Kai Tak Hospital will start clinical services on October 5, when its integrated family medicine centre opens. The centre is intended to provide additional consultation capacity for people with chronic and episodic illnesses.
The hospital will open in stages. Specialist outpatient services in internal medicine, surgery, neurosurgery, family medicine and oncology will be introduced progressively, alongside allied-health, diagnostic and radiotherapy services. Kai Tak Hospital is in Kowloon Bay, opposite Hong Kong Children's Hospital.
With about 2,400 beds and 37 operating theatres, Kai Tak Hospital is described as Hong Kong's largest public hospital. It is expected to serve residents mainly in Yau Tsim Mong, Kowloon City, Wong Tai Sin and Kwun Tong, and is intended to become the leading hospital in the Kowloon Central cluster, replacing Queen Elizabeth Hospital in that role.
The Transport Department has announced phased changes to roads and public transport for patients, carers, visitors and staff. Ten franchised bus routes and six green-minibus routes serve the hospital area directly from Kowloon districts and nearby MTR stations. More than 40 franchised bus and green-minibus routes serving the wider Kowloon Bay commercial area stop around Kai Fuk Road or Zero Carbon Park, from where passengers can use a covered footbridge to reach the hospital.
Citybus launched routes 20X and 22S on September 28. Route 20X is a full-day circular service costing HK$10.30. Route 22S links Kai Tak Public Transport Interchange, the hospital and the Kai Tak runway area; its weekday hospital short-haul express service runs as frequently as every 10 minutes and costs HK$7.30. From October 5, routes 20A, 22 and 22M are scheduled to add hospital stops.
A rehabilitation bus is also scheduled to run from October 5 between the hospital area and Kai Tak and Lok Fu MTR stations. Drivers approaching from central, eastern or western Kowloon can use Kai Tak Bridge Road, Cheung Yip Street or the Kai Tak Cruise Terminal exit of the Central Kowloon Route. The hospital's emergency department is expected to open in 2028.