Hong Kong rail rovers

[Jamesrob637]

Myself and a friend are going to HKG in March. Our first port of call will be the railway station at HKG airport to take the train into town and dump our bags at the hotel. I would like to know one or both of two things:

1) As the flight from Manchester will be long, is there a type of ticket or rover we can buy in advance, so that we don't have to faff about after immigration and can just jump straight on the first available train we see going?

2) Can you get a rover or a pass for 7 days that includes tourist attractions such as maybe discounts on the Peak tram?

Thanking you and wishing you and yours a Merry Christmas and prosperous 2024.

 

[Railsigns]

You should buy an Octopus card when you arrive at the airport. It's the HK equivalent of the Oyster card, and you can use it on the Peak Tram.

 

[jfollows]

MTR > Home

www.mtr.com.hk

We bought Airport Express Round Trip QR Ticket to Central (in advance) because that's all we wanted to use. The Web site will tell you about rovers and the like.

 

[RJ]

Make sure you have a debit card you can withdraw cash from (fee free if you can) as you'll need cash to load Octopus.

 

[Jamesrob637]

You should buy an Octopus card when you arrive at the airport. It's the HK equivalent of the Oyster card, and you can use it on the Peak Tram.

Thanks: that's what I ideally wanted to have and topped up in advance (specifying my start date). Can't I have one sent to me by post, even if for a nominal fee?

Make sure you have a debit card you can withdraw cash from (fee free if you can) as you'll need cash to load Octopus.

I'll get some HK Dollars from H&T Pawnbrokers in Stockport around a month before I travel.

 

[jfollows]

I used a debit card from https://wise.com/ in Hong Kong with no problem a couple of months ago, the advantage primarily being that I could convert my unused Hong Kong dollars into the currency of my next destination (Japan, as it happened) very easily, and I didn't end up with small amounts of foreign currency at the end of my holiday.
There are many similar options, that just happens to be the one I used.
Hong Kong is very cashless, I don’t think I had any over 3 days, but could have got some if needed.

 

[Railsigns]

Thanks: that's what I ideally wanted to have and topped up in advance (specifying my start date). Can't I have one sent to me by post, even if for a nominal fee?

You can check the options here:

https://www.octopus.com.hk/en/consumer/tourist/channels/index.html

It is easy to get an Octopus before or after you arrive in Hong Kong. If you have an iPhone X or later, or Apple Watch Series 3 or later, simply download the Octopus App for Tourists to add a new Octopus.

I don't think it's possible to obtain a physical Octopus card before you arrive, although the Octopus app may be an option.

 

[zero]

1) As the flight from Manchester will be long, is there a type of ticket or rover we can buy in advance, so that we don't have to faff about after immigration and can just jump straight on the first available train we see going?

At Airport station, you can get on the train without a ticket as there are no barriers. You are able to pay on arrival at the customer service counter (card accepted) before passing through the barriers. In this situation you would get a physical ticket which additionally gives you one free local journey on the MTR.

Alternatively you can buy e-tickets for the Airport Express online from the MTR website. You can do this after getting on the train, as there is normal phone signal in tunnels in Hong Kong, as well as free wifi on the Airport Express.


You can also buy discounted e-tickets from Klook (like a Groupon for Asia): https://www.klook.com/en-GB/activity/71-airport-express-hong-kong/ However when I have used this website, the tickets took around 30 minutes to arrive so you should buy as soon as you have internet access after landing. Other discount websites and apps are available too.

2) Can you get a rover or a pass for 7 days that includes tourist attractions such as maybe discounts on the Peak tram?

Unlike in some European cities, there is no tie-up between tourist attractions and public transport.

Public transport generally functions on a pay-as-you-go basis as the fares are low by first world standards.

There used to be an Airport Express return ticket with 72 hours of unlimited MTR travel included, but this is no longer sold. It was marginal as to whether this saved money.

There is now a Tourist 24-hour Pass, which you can buy in advance online, but must collect a physical smartcard at an MTR station. It costs HK$65, so it is only likely to be worth it if you are travelling to distant parts of HK by train that day. It is valid on MTR trains and the Light Rail, which is a tram system in the northwest of HK, as well as the Light Rail feeder buses. It is not valid on the Airport Express, to/from the mainland border stations, or on regular buses or the Hong Kong Island (double-decker) trams.

There is also a One Day Pass for $29 valid from Nam Cheong station and further northwest on the Tuen Ma line + light rail. This may be useful if you want to spend a day bashing the Light Rail network, although depending on where your hotel is the Tourist day pass may be cheaper.


As of tomorrow, 23rd Dec, you can use VISA contactless cards and devices to tap in/out for MTR heavy rail journeys, except the Airport Express (as mentioned you can already pay by card, but you still get a physical or e-ticket). There is no daily capping. Mastercard will not yet be available by March 2024.

VISA and Mastercard contactless payment is already available for most buses in Hong Kong, as well as the Hong Kong Island trams. Therefore you may not necessarily need to buy an Octopus card, especially if you can use the app.


The Octopus card is not exactly an equivalent of London's Oyster card. In the original implementation, Octopus is basically electronic cash, as it was anonymous and could only be topped up with cash (in multiples of $50). Many merchants, not just transport operators, have Octopus readers which helped to reduce the need for coins.

The anonymous version is still available and is still the case for tourists using a physical card, but residents may use personal Octopus cards for things such as a building entrance/lift fob and collecting government subsidies.


The Peak Tram is a private railway. Tickets can be bought in advance on their website. Klook etc appear to offer discounted tickets and various combo tickets for other attractions.

Hong Kong is very cashless, I don’t think I had any over 3 days, but could have got some if needed.

Hong Kong is extremely cash-based. While a tourist sticking to the central commercial areas may be able to use a bank card for everything, it is not unusual for large purchases, bills and money transfers to be paid using cash. It would be strange for a merchant not to accept it and a substantial proportion of the average shop's transactions can be expected to be conducted in cash, even if they accept Octopus, bank cards and the QR code payment systems.

For a tourist the main reason you would want cash is for taxis. Some taxis have Octopus readers but they are reluctant to use them. Having cash would also be advisable if you want to venture away from the central areas.

 

[jfollows]

For a tourist the main reason you would want cash is for taxis. Some taxis have Octopus readers but they are reluctant to use them. Having cash would also be advisable if you want to venture away from the central areas.

You’re totally right, of course; the only time I needed cash was when I wanted to get a taxi, so I walked instead. And I was only in the central area for a couple of days.

 

[Jamesrob637]

Thanks everyone. I'll check out Klook over the festive period.

 

[LesS]

I returned from a brief visit to Hong Kong in October. The ticket counter at the airport is open most of the time. They sell Octopus cards. The Airport Express is a special ticket for the express trains only. It is a return ticket unless you request otherwise. The fare includes a shuttle bus from the Kowloon & Hong Kong stations to your hotel and back. The shuttle buses get caught up in traffic jams and can take a long in time as well as lengthy tours of either Kowloon or Hong Kong. I consider the fare to be very expensive.
A standard Octopus card covers fares on the MTR, KCR, HK Trams, Buses, Star Ferries, and West Light Rail The card can be used at shops for cash purchases. The fare structure is by distance, not zones.
Railfans tend to miss the West Light Rail. This is a mistake. Access to the network is from either the Tuen Mun or Cheong Long MTR stations.

My recent visit found the city as friendly as ever and as safe as ever. Just avoid public demonstrations and Social Media. Happily the touts who infested Nathan Road in Kowloon are now all gone. Visitors to Hong Kong from Western countries are few relative to before Covid. Most international visitors are from China mainland. The High Speed line station is like a mini airport terminal. There are no long distance/international trains on the KCR anymore.

I have used Hong Kong as a stopover to break long journeys many times and expect to do so again; probably in May.

I am certain you will enjoy your visit. Please let us all know your experiences.

 

[gordonthemoron]

The closest Light Rail station to central Kowloon/Central is Yuen Long

 

[LesS]

Thank you for this correction.

I am away from home at the moment and relied on memory for some of the chinese names.

Yueng Long is the only place where the trams run down the middle of the main street; Castle Peak Road. There are several station stops on the way down. The remainder of the networkis all on reserved track.

 

[Tester]

Thank you for this correction.

I am away from home at the moment and relied on memory for some of the chinese names.

Yueng Long is the only place where the trams run down the middle of the main street; Castle Peak Road. There are several station stops on the way down. The remainder of the networkis all on reserved track.

To be strictly accurate, while the Castle Peak Road section is indeed in the middle of the road, it is on its own reservation. There is one true street running section, at Tai Hing, further south.

 

[Haru]

Nearly every shop has octopus so payment is easier if you are buying just a drink etc

You can get a virtual octopus card in Apple wallet which you can top up using Apple Pay, customer kiosk or shops (with cash).

 

[boiledbeans2]

To be strictly accurate, while the Castle Peak Road section is indeed in the middle of the road, it is on its own reservation. There is one true street running section, at Tai Hing, further south.

To be even more strictly accurate, there are much more street-running trams, in Hong Kong Island.

[...]
The Airport Express is a special ticket for the express trains only. It is a return ticket unless you request otherwise. The fare includes a shuttle bus from the Kowloon & Hong Kong stations to your hotel and back. The shuttle buses get caught up in traffic jams and can take a long in time as well as lengthy tours of either Kowloon or Hong Kong. I consider the fare to be very expensive.
[...]

Anyway, I found the Airport Express very expensive as well. One option would be to buy an Oyster card at the Airport Express station, then head down to the bus station and get an express bus. I'm not sure of your exact hotel location, but there are express buses running to the key tourist/hotel areas, such as Central, Causeway Bay, Mong Kok, etc. Most likely, there is a bus stop very close to the the hotel entrance, so it's almost a door-to-door service.

Here is a list of routes serving the tourist-y areas:

https://www.citybus.com.hk/routes/airport-bus/route/index.aspx?intLangID=1

The "A" prefix routes are faster but more expensive (though cheaper than the Airport Express). The "E" prefix routes go round the airport staff areas before heading to the city centre, so they take longer but are even cheaper.

If you're heading to Mong Kok/Hung Hom, the fare for the A21 route is HKD35. If you're heading to Central/Causeway Bay on the A11, it's HKD42.

Another benefit of travelling by bus is the spetacular view in the Tsing Ma bridge area. The Airport Express travels in the lower deck of the Tsing Ma bridge, with the views partially obstructed by bridge girders.

 

[Jamesrob637]

So there's no ticket or pass which will include the Airport express, even if it involves paying a fraction more?

 

[LesS]

The Airport Express is a service separate from the rest of the MTR network. Except for a section between Tung Chung and Tsing-Yi where track is shared with the Tung Chung line; The Airport Express has exclusive track and separate, secure station access.

Check the MTR website for any special tourist ticketing. All MTR fares are based on distance. All MTR tickets are available from the MTR ticket office at the airport which is just outside of the exit gate from Immigration/Customs.

The Airport Express can be avoided by using one of the bus services from the Airport, as mentioned above, You need to be certain where you are travelling to, to ensure you take the correct bus.
If going to Kowloon or Central, you can take the K1 bus to Tung Chung MTR station; change trains at Mei-Foo for the Tsuen Wan line which runs down Nathan Rd in Kowloon before proceeding to Causeway Bay and Central. This seems messy but will be faster than being stuck in traffic on the shuttle bus from the Airport Express stations.

Attached is a photo of an airport Express before it junctions with the Tung Chung Line. The image was captured from a hotel room in Tung Chung. The airport buildings re in the background.

I might be able to provide further help if you can advise which hotel you will be staying at.

 

[Jamesrob637]

The Airport Express is a service separate from the rest of the MTR network. Except for a section between Tung Chung and Tsing-Yi where track is shared with the Tung Chung line; The Airport Express has exclusive track and separate, secure station access.

Check the MTR website for any special tourist ticketing. All MTR fares are based on distance. All MTR tickets are available from the MTR ticket office at the airport which is just outside of the exit gate from Immigration/Customs.

The Airport Express can be avoided by using one of the bus services from the Airport, as mentioned above, You need to be certain where you are travelling to, to ensure you take the correct bus.
If going to Kowloon or Central, you can take the K1 bus to Tung Chung MTR station; change trains at Mei-Foo for the Tsuen Wan line which runs down Nathan Rd in Kowloon before proceeding to Causeway Bay and Central. This seems messy but will be faster than being stuck in traffic on the shuttle bus from the Airport Express stations.

Attached is a photo of an airport Express before it junctions with the Tung Chung Line. The image was captured from a hotel room in Tung Chung. The airport buildings re in the background.

I might be able to provide further help if you can advise which hotel you will be staying at.

We are staying at the Cordis near Mong Kok and the Langham near East Tsim Sha Tsui, however I won't know until the new year which hotel we check into the night after the flight.

 

[LesS]

Mong Kok is a long way up Nathan Rd, probably at least 2 miles from the Langham. There are 3 intermediate stations between Mong Kok and Tim Sha Tsui, all on the Tsuen Wan Line.

 

[boiledbeans2]

With the hotels mentioned above, it may be a wise idea to take the A21 bus instead, which stops at both Mong Kok and Tsim Sha Tsui. See bus route map (click direction of "To Hung Hom station"):

Citybus - Interactive Route Search

mobile.citybus.com.hk

You want to stop at bus stop 8 Bank Centre (Cordis Hotel) or bus stop 15 Middle Road (Langham Hotel).

The Airport Express doesn't go anywhere near those hotels, so you will have to change trains. Either Airport -> Hong Kong -> (walk, like the walk between Bank and Monument) -> Central -> Tsim Sha Tsui/Mong Kok, OR, Airport -> Tsing Yi -> Lai King -> Mong Kok/Tsim Sha Tsui

In contrast, the Cityflyer buses are double decker Enviro500MMC buses, with half of the lower deck fitted with luggage racks. So you can just put the luggage on the racks (sit on the lower deck so you can keep an eye on your luggage), sit back and relax for the rest of the journey.

So there's no ticket or pass which will include the Airport express, even if it involves paying a fraction more?

As mentioned by "zero" above, there is no longer such a pass.

The Airport Express is a "premium" service, like the Heathrow Express, where Day travelcards are not valid.

 

[Jamesrob637]

Thank you: I think we'll take the A21 into town on the Octopus card, which we will load upon landing. We won't be in a hurry to get anywhere that day in fairness.