Hong Kong Transportation: get to & around in Hong Kong

How to Get to Hong Kong?

Hong Kong and its 260 territorial islands and peninsulas are located in the South China Sea, at the mouth of the Pearl River Delta. Its west is to Macau, north to Shenzhen and east and south is to South China Sea.

1. By Flight

Hong Kong International Airport is the fourth busiest international passenger airport in the world and one of major transport hubs in Asia. It provides more than 100 airlines that connect to major cities throughout the world. Every day, it operates around 750 flights to the cities or destinations. No matter where are you from, it is convenient to get to Hong Kong by flight.

The airport is located on the artificial island of Chek Lap Kok, south to Lantau Island of the New Territories, so it is also called Chek Lap Kok International Airport (CLK).

Passenger departure tax and surcharges:

All passengers aged 12 and above departing the airport must pay a HK$120 Air Passenger Departure Tax, but normally the tax is included in the ticket price. This is waived for passengers who arrive and depart the same day.

Moreover, there is also a security charge of HK$33, which normally is included in the ticket price, to maintain the standards of safety, security and passenger services currently required at international airports.

How to get there?

A. Airport Express

Passengers just spend about 24 minutes to reach Hong Kong Island from the airport by Airport Express. Airport Express has 5 stations: AsiaWorld-Expo Station, Airport Station, Tsing Yi Station, Kowloon Station and Hong Kong Station. The passengers can catch a free shuttles bus from Kowloon and Hong Kong stations to major hotels. These two stations also provide free in-town check-in services for major when you are returning to the airport.

B. Airport Shuttle Bus and Public Bus

Taking Airport Shuttle Bus is the most comfortable and cheap way to transfer yourself to Hong Kong Island, Kowloon and New Territories including Lantau Island. There are about 12 airport shuttle routes with fewer stops than a public bus. After you exit the Arrival Hall, turn right to find airport shuttle bus and public bus.

C. Taxi

The most convenient way to get to and from airport is taking taxi. In front of airport arrivals hall, you will find taxi station. Usually, Hong Kong has 3 colors and distinguishing the areas they serve. The green taxi is to New Territories, the red to Hong Kong Island or Kowloon and the blue to Lantau Island.

D. Ferry

If you are from Chinese Mainland or Macau, you can get to the airport from one of eight ferry ports in the Pearl River Delta and don't need to go through immigration and customs or reclaim baggage. You can buy the ferry ticket at the Mainland/ Macau Ticketing Counter located at Transfer area E2 in Terminal 1.

2. By Ship

There are 4 cross-boundary ferry piers: one near Hong Kong International Airport, one in Hong Kong Island, one in Tsim Sha Tsui, Kowloon and one in Tuen Mun, New Territories. Every day, passengers can reach to Hong Kong from Macau, Shenzhen, Dong Guan Zhuhai & Zhongshan.

Hong Kong - Macau Ferry Terminal

Address: in Shun Tak Center, No.200 Connaught Road (Central), Sheung Wan
How to get: You may take any subway line, get off at Sheung Wan Station, and leave the station from Exit D then, you will find it.
Service: between Hong Kong and Macau about 55 minutes; ferry services to Zhongshan and Zhuahi

Hong Kong - China Ferry Terminal

Address: in China Hong Kong City, Tsim Sha Tsui, Kowloon
How to get: By Buses No.110, 12, 215X, 259B, 281A, 296D, 63X or K16
Service: between Hong Kong and Macau about 60 minutes; ferry services to the cities in Guangdong province.

Hong Kong International Airport Pier

Address: in Hong Kong International Airport
How to get: See the related information in Hong Kong by Air section
Service: ferry services to Shenzhen, Zhongshan, Dongguan and Zhuhai.

Tuen Mun Pier

Address: in the south of Tuen Mun New Town
How to get: By Buses No. 259B, 59A, 59M, 59X or N260.

3. By Train

Since the Jingjiu ( Beijing – Kowloon ) Railway was completed, it has become very convenient for visitors to reach to Hong Kong from Chinese Mainland by train. At present, there are trains of Kowloon – Beijing, Kowloon - Shanghai and Kowloon – Guangdong. The trains to or from Guangdong go through Guangzhou, Dongguan, Foshan and Zhaoqing.

If you take a train from Chinese Mainland to Hong Kong, you will get off the train at MTR Hung Hom Station located on the Kowloon harbour-front. But you must pass through Hong Kong Immigration Department and get Hong Kong Pass Permission before boarding the train.

4. By Cross-boundary Bus

In Hong Kong, there is a variety of cross-boundary bus which running between Hong Kong and cities in Guangdong Province, such as Guangzhou, Shenzhen, Dongguan, Foshan and Zhongshan, and other neighborhood cities, such as Xiamen and Guilin. Hong Kong has a total of 1,831km of paved highway which are built under British standards with maximum of three lanes and hard shoulders.

How to Get around in Hong Kong?

1. Taxi

Hong Kong's taxis are classified by 3 colors, and each color runs in a specific geographical area. The Red taxi can run most destinations within the city except Tung Chung Road and roads in south Lantau Island.The Green taxi run around in New Territories and on some appointed roads on Lantau Island. The Blue taxis serve most destinations on Lantau Island. But all taxis can travel to and from Hong Kong International Airport as well as Hong Kong Disneyland.

Fees:

Red: HK$22 for first 2 km; HK$1.6 for every 0.2km or 1 minute waiting for when meter fare below HK$72.5; HK$1 for every 0.2km or 1 minute waiting for when meter fare is HK$72.5 and above

Green: HK$16.5 for first 2 km; HK$1.3 for every 0.2km or 1 minute waiting for when meter fare below HK$72.5; HK$1 for every 0.2km or 1 minute waiting for when meter fare is HK$72.5 and above

Blue: HK$15 for first 2 km; HK$1.3 for every 0.2km or 1 minute waiting for when meter fare below HK$72.5; HK$1 for every 0.2km or 1 minute waiting for when meter fare is HK$72.5 and above

Tips for taxi:

* Taxis are usually easily hailed along the street, although they can't pick up or drop off passengers in certain restricted zones. It's often a good choice to choose either a taxi queue at a hotel or a taxi stand.
* Drivers are required to use the taximeter and passengers are required to pay the exact fare as recorded by the taximeter
* Always ask for a machine-printed receipt. If the machine is not functioning, the taxi driver is obliged to provide a hand-written receipt.
* All taxis are regulated and taxi drivers are required to display their taxi driver identity cards on their dashboards.
* Taxi fare information will be listed on the inside of the taxi.
* If you can't read the price, the taxi numbers, or the fine print on the receipt, ask for a hand-written version.

2. By Ferry

Hong Kong also boasts many piers providing routes between Hong Kong Island and Tsim Sha Tsui, Hung Hom or some outlying islands, including Lamma Island, Peng Chau Island and Cheung Chau Island. The piers are Star Ferry pier, Tuen Mun Pier, Wan Chai Freey Pier and North Point Ferry Pier.

3. By Subway

Subway is called Mass Transit Railway (MTR) in Hong Kong. Taking MTR to travel is the rapid transit railway system. The MTR consists of 10 rail lines in 2013, including Tsuen Wan, Kwun Tong, Tseung Kwan O, Tung Chung, West Rail, East Rail, Ma On Shan, Disneryland Resort, Island Line and the Airport Express. The MTR also operates a light rail system that runs between Yuen Long and Tuen Mun in the New Territories, and an inter-city train service to Chinese Mainland.

10 MTR Lines

East Rail Line: between Lo Wu/Lok Ma Chau and Hung Hom
Kwun Tong Line: between Yau Ma Tei and Tiu Keng Leng
Tsuen Wan Line: between Tsuen Wan and Central
Island Line: between Sheung Wan and Chai Wan
Tung Chung Line: between Tung Chung and Hong Kong
Tseung Kwan O Line: between North Point and Po Lam/LOHAS Park
Disneyland Resort Line: between Sunny Bay and Disneyland Resort
West Rail Line: between Tuen Mun and Hung Hom
Ma On Shan Line: between Tai Wai and Wu Kai Sha
Airport Express: between Hong Kong International Airport (HKIA) and Hong Kong's vibrant central business hub.

4. By Public bus, Double-decker bus & Minibus

Buses in Hong Kong are plentiful and comfortable, and most are air-conditioned. The bus routes cover almost all of Hong Kong except some outlying islands. In particular, buses are a very important means of transportation in Ocean Park, Repulse Bay and Lord Stanley area.

The double-decker bus is the specialty of Hong Kong. You can sit near the front on the top deck, catch all the excitement and feel the pulse of city life.

The minibuses are small buses that carry around 16 people. Green minibuses run along specific routes at fixed prices. If you pay by cash, exact change is required because they all accept Octopus cards. Red minibuses run along routes which are not always fixed and passengers can get on and off anywhere along the route, except where special prohibitions apply. You pay as you alight when travelling on a red minibus and the driver can usually provide change for small notes.

5. By Tram

City Tram

Since 1904, Hong Kong trams have been operated. These double-decker streetcars will take you to step back in time and to explore the bustling north corridor of Hong Kong, including Western district, Wan Chai, Happy Valley, Causeway Bay and North Point.

Open time: morning to midnight
Payment: HK$2.3, and exact change is required if you are paying by cash.

Peak Tram

Vitoria Peak is the must destination for all visitors coming to Hong Kong. It has an altitude of 552m and the peak is a good place to enjoy the night view of Hong Kong.

You can reach the Peak Tower directly by the peak tram, opened in 1888 for the exclusive use of the British governor and the peak's residents, but today it can be enjoyed by everyone as the steepest funicular railway in the world.

Open time: from 7am to midnight; departing at every 10 or 15 minute
Payment: HK$20 for a single ticket, HK$30 for a return ticket; pay by cash or Octopus cards.

What is the Octopus Card?

Octopus Card is an extremely versatile stored-value electronic card that can be used for most public transport, as well as purchases in convenience stores, fast food shops, supermarkets, cake shops, vending machines and more.

Simply place your Octopus Card on the reader and the correct amount will be automatically deducted from the stored value.