Hong Kong Airport is well connected to public transport.
The city centre and Kowloon can be reached quickly and conveniently via the express metro line, while many low-cost bus routes take passengers to all parts of the city.
For all modes of transport, you can use the single "Octopus Card", which can also be used to pay for things like supermarkets and attractions.
| Price | Travel time | Frequency | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Airport Express - subway | 110 hkd | 24 minutes | 10-12 minutes |
| Buses A11, A12 | 47 hkd | 50 minutes | 20-30 minutes |
| Bus E11 | 22 hkd | 60 minutes | 30 minutes |
| Bus + subway Tung Chung | 27,30 hkd | 55 minutes | 5-10 minutes |
| Taxi | 340 hkd | 40 minutes | Anytime |
Metro, bus and taxi stops are clearly located next to each other and can be reached from the arrivals hall via a central pedestrian corridor within 5 minutes.
Octopus Card
If you're going to be getting around Hong Kong more by public transport, it's definitely worth buying an "Octopus" transport card.
When you buy it, you load any amount of money onto the card, which is gradually charged for each subway, bus or tram ride. Riding with Octopus Card on the metro and buses is 5-10% cheaper than paying a single fare.
But the main advantage of Octopus Card is simplicity and use.
- Price - 50 hkd (refundable deposit, money will be refunded if you return the card when you leave Hong Kong)
- Official information - octopus.com.hk
Where to buy and how to charge Octopus Card?
At the airport, you can purchase the card at several MTR (metro operating company) outlets. You can also buy the card at 7-Eleven or Relay mini-markets, for example.
When you buy it, you tell them how much you want to load on the card. During a 3-day stay, we recommend loading the card around 200 hkd. In case you don't spend the amount on fares, you can use the card to pay in almost all shops in Hong Kong.
The card can only be purchased and fares loaded with cash!
The Octopus Card can be topped up at any subway station or 7-Eleven or Circle K mini-markets during your stay.
Metro Airport Express
The fastest way to get to the city centre or the West Kowloon high-speed train station is to take the Metro Airport Express.
The station is located directly between Terminals 1 and 2 and is very clearly signposted.
Tickets can be purchased at several ticket offices. We recommend buying tickets or Octopus Card at the last ticket office just before you enter the platform, where the queues are shortest.
Only single tickets can be bought at the ticket machines. All types of tickets can only be paid in cash.
The "Airport Express" trains only stop at 3 stations.
| Travel time | Price with Octopus Card | Price single ticket | |
| Tsing Yi | 14 minutes | 65 hkd | 70 hkd |
| Kowloon | 22 minutes | 100 hkd | 105 hkd |
| Hong Kong / Central | 24 minutes | 110 hkd | 115 hkd |
You can only pay the fare with the Octopus Card or a single ticket from the ticket machine. The card or ticket is attached to the reader at the turnstile when entering and leaving the station.
The first train from downtown to the airport leaves at 5:50 and the last train from the airport to downtown leaves at 0:45.
The frequency between trains is 10-12 minutes.
For detailed timetable information or to calculate the ticket price to all stations throughout the metro network, visit: mtr.com.hk.
Buses
Many bus routes are a great and cheap alternative to the metro.
Although less frequent (frequencies vary between 20 and 60 minutes), individual lines will take passengers to many places in central Hong Kong and the districts of Kowloon and New Territories.
There are several types of bus routes to the airport.
CityFlyer buses connect to Hong Kong Island and Kowloon. Services to New Territories are operated by Long Win Bus.
Official information and detailed timetables can be found on the website:
- CityFlyer: citybus.com.hk/routes
- LWB: kmb.hk
For a list of all bus routes, see the map below or visit the airport website: hongkongairport.com/public-buses.
Tickets
You can pay fares on all routes using the Octopus Card by attaching it to the reader at the driver (at boarding only), in exact cash or contactless Visa. However, payment by foreign cards often does not work.
You can also buy tickets for "A" lines at the ticket office at the bus stops at the airport.
"A" lines
Buses marked with the letter "A" and the line number provide the fastest connections.
These services are express and stop only at selected stops.
Tickets to Kowloon or central Hong Kong cost around 40 hkd to 44 hkd.
When travelling to the city centre, you will most often use the following lines:
- A10 - West of Hong Kong Island, Aberdeen District, Ap Lei Chau Island
- A11 - Central Hong Kong Island, North Ferry Pier
- A12 - Central Hong Kong Island, Central Piers, Sai Wan Shan
- A21, A25 - Kowloon, Tsim Sha Tsui
- A21, A22 - Kowloon, Nathan Road
Line "E"
Buses marked with the letter "E" and the line number are about 10 minutes slower than "A-lines".
These services still go to the airport staff office area, but can also be used by general passengers.
The E lines are cheaper than the A lines and the journey directly to the centre costs around 20 hkd to 22 hkd.
When travelling to the city centre, you will most often use the following lines:
- E11 - Hong Kong Island city centre
- E23 - Kowloon, Nathan Road
"S" and "B" lines
The shortest connections are provided by the "B" and "S" lines, which run only around the airport. They are most often used to travel to Tung Chung subway station, where you can get to the city centre cheaper than a direct train or bus connection.
- S1 - fastest connection to Tung Chung metro station (journey time 10 minutes, price 3,70 hkd)
- S56, S64 - alternative connection to Tung Chung metro station (journey time 15 minutes, price 3,80 hkd)
- B4 - connection to HZMB bus terminal, with buses to Macau and Zhuhai, China (journey time 10 minutes, price 9,10 hkd)
Bus S1 + subway "Tung Chung Line"
The best value for money option is to take the S1, S56 or S64 bus to the nearby "Tung Chung" metro station.
The yellow metro line "Tung Chung Line" follows the same route as the Airport Express, but with more stops.
The total journey time from the airport to Hong Kong Station is approximately 50 to 55 minutes after taking into account the bus, metro and transfer. The transfer at Tung Chung Station is very straightforward. The bus station is located on the ground floor of the shopping mall and the S1 bus stop is the first one right at the entrance of the station.
- S1 bus fare - 3,70 hkd
- Tung Chung Line subway fare - HKD 23.60 with Octopus Card / 27 hkd single ticket
- S1 bus timetable: search.kmb.hk
- Official subway website: mtr.com.hk
Night service
Regular bus routes A, E, S or B, as well as the subway, run from about 6:00 am to 12:30 am.
At night, there are many bus routes marked "NA" that run at intervals of 40-60 minutes to many parts of Hong Kong.
Fares are similar to the "E" lines and to the city centre are around 25 hkd to 30 hkd.
- Central Hong Kong - lines NA11, N11
- Kowloon (Tsim Sha Tsui) - lines N21, N21A
Public transport map
View a map of all subway and bus lines serving Hong Kong HKG Airport.
Taxi
Only regular taxis arrive at the airport. Mobile apps such as Uber, Grab or Lyft do not work here.
The taxi stand is near the train station, about a 5-minute walk from both Terminal 1 and 2 arrival halls.
Taxis are divided by destinations in the city, all clearly marked.
- Red taxis - downtown, Hong Kong Island, Kowloon
- Green taxis - New Territories (Sha Tin, Tuen Mun, Tai Po, Tin Shui Wan) and more
- Blue taxis - Lantau Island
Taxis can only be paid with cash, no credit cards or Octopus cards can be used to pay.
Approximate prices for taxis from the airport are as follows.
- Hong Kong, Central Piers - 335 hkd
- Hong Kong, Causeway Bay - 340 hkd
- Hong Kong, Aberdeen - 380 hkd
- Kowloon, Tsim Sha Tsui - 265 hkd
- Kowloon, Mong Kok - 260 hkd
- Kowloon, Kai Tak - 310 hkd
- Kowloon, High Speed Train Station - 250 hkd
- Lantau, Disneyland - 145 hkd
- Lantau, Mui Wo - 170 hkd
- Lantau, Tai O - 250 hkd
- Lantau, Big Buddha - 230 hkd
- New Territories, Sha Tin - 285 hkd
- New Territories, Tuen Mun - 150 hkd
Macau and Mainland China
Directly from the airport, you can also head to mainland China or the popular tourist destination of Macau.
You can take a shuttle bus over one of the longest bridges in the world (Hong Kong-Macao-Zhuhai Bridge) or take a fast ferry.
Without leaving the transit zone
You can move to Macau or China without going through Hong Kong immigration.
When you get off the plane, follow the "Mainland/Macao" signs, which will take you to an automated underground train station.
This runs 24/7, the ride is free and after a 5 minute ride you will reach the "SkyPier" dock. You do not go through passport control.
Ferries
You can buy a ticket at the E2 desk before boarding the automatic train.
Only 1 shipping company currently operates from the "SkyPier" dock, and only to mainland China. There are currently no regular ships from Hong Kong Airport to Macau.
- CKS (cksp.com.hk)
- Pa Zhou (Haizhu)
- Zhongshan
- Shenzhen Airport SZX
Boat ticket prices are around 350 hkd.
Buses
There are direct buses from "SkyPier" station to Macau without entering Hong Kong.
HK Airport Direct operates a service once an hour and the journey takes approximately 50 minutes.
The price of a one-way ticket is 280 hkd.
Official information can be found on the website: macauhkairportbus.com.
Connections outside the transit zone
A cheaper way is to take buses directly from the airport building or from the nearby HZMB terminal.
In this case, you always have to go through immigration control to enter Hong Kong.
Buses directly from the terminal
On the left side of the arrivals hall there are several counters of different bus companies offering services mainly to mainland China.
Ticket prices are quite high and start at around 500 hkd.
Shuttle buses from the HZMB terminal
The cheapest services are offered by shuttle buses from the terminal at the beginning of the HZMB bridge connecting Hong Kong with Macau and the Chinese city of Zhuhai.
Online tickets and detailed timetables can be found at hzmbus.com.
- Hong Kong -> Macau: 65 hkd
- Hong Kong -> Zhuhai: 65 hkd
From the airport to the HZMB terminal, you can take the B4 city bus, which runs once every 15-20 minutes 24/7. Ticket price is 9,10 hkd and can be paid in exact cash or via Octopus Card.
For detailed information on transport between Hong Kong and Macau, please refer to the Hong Kong travel guide.