Hong Kong School of Monitoring is the first government-designated driving school in the city. It has been providing training and testing facilities for clients in Shatin, Causeway Bay, and other parts of the city since 1983.

One of the biggest highlights of this school for us is its independent driving range. The vast facility lets students experience different traffic conditions and practice parking, driving on slopes, and more. 

Another plus is they have road safety centers and designated training centers all over the city. This makes it more convenient to have a pre-in car and on-road practice since the centers are very accessible.  

We also love that students practice on the actual routes for driving tests. This allows students to build familiarity with the routes, helping them be more confident on the test day. This also likely contributes to the school’s high passing rate. 

We’re just not happy with some of the training vehicles. Some are old and prone to breaking down during on-road practice. A few students have complained about the difficulties in rescheduling driving exams.   

Great facilities 

“There is an independent driving range. Practice hard before driving on the real road. Your mind will be settled.”

Geokibu Lui, Google Reviews 

Skilled and experienced instructor 

“The teachers are excellent and the equipment is complete. Professor Zhu SIR has rich experience and is irreplaceable! Liang SIR (Gold Medal Passepartout) has both theory and practice, and has benefited greatly! I most appreciate the courses that teach driving theory, they are indispensable.”

WingChung YIP, Google Reviews 

Driving King is a platform where you can find a network of certified private driving instructors in Hong Kong. 

One of the things we like about this service is that the rates are more affordable. Compared to schools offering a full course that consists of several lessons, here you can opt to pay per lesson. 

We also appreciate the detailed pricing table on their website. This table gives clients a transparent view of their cost structure depending on vehicle types, car rentals, and lesson frequency. 

Now, if you failed your initial driving test and want to retake it ASAP, you can opt for their Repeater Early Test Appointment. 

Through this, you can reapply and get a spot the day after you sign up for an appointment. We think this is very convenient because rebooking driving exams in other schools can usually take around a week or two.  

Our only complaint is that they don’t have their own driving range, so the routes may vary depending on the private instructor you’re working with. 

Knowledgeable instructor 

“Incredibly helpful! They were able to help me get a fast date twice to retake my road test! Very helpful and resourceful! Strongly recommend. My instructor was very good as well as he corrected all the wrongs my previous instructor from another school.”

Cyn Shiu, Google Reviews

Efficient and highly recommended 

“Prompt reply and good customer service! The driving instructor is very polite and patient! Highly recommended!”

Imogen Wong, Google Reviews 

Tak On Driving School is a well-established driving school that’s been operating since the 1970s. With its accessible training and test locations in Happy Valley, Kowloon, and Tin Hau, it’s an ideal choice no matter where you are in the city. 

We think their discounted lesson packages offer a good value for beginners. Prices range from HKD 7,450 for 15 lessons to HKD 14,050 for 35 lessons. These bundles include theoretical lectures, on-road training, and car hire for the test. 

Meanwhile, if you already know the basics and just need to brush up on your driving skills, you can book their refresher lesson. This eight-hour lesson may sound excruciatingly long, but it only costs HKD 430 and can be accomplished in just one day! 

Plus, past students we talked to said the instructors are very engaging, so you won’t get bored. 

Note, though, that if you fail your initial driving exam and need to retake the lessons, the course may be more expensive.    

Engaging lessons 

“Honestly, its hard to enjoy this course.. but Peter somehow managed to make it and keep it interesting the whole way through. He is very thoughtful and engaging. If you have to do this (I did!) Peter is your guy!”

Adrian Valenzuela, Google Reviews 

Fun and enthusiastic instructor 

“Peter Lau was a great teacher, Although the course was 8 hours, he kept us well entertained and was humorous throughout so we would all pay attention. Additionally, he used efficient methods of teaching in order to make sure we remember what we were taught.”

Matthew Lee, Google Reviews

Next on our list is New Kwun Tong Driving School. Since 2018, this government-designated driving school has been the go-to pick in Kwun Tong. 

What we like most about them is they provide segmented teaching programs. Lessons start with onsite training and are followed by road test simulation. They end with a road test training and examination.    

We recommend the school to people just starting to know the basics of driving.  Their step-by-step and substantial practice times offer plenty of opportunities to be ready for the official exam.  

The majority of students we’ve spoken with also praised how thorough the training is. This is evident in their Newbie Full Course, which provides a 45-minute practical training and a 55-minute theoretical lesson per session.

Sadly, though, this school’s training ground is relatively small. Practicing can be a bit hard when they have a lot of students.

Additionally, their application process might be inconvenient for those with tight schedules. Previous students also complain about the long queuing time when signing up for car rentals and tests.

Positive and professional 

“I would like to express my special thanks to Angus Sir, the motorcycle instructor. He is heart-warming and enthusiastic, and answers all questions. I walked out of the examination room to see if there was anything I needed to pay attention to, and I successfully passed.”

Po Lam, Google Reviews 

One-take pass 

“1 take pass. It is recommended to join the road test. There are many roundabouts.”

David Woo, Google Reviews

Lee Kin Driving School is one of the most well-known driving schools in Hong Kong. Perhaps one of your family members received their driver’s license through this school! 

It has branches in Sham Shui Po, Tsuen Wan, and other parts of Kowloon and New Territories, so it’s pretty easy to access for most learners.

Aside from accessibility, what sets them apart are their instructors. From what we’ve heard, the driving instructors here have at least 15 years of experience under their belt. 

Apart from that, they keep things up-to-date. Their facilities are furnished with digital teaching and simulation equipment. Recently, they’ve upgraded all their training vehicles, something we haven’t seen at many other schools.

It’s also good to know that their driving improvement courses are accredited by Hong Kong’s Transport Department. This gives an extra layer of credibility to their courses.

As for pricing, Lee Kin is not the cheapest option out there. Their automatic drive training costs HKD 390 per lesson, while manual drive (stick shift) training costs HKD 450 per lesson. 

Currently, though, manual drive training is only provided in their Kowloon locations. If you’re not near this area and want to learn how to drive manual cars, you might have to look elsewhere.

Worth queuing for

“Many people queued up to learn how to drive, but it was worth it. I took the test twice and passed!” 

Chris Sung, Google Reviews

 Patient and friendly instructors 

“The staff is very nice and patient in explaining the course.”

Kai Chung, Google Reviews