Yee Street | 5 Chung Yee Street, Kowloon | 2711 7670 | Private car + light goods vehicle | Private car: 2 routes · Van: 2 routes | High |
| Pui Ching Road | Pui Ching Road, Kowloon (Ho Man Tin) | 2711 7670 | private car | Combined test: 3 routes · Road test: 3 routes | High |
| Tin Kwong Road | 11 Tin Kwong Road, Kowloon | 2711 3226 | light goods vehicle | 3 | High |
| Yau Tong | 3 Ka Wing Street, Yau Tong, Kowloon | — | light goods vehicle | 2 routes (being updated) | Moderate |
| Chak On Road | Chak On Road, Sham Shui Po, Kowloon | — | light goods vehicle | 3 | Moderate |
📌 Important: random test centre allocation
After applying for the “Kowloon and New Territories” region, the Transport Department randomly assigns any of the above centres. You have no choice of centre, so learn every centre's routes. Instructors usually take you through all possible routes.
Latest driving test waiting times
Refer to the shared waiting-time section on this page for the source and data date.
💡 Kowloon waiting time tips
- Combined test (written and road tests together): Kowloon 145 days vs Hong Kong Island 156 days → Kowloon is 11 days faster
- Light goods vehicle road test: Kowloon 45 days vs Hong Kong Island 65 days → Kowloon is 20 days faster
- However, private car road test (Part C): Kowloon 74 days vs Hong Kong Island 71 days → Hong Kong Island is slightly faster
- Recommendation: Kowloon offers the best waiting time for light goods vehicle candidates
Chung Yee Street Test Centre (Ho Man Tin)
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Chung Yee Street Driving Test Centre
High difficulty
Private car routes
| Route | Main roads | Challenges |
|---|---|---|
| Route 1 | Chung Yee Street → right onto Hau Man Street → right onto Chung Hau Street → right onto Fat Kwong Street → right onto Chung Hau Street → right onto Hau Man Street → right onto Chung Yee Street → turn around and return | Slow down at Hau Man Street zebra crossings; reduce speed around parked vehicles on Chung Hau Street |
| Route 2 | Chung Yee Street → Hau Man Street → Chung Hau Street → Carmel Village Street → Hau Man Street → Chung Hau Street → Hau Man Street → Chung Yee Street | Narrow Carmel Village Street and repeated turns through many bends |
Light goods vehicle routes
| Route | Main roads | Challenges |
|---|---|---|
| Route 1 | Same as private car Route 1 (Chung Yee Street → Hau Man Street → Chung Hau Street → Fat Kwong Street → return to centre) | Longer vans need more turning space |
| Route 2 | Same as private car Route 2 (via Carmel Village Street) | As above, with more demanding van handling |
⚠️ Chung Yee Street points to note
- Hau Man Street zebra crossings require you to slow down and check, proceeding only when no pedestrians are crossing
- Chung Hau Street has many parked vehicles, requiring slower speeds and awareness of opening doors
- After leaving the centre, parking + three-point turns are completed within the test centre
- Princess Margaret Road's steep slopes require manual learners to control the clutch biting point carefully
Pui Ching Road Test Centre (Ho Man Tin)
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Pui Ching Road Driving Test Centre
High difficulty
Combined test routes
| Route | Main roads | Key sections |
|---|---|---|
| Combined test 1 | Pui Ching Road → Sheung Shing Street → Shek Ku Street → Perth Street → Princess Margaret Road → Argyle Street → Waterloo Road → Pui Ching Road → Man Fuk Road → Man Wan Road | Merging onto Princess Margaret Road and heavy traffic on Argyle Street |
| Combined test 2 | Pui Ching Road → Sheung Hing Street → Princess Margaret Road → Chung Man Street → Chung Hau Street → Fat Kwong Street → Pui Ching Road → Man Fuk Road → Man Wan Road | Turns on Princess Margaret Road and uphill Fat Kwong Street |
| Combined test 3 | Pui Ching Road → Sheung Shing Street → Shek Ku Street → Perth Street → Princess Margaret Road → Sheung Hing Street → Pui Ching Road → Man Fuk Road → Man Wan Road | Successive turns on Princess Margaret Road |
Road test routes
| Route | Main roads | Key sections |
|---|---|---|
| Road test 1 | Pui Ching Road → Sheung Shing Street → Shek Ku Street → Perth Street → Princess Margaret Road → Argyle Street → Waterloo Road → Pui Ching Road | Steep slopes and fast-traffic merging on Princess Margaret Road |
| Road test 2 | Pui Ching Road → Sheung Hing Street → Princess Margaret Road → Chung Man Street → Chung Hau Street → Fat Kwong Street → Pui Ching Road → Man Fuk Road → Man Wan Road | Narrow Man Fuk Road with many parked vehicles |
| Road test 3 | Pui Ching Road → Sheung Shing Street → Shek Ku Street → Perth Street → Princess Margaret Road → Sheung Hing Street → Pui Ching Road → Man Fuk Road → Man Wan Road | Mainly left turns throughout |
⚠️ Pui Ching Road points to note
- Princess Margaret Road is the greatest challenge — fast traffic, merging and alternating uphill and downhill sections
- Argyle Street has many bus routes; watch for buses pulling out
- Waterloo Road has closely spaced traffic lights; decide early whether to stop or proceed
- Man Fuk Road / Man Wan Road are narrow; give way to one another when meeting oncoming vehicles
Tin Kwong Road Test Centre (To Kwa Wan)
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Tin Kwong Road Driving Test Centre
High difficulty
| Route | Main roads | Challenges |
|---|---|---|
| Route 1 | Tin Kwong Road → Kau Pui Lung Road → Lok Shan Road → Maidstone Road → Kiang Su Street → Kau Pui Lung Road → Tin Kwong Road → turn around on Sheung Hong Street → Sheung Shing Street → Tin Kwong Road | Steep Lok Shan Road and narrow Maidstone Road |
| Route 2 | Tin Kwong Road → Sheung Shing Street → turn around on Sheung Hong Street → Sheung Shing Street → Tin Kwong Road → Ma Tau Wai Road → Farm Road → Tin Kwong Road | Heavy traffic on Ma Tau Wai Road and complex traffic on Farm Road |
| Route 3 | Tin Kwong Road → Argyle Street → Grampian Road → Perth Street → Shek Ku Street → Sheung Shing Street → turn around on Sheung Hong Street → Sheung Shing Street → Tin Kwong Road | Fast lanes on Argyle Street and slopes on Grampian Road |
⚠️ Tin Kwong Road points to note
- Regarded as one of the hardest van test centres
- Lok Shan Road / Kau Pui Lung Road have many slopes, requiring precise clutch biting-point control in a manual vehicle
- Sheung Hong Street turning manoeuvre is compulsory, with limited space
- Route 3 uses Argyle Street, with fast traffic and multiple lanes, requiring decisive lane changes
Yau Tong Test Centre
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Yau Tong Driving Test Centre
Moderate difficulty
| Route | Main roads | Challenges |
|---|---|---|
| Route 1 | Ka Wing Street → Yan Wing Street → Cha Kwo Ling Road → Lei Yue Mun Path → three-point turn → Shung Shun Street → Yan Yue Wai → Tung Yuen Street → Cha Kwo Ling Road → Ko Chiu Road → roundabout → Yan Wing Street → Ka Wing Street | Narrow-road turning on Lei Yue Mun Path and roundabout judgement |
| Route 2 | Ka Wing Street → Yan Wing Street → Cha Kwo Ling Road → Ko Chiu Road → Lei Yue Mun Path → Ko Chiu Road → three-point turn → Ko Chiu Road → Yan Wing Street → Ka Wing Street | Uphill and downhill sections on Ko Chiu Road and limited turning space |
💡 Features of Yau Tong Test Centre
- Compared with other Kowloon centres, Yau Tong has lighter traffic and a simpler environment
- However, the routes have many bends, requiring good steering control
- Roundabouts are a key assessment point, requiring correct observation and giving way
Chak On Road Test Centre (Sham Shui Po)
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Chak On Road Driving Test Centre
Moderate difficulty
| Route | Main roads | Challenges |
|---|---|---|
| Route 1 | Chak On Road → Nam Cheong Street → Cornwall Street → slip road beneath flyover → Nam Cheong Street → Pak Tin Street → Pak Wan Street → Nam Cheong Street → Chak On Road | Complex turns on the slip road beneath the Cornwall Street flyover |
| Route 2 | Chak On Road → Nam Cheong Street → slip road beneath Tai Wo Ping flyover → Nam Cheong Street → Pak Tin Street → Pak Wan Street → Nam Cheong Street → Chak On Road | Limited space on the Tai Wo Ping slip road |
| Route 3 (North Kowloon route) | Chak On Road → Nam Cheong Street → beneath Cornwall Street flyover → Tai Po Road → Pak Tin Street → Pak Wan Street → Nam Cheong Street → Chak On Road | Fast traffic on Tai Po Road and uphill Pak Tin Street |
💡 Features of Chak On Road Test Centre
- Routes mainly use Sham Shui Po residential areas, with relatively wide roads and moderate traffic
- Pak Wan Street / Pak Tin Street have slopes, requiring careful starting control
- Nam Cheong Street is a main thoroughfare; watch for pedestrian crossings and turns from two lanes
Kowloon test centre difficulty ranking
| Rank | Test centre | Vehicle type | Difficulty | Challenges in brief |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tin Kwong Road | light goods vehicle | ★★★ | Many steep slopes, difficult turns and fast Argyle Street traffic |
| 2 | Chung Yee Street | Private car + van | ★★★ | Zebra crossing pitfalls, many parked vehicles and merging onto Princess Margaret Road |
| 3 | Pui Ching Road | private car | ★★★ | Steep, fast Princess Margaret Road and narrow Man Fuk Road |
| 4 | Chak On Road | light goods vehicle | ★★☆ | Slip roads beneath flyovers and uphill Pak Tin Street |
| 5 | Yau Tong | light goods vehicle | ★★☆ | Many bends but light traffic; roundabouts |
🏙️ Overall assessment of Kowloon difficulty
Kowloon is generally considered relatively difficult. Main reasons include fast traffic on major roads such as Princess Margaret Road and Argyle Street, many slopes in Ho Man Tin, and densely parked vehicles obstructing visibility. The advantage is that routes are relatively fixed (unlike Happy Valley on Hong Kong Island, which has as many as 4 routes), making them manageable with practice.
Pass rate data
| Vehicle type | Test part | Pass rates | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| private car | Part B (off-road test) | 81% | Off-road parking is relatively straightforward |
| private car | Part C (road test) | 60% | Princess Margaret Road / Argyle Street are the main failure points |
| light goods vehicle | Part B (off-road test) | 80% | Parallel / right-angle parking is easier |
| light goods vehicle | Part C (road test) | 53% | Tin Kwong Road lowers the overall pass rate |
| Motorcycle | Part C (road test) | 44% | Hong Kong's lowest pass rate |
Indicative Kowloon lesson fees
| Item | Automatic private car | Manual private car | Manual light goods vehicle |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fee per lesson (private instructor) | $280-$350 | $300-$380 | $300-$380 |
| Recommended lessons | 15-20 lessons | 20-30 lessons | 20-28 lessons |
| Lesson fee subtotal | $4,200-$7,000 | $6,000-$11,400 | $6,000-$10,640 |
| Test vehicle hire | $2,100-$2,300 | $2,300-$2,400 | $2,200-$2,400 |
| Transport Department fees | $1,058 (learner's licence $548 + test booking $510) | ||
| Total cost | $7,358-$10,358 | $9,358-$14,858 | $9,258-$14,098 |
Kowloon instructor fees are usually $0-$50 lower per lesson than Hong Kong Island, with some Sham Shui Po / Cheung Sha Wan instructors charging as little as $250-$280.
Popular Kowloon practice areas
📍 Ho Man Tin
Around Chung Yee Street and Pui Ching Road test centres, the most popular area for instructor-led practice. Chung Hau Street, Fat Kwong Street and Man Fuk Road are common practice roads.
📍 To Kwa Wan / Hung Hom
Around Tin Kwong Road Test Centre. Kau Pui Lung Road, Lok Shan Road and Sheung Shing Street are popular practice roads, with several open stretches nearby.
📍 Sham Shui Po / Cheung Sha Wan
Around Chak On Road Test Centre: Nam Cheong Street, Pak Wan Street and Pak Tin Street. Many instructors and lower fees.
📍 Yau Tong / Cha Kwo Ling
Around Yau Tong Test Centre: Cha Kwo Ling Road and Ka Wing Street. Lighter traffic suits beginners' early practice.
📍 Kowloon Bay / Kwun Tong
Kwun Tong's industrial area has light weekend traffic. Wide roads such as Wang Chiu Road and Hoi Yuen Road suit lane-change practice.
📍 Kai Tak
New roads in the Kai Tak development are wide. Shing Kai Road, Muk On Street and other new roads have flat surfaces, clear signs and moderate traffic.
Frequently asked questions
No. You can only choose the “Kowloon and New Territories” or “Hong Kong Island” region when applying; the Transport Department then randomly allocates the centre by computer. You may receive Chung Yee Street, Pui Ching Road, Tin Kwong Road, Yau Tong or Chak On Road. Instructors usually take you through every route.
It depends on the vehicle type. Combined test: Kowloon (see the latest shared test waiting-time data) vs Hong Kong Island (see the latest shared test waiting-time data) → Kowloon is faster. Light goods vehicle road test: Kowloon (see the latest shared test waiting-time data) vs Hong Kong Island (see the latest shared test waiting-time data) → Kowloon is much faster. Private car road test: Kowloon (see the latest shared test waiting-time data) vs Hong Kong Island (see the latest shared test waiting-time data) → Hong Kong Island is slightly faster. Overall, waiting times are similar.
Tin Kwong Road (light goods vehicles) and Chung Yee Street is widely regarded as the hardest. It has many steep slopes and fast traffic on Argyle Street. Hau Man Street zebra crossings near Chung Yee Street are hidden pitfalls, with densely parked vehicles. Pui Ching Road's Princess Margaret Road section is also challenging.
A private instructor lesson in Kowloon (45 minutes) costs $280-$380, depending on vehicle and transmission. Automatic is cheaper ($280-$350); manual is dearer ($300-$380). Some Sham Shui Po / Cheung Sha Wan instructors charge as little as $250.
Ho Man Tin is the most convenient — Both Chung Yee Street and Pui Ching Road centres are there, so practice and tests take place in the same area. Next are To Kwa Wan (near Tin Kwong Road) and Sham Shui Po (near Chak On Road). For Kowloon East residents, Yau Tong is convenient for practice.
Yes. Schools in and around Kowloon include: 新觀塘 Driving School (Kwun Tong), 鏗鏘 Driving School (Sham Shui Po / Mong Kok), and intermediaries such as 學車王 with Kowloon offices. Lee Kin Driving School has a Sha Tin branch and also serves Kowloon students.