Hong Kong is vast, but getting around is easy. For longer journeys, you’ll mainly use the MTR metro. Where the metro doesn’t go, buses or ferries will take you there.

• The metro is the quickest way to travel between the main districts.
• You can usea standard contactless card to pay on the metro, the Airport Express, main city buses and trams. On the Star Ferry, you can use it to buy a ticket from a ticket machine.
• The Octopus card is useful if you also want to use minibuses, some buses on Lantau, local ferries and selected transfer discounts.
• The Star Ferry is a cheap way to travel between Hong Kong Island and the Tsim Sha Tsui district, offering panoramic views of the city.
• Google Maps works well here; I only used this search engine.

For departure times and to compare other services, you can also use the official HKeMobility app. When using the MTR, make sure to note the number or letter of the station exit in your navigation app. Large stations have several exits, some of which are hundreds of metres apart.

If you’re still choosing accommodation, look for somewhere within walking distance of the MTR. We compare specific districts and hotels in the chapter ‘Where to stay in Hong Kong’.

Choosing a hotel near the MTR in Hong Kong

Transport fares in Hong Kong

To give you a quick idea, expect to pay the following prices for a single journey for an adult:

• MTR: on popular tourist routes through the city centre, between 7 hkd and 13 hkd. To Tung Chung (Lantau cable car) via 24 hkd.
• City bus: typically around 10 hkd to 15 hkd, depending on the route and boarding point.
• Tram on Hong Kong Island:flat fare 3,30 hkd regardless of distance.
• Star Ferry: 4 hkd – 6,50 hkd between Central and Tsim Sha Tsui, depending on the day and deck.
• Ferry to the islands: for example, Central–Yung Shue Wan on Lamma costs 24,90 hkd from Monday to Saturday and 34,70 hkd on Sundays and public holidays.
• Airport Express: from the airport to Hong Kong Station 120 hkd with an Octopus card or credit card.

An MTR tourist day pass costs 75 hkd. It isn’t worth it just for the return journey from the city centre to Tung Chung: two standard journeys cost 48,60 hkd. Details on fares, payment methods and the all-day pass can be found below.

How to pay for transport: Octopus or a standard card?

Octopus is a local rechargeable card. A standard contactless payment card is your Visa or Mastercard, or a card on your mobile phone or smartwatch.

For an adult, a metro journey costs the same whether you use an Octopus card or a standard card. The main difference lies in where you can use each option and what discounts you’ll receive.

Transport	Payment card	Octopus
MTR	Yes	Yes
Airport Express	Yes	Yes
Main buses	Yes	Yes
Trams	Yes	Yes
Star Ferry	Ticket from a ticket machine	Right by the turnstile
Minibuses	No	Yes
Light Rail	No	Yes
NLB Lantau buses	No	Yes
Other ferries	Probably not	Yes
Taxi	Probably not	Usually yes

My advice: For a short visit, during which you’ll mainly be travelling by underground, regular buses and trams, your payment card will usually be all you need.

For a longer stay and trips outside the city centre, the Octopus card is more practical. You won’t have to worry before every journey about whether a particular route accepts foreign cards.

Personally, we only paid with our own contactless card, or in cash for the ferry where contactless wasn’t accepted.

Instead of taxis, we used Uber exclusively.

The Octopus card itself won’t make every journey cheaper. On the MTR, it costs the same standard adult fare as paying by bank card. However, it’s usually cheaper than a single-journey ticket from a ticket machine. It can also offer advantages on certain transfers, such as between the MTR and the green minibus. A standard card, on the other hand, requires neither a deposit nor top-ups.

Daily maximum limit

In Hong Kong, fares are not automatically capped at the price of a day pass. You pay for each journey separately.

When paying with a foreign card, the exchange rate and any charges levied by your bank may also apply.

However, there are no limits on the Octopus card either.

Where can you buy an Octopus card and how much does it cost?

There are three options that are important for visitors:

• Refundable On-Loan Octopus: You pay an initial fee 200 hkd. Of this, 150 hkd is credit and 50 hkd is a refundable deposit. You can buy it at the ticket counters of most MTR stations, but not at the airport. If you return it within 90 days, a fee of 11 hkd is charged; you will get the remaining credit and 39 hkd of the deposit back.
• Tourist Octopus without a deposit: The card itself costs 39 hkd and comes with no credit upon purchase. At the airport, the China T-Union tourist version is mainly sold for 42 hkd, also with no credit. You will not get the purchase price of the card back.
• Octopus on an iPhone or Apple Watch: You can set it up before arrival via the Octopus App for Tourists. Expect a refundable deposit 50 hkd and an initial credit of at least 100 hkd. You can top up using a foreign Visa or Mastercard via the app.

Top up a physical Octopus card with cash at MTR ticket machines or in shops such as 7-Eleven and Circle K.

You can top up a Mobile Octopus on a supported iPhone via the app using an international card. Only keep as much on the card as you’ll actually use; any remaining credit on the physical card can be refunded or spent in a shop, for example.

Every passenger should have their own Octopus card or their own payment card to use on the MTR.

Children need a child ticket or a Child Octopus: a standard bank card on the MTR charges the adult fare. When paying for the metro with your phone, use the same device when entering and exiting; a physical card and its digital copy on your phone are not considered the same payment method.

When is an MTR day pass worth it?

The MTR Tourist Day Pass costs 75 hkd. It is valid for 24 hours from the first journey on the MTR, Light Rail (excluding the city centre) and buses operated by the MTR (only certain city buses). It can be purchased by tourists who are in Hong Kong for less than 14 days.

However, a return ticket from Hong Kong to Tung Chung costs only 48,60 hkd. Add a return ticket from Central to Tsim Sha Tsui for 21,20 hkd and you’ll get 69,80 hkd. Even these four specific journeys are cheaper than an all-day ticket.

Not valid on the Airport Express, regular Citybus or KMB city buses, trams, ferries, or journeys to Lo Wu and Lok Ma Chau stations on the Chinese border. If you use these services during the day, you’ll have to pay for them separately.

Personally, I only really find the MTR day pass worthwhile if you’re travelling to Tung Chung (Lantau) and making at least 3–4 journeys around the city centre as well.

Hong Kong MTR

The backbone of Hong Kong’s public transport system is the metro, which allows you to travel quickly over longer distances.

There are 9 metro lines in Hong Kong, serving all the main areas.

Given the scale of the system and the amount of information involved, you can find further details in the separate chapter on the Hong Kong MTR.

Double-decker trams in Hong Kong

The iconic double-decker trams, nicknamed ‘Ding ding’ by locals because of their constant jingling, are not only a tourist attraction but also a useful means of transport for shorter journeys within central Hong Kong.

Where can you ride the double-decker trams? How much does a ticket cost and where can you buy one?

Where do the trams run, and how often?

Double-decker trams only operate in the city centre on Hong Kong Island, and you can take them practically the entire length of the island’s northern coast along Victoria Harbour.

Modern trams also run in the north-east of Hong Kong, in the Tuen Mun district, but these bear no resemblance to Hong Kong’s iconic trams.

You can find an interactive map of the network on the official website:hktramways.com/interactive-map.

Trams run on several routes, but essentially there is just one single route, with some services terminating before reaching the very end of the line and others continuing on to the Happy Valley area.

You won’t find a precise timetable anywhere, but you don’t really need one. Trams run on average once every 3–6 minutes from around 6.00 am until midnight.

Trams are not marked with a route number, but only with the name of the terminus.

How fast are the trams?

Double-decker trams are very slow and are really more of a tourist attraction.

Over long distances, the underground is always quicker, whilst over short distances, walking is usually faster.

How much does a ticket cost and how do you pay?

The fare is the same for all lines, regardless of the distance you travel.

• 3,30 hkd – adults
  • when paying by Visa card, only 2,30 hkd
• 1,60 hkd – children under 12
• 1,50 hkd – senior citizens aged 65 and over

There are several ways to pay your fare.

• A standard Visa or Mastercard (when paying by Visa, the fare is 2,30 hkd)
• Octopus Card
• Via a QR code using the Alipay or UnionPay mobile apps
• Exact cash

Cash is placed in the fare box next to the driver, and no change is given if the amount paid exceeds the fare.

Payment is always made uponalighting.

Boarding and alighting

You must always board the tram via thereardoors only. Walk into the carriage or up to the upper deck and take a seat.

The tram stops at every stop, so there is no need to signal when boarding or alighting.

Conversely, you must always alight via the front door, where you pay your fare to the driver. You can do this either by tapping your card on the reader or by putting the exact amount of money into the fare box.

City buses

Hong Kong’s bus network comprises hundreds of routes operated by several different transport operators.

In the city centre, you’ll mainly come across Citybus and KMB. New Lantau Bus (NLB) also operates on Lantau; Long Win Bus serves the airport and the north of the island.

Look up a route on Google Maps or HKeMobility; for exact departure times and fares, check Citybus, KMB or NLB.

Timetables and routes

If you’re looking for timetables and route maps for individual routes, you’ll need to visit the websites of the individual transport operators.

• Citybus(mobile.citybus.com.hk) – routes on Hong Kong Island (city centre) and in the Tseung Kwan O district, extending mainly into Kowloon, but also to Sha Tin and more distant destinations
  • Google Maps marks Citybus routes in yellow 
• KMB (search.kmb.hk) – operates mainly in the Kowloon and New Territories areas (Tuen Mun, Sha Tin, Sai Kung and others), with services also extending to the city centre on Hong Kong Island or Lantau Island 
  • Google Maps marks KMB routes in red
• New Lantau Bus (nlb.com.hk) – routes on Lantau Island
  • Google Maps shows KMB routes in white

Unfortunately, there are no maps showing all the buses in Hong Kong.

How do you pay, and why do routes have different fares?

A standard city bus fare is often around 5 hkd – 15 hkd. For example, route 5B between Kennedy Town and Causeway Bay costs 4,80 hkd, whilst route 6 between Central and Stanley 11,40 hkd.

Longer routes and airport routes may be more expensive.

Board via the front door and pay the driver immediately. Tap your Octopus card or standard payment card on the relevant reader. If paying in cash, you’ll need the exact amount: the fare box does not give change.

The fare varies depending on the route and the stop where you board. You can see the fare applicable from that stop displayed at the stop and on the card reader. You do not need to enter your destination. Two routes with similar itineraries may therefore cost different amounts; express or longer routes tend to be more expensive.

On a standard journey, you do not need to tap your card again when alighting.

Press the stop button and alight via the rear door.

• Citbuys and KMB – you can pay by contactless card or Octopus
• NLB Lantau – payment is by Octopus or cash only

To pay by mobile, use the bank card reader, not the Octopus reader.

How do I pay for a section-based fare?

You always pay the amount stated for the relevant stop in the timetable. It doesn’t matter whether you get off at the next stop or travel all the way to the terminus on the other side of Hong Kong.

Put simply, a zone-based fare can also be described as a charge for boarding at the relevant stop.

Fare tables are usually drawn up primarily for longer journeys, which is why there are situations where you may end up paying several times the price for a very short journey on a long bus route compared to a journey of the same length on a short bus route.

Let’s take a practical example of a journey from the Sheung Wan area in central Hong Kong to the Central piers, which is roughly a 10-minute journey.

• Route 1 – you pay 4,40 hkd for the entire journey. This is a short route operating only within the city centre, with no zone-based fares.
• Route 113 – you pay 11,40 hkd, as this is a longer route running all the way to Kowloon, designed primarily for longer journeys.

However, some specific routes offer a partial fare refund for shorter journeys. If you see the symbol section fare rebate, tap the same Octopus card or payment method on the special reader when alighting, following the transport operator’s instructions.

Hail-in stops

Unlike trams, all bus stops are request stops.

To board, you must always wave to the relevant bus. You must press the red ‘stop’ button in good time before getting off (ideally when the name of the next stop appears on the electronic display).

Green and red minibuses

Small minibuses supplement bus routes in areas not served by larger buses. You don’t usually need them in the city centre, but on some trips they can save you a change or a long walk.

Green minibuses follow a fixed route and have marked stops. You can pay with an Octopus card when boarding or with the exact cash amount.

Red minibuses operate more flexibly; you usually pay in cash when you get off, but you can usually use an Octopus card as well.

You cannot pay with standard contactless Visa or Mastercard cards on these minibuses.

You can find minibus routes on HKeMobility and often on Google Maps too. If the metro or a regular bus offers a reasonable alternative on the route, it’s usually easier to choose that option on your first visit.

Ferries within Hong Kong: Star Ferry and ferries to the islands

The city is spread across several islands and peninsulas, so ferries are an integral part of the public transport system.

Ferries in Hong Kong are operated by many different companies, each with different fares. As there is no single ferry search engine, we have created a simple map of all public ferries within the city.

The best hotels with views of Victoria Harbour

Detailed information on international ferries to Macau and mainland China is provided in a separate section entitled ‘Ferries’.

Map of ferry services in Hong Kong

As there are no official maps of all public ferries, we have created our own comprehensive map of all ferry routes within Hong Kong.

The Star Ferry between Kowloon and Hong Kong Island

Tourists most often use the Star Ferry, which runs between central Hong Kong and the Tsim Sha Tsui promenade in Kowloon.

You’ll enjoy a panoramic cruise across Victoria Harbour with views of the skyscrapers. Historic boats operate on the route, but the fare is very low and the ferry also serves as a regular means of transport for locals.

The Star Ferry operates two routes from Tsim Sha Tsui.

• Central Piers (Pier 7)
• Wan Chai

The fare is the same on both routes but varies between weekdays and weekends, and also depends on whether you are travelling on the upper or lower deck.

	Weekdays	Weekends
Upper deck	5 hkd	6,50 hkd
Lower deck	4 hkd	5,60 hkd

Ferries run every 6 to 15 minutes from 6.30 am to around 11.30 pm. For further details, please visit the website:starferry.com.hk.

The crossing takes about 10 minutes.

Before boarding, you must choose at the pier whether to take the passageway to the upper or lower deck.

• The upper deck has benches running right up to the windows, so there are fewer seats with a view.
• The lower deck has no windows, and there are standing areas right at the edge of the deck, so you’re more likely to get a good view here.

You can buy your ticket from the ticket machine before boarding, where you can also pay using your own contactless card.

Ferries from Central Pier

The largest ferry transport hub is called ‘Central Piers’ and is situated right in the heart of Hong Kong.

As well as the famous “Star Ferry”, which we described above, there are many other routes you can take.

Ferry journey times range from 25 to 35 minutes.

• LammaIsland – transport is provided by HKKF, which operates two routes. Ferries to both destinations depart from Pier 4.
  • Yung Shue Wan (northern part of the island)
    • Frequency – every 40 minutes
    • Fare on weekdays – 22,10 hkd
    • Fare at weekends and on public holidays – 30,80 hkd
  • Sok Kwu Wan (central part of the island)
    • Duration – 80 to 150 minutes
    • Price on weekdays – 27,50 hkd
    • Weekend and public holiday fare – 38,70 hkd
  • Timetable: hkkf.com.hk
• Hung Hom (Kowloon)– service operated by Fortune Ferry. Ferries depart from Pier 8.
  • Frequency – every 40 minutes
  • Fare – 10,70 hkd
  • Timetable – fortuneferry.com.hk
• Discovery Bay– operated by Discovery Bay Transport. Ferries depart from Pier 3.
  • Frequency – every 20 to 30 minutes
  • Fare – 46 hkd
  • Timetable: dbcommunity.hk
• Park Island– transport is provided by Park Island Transport. Ferries depart from Pier 2.
  • Frequency – every 20 to 30 minutes
  • Price – 36 hkd
  • Timetable: pitcl.com.hk
• Mui Wo– transport is provided by Sun Ferry. Ferries depart from Pier 6.
  • Frequency – every 30 to 40 minutes
  • Fare – 17,20 hkd (slow ferry), 34,10 hkd (fast ferry)
  • Timetable: sunferry.com.hk
• Cheung ChauIsland – operated by Sun Ferry. Ferries depart from Pier 5.
  • Frequency – every 45 minutes
  • Fares – 14,80 hkd (slow ferry), 29,20 hkd (fast ferry)
  • Timetable: sunferry.com.hk
• Peng ChauIsland – operated by Sun Ferry. Ferries depart from Pier 6.
  • Frequency – every 45 minutes
  • Fare on weekdays – 19,80 hkd
  • Fare at weekends and on public holidays – 28,40 hkd
  • Timetable: hkkf.com.hk

Other ferries in Victoria Harbour

In central Hong Kong, you can also make use of several other ferry routes apart from the main Central pier.

• North Point <-> Hung Hom– operated by Sun Ferry
  • Frequency – every 30 minutes
  • Fare – 10 hkd
  • Timetable: sunferry.com.hk
• North Point <-> Kowloon City
  • Frequency – every 30 minutes
  • Fare – 10 hkd
  • Timetable: sunferry.com.hk
• North Point <-> Kwun Tong <-> Kai Tak– operated by CKS Fortune Ferry
  • Frequency – every 30 minutes
  • Fare – 10 hkd
  • The Kwun Tong–Kai Tak section operates only at weekends and on public holidays
  • Timetable: fortuneferry.com.hk
• Sai Wan Ho <-> nd Kwun Tong– served by the Coral Sea Ferry
  • Frequency – every 30 minutes
  • Fare – 9 hkd
  • Timetable: coralseaferryservice.com.hk
• Sai Wan Ho <-> Sam Ka Tsuen– served by Coral Sea Ferry
  • Frequency – every 30 minutes
  • Fare – 9 hkd
  • Timetable: coralseaferryservice.com.hk

Other routes from Hong Kong Island

Less frequent services also run from the southern and eastern coasts of Hong Kong Island to other islets.

• Aberdeen <-> nd Lamma Island (Yung Shue Wan)
  • Frequency – every 40 to 90 minutes
  • Fare – 19 hkd
  • Timetable: traway.com.hk
• Aberdeen <-> Lamma Island (Sok Kwu Wan + Mo Tat)
  • Frequency – every 40 to 90 minutes
  • Fare on weekdays – 12,50 hkd
  • Fare at weekends and on public holidays – 18,70 hkd
  • Timetable: ferry.com.hk
• Sai Wan Ho <-> Tung Lung Chau
  • Frequency – every 45 minutes (operates only at weekends and on public holidays)
  • Fare – 55 hkd
  • Timetable: td.gov.hk/en
• Stanley <-> Po Toi Island
  • Frequency – 2 trips a day on Saturdays, 4 trips a day on Sundays and public holidays
  • Fare – 25 hkd
  • Timetable: td.gov.hk/en

Routes around Lantau Island

You can also use the ferries on Lantau Island and the smaller islets in its immediate vicinity.

• Tai O – Sha Lo Wan – Tung Chung – Tuen Mun(fortuneferry.com.hk)
• Peng Chau – Mui Wo – Cheung Chau (sunferry.com.hk)
• Peng Chau – Discovery Bay(traway.com.hk)

Routes around Sai Kung

There are also a large number of ferry services operating in the rugged north-eastern region of Hong Kong.

Most ferries only operate at weekends and on public holidays.

• Sai Kung – Kai Sai Village – High Island (traway.com.hk)
• Ma Liu Shui – Wong Shek with numerous stops (traway.com.hk)
• Ma Liu Shui – Tung Ping Chau (traway.com.hk)

Boats run daily in this remote rural area near the border with China.

• Sha Tau Kok – La Chi Wo – Kat O (td.gov.hk/en)

Taxis, Uber and other apps

You might be surprised by the sheer number of taxis on the streets throughout Hong Kong.

You’ll come across taxis not only in the city centre, but also in the most remote rural areas of the Lantau Islands or in the Sai Kung area.

The 10 most luxurious hotels in Hong Kong

You’ll have no trouble at all hailing a taxi at any time of day or night.

You can hail a taxi simply by waving anywhere on the street.

What are taxi fares like in Hong Kong?

There are three different types of taxi operating in Hong Kong, each with slightly different fares.

‘Waiting’ refers, for example, to being stuck in a traffic jam or at a traffic light.

Red taxis (Uran Taxi)

These taxis operate in central Hong Kong and Kowloon.

Fare (first 2 km)	29 hkd
Every 200 metres / 1 minute’s wait	1,90 hkd
Every 200 metres / 1 minute’s wait once the total reaches HK$ 93.50	1,30 hkd

Green taxis (New Territories)

You’ll find green taxis everywhere in the New Territories, which cover all areas from Kowloon to the Chinese border (for example, Sha Tin or Tuen Mun).

Fare	25,50 hkd
Every 200 metres / 1 minute’s wait	1,70 hkd
Every 200 metres / 1 minute’s wait once the total reaches HK$74.50	1,30 hkd

Blue taxis

Blue taxis operate on Lantau Island and in the vicinity of the airport.

Fare	24 hkd
Every 200 metres / 1 minute’s wait	1,70 hkd
Every 200 metres / 1 minute’s wait once the total reaches HK$175	1,50 hkd

However, you must add various surcharges and fees to the basic taxi fares.

• 1 piece of luggage – 6 hkd
• Toll for passing through the tunnels under Victoria Harbour – 25 hkd
• Fee for passing through the Aberdeen Tunnel – 5 hkd
• Taite’s Cairn tunnel toll – 20 hkd
• Tai Lam Tunnel toll – 55 hkd
• Lion Rock Tunnel toll – 8 hkd

How can I pay for a taxi?

Drivers are required to offer electronic payment, but this does not mean that every taxi will accept your Visa or Mastercard.

One option might be a local QR code payment, for example, and another is the Octopus card. Before your journey, check the payment logos on the window or ask the driver. Cash remains a viable option.

I’ve never once managed to pay for a regular taxi with my own card.

Are taxis in Hong Kong safe?

Yes. Fraud or other dishonest behaviour on the part of taxi drivers is extremely rare in Hong Kong.

Fares are always charged by the meter, so you don’t have to haggle over the price at all.

Do mobile taxi apps work in Hong Kong?

Of the major apps, only Uber works here at the moment.

We used it very often, as we had to travel several times from places not served by the MTR, and in heavy rain to boot.

Uber works quite reliably here, but on one occasion the driver’s app showed a different location to ours and in the end he didn’t turn up at all, so we had to cancel the journey.

Generally speaking, though, travelling by Uber in Hong Kong was reliable and cheaper than a taxi.

For an average journey around the city centre or from Kowloon to the central island, we paid around 35 hkd.

Central–Mid-Levels escalator

You’ll find a rather unusual mode of transport when travelling from central Hong Kong to the so-called ‘Mid-Levels’, a neighbourhood high above the city centre, heading towards Victoria Peak.

The system of several covered escalators, stretching over 800 metres, is the longest of its kind in the world and makes the walk up the steep hill much easier.

Over their entire length, the escalators climb a height of 135 metres.

Travel on the escalator is free of charge.

• The escalator runs downwards – 6.00 am to 10.00 am
• The escalator runs uphill – 10.00 to 00.00