MTR (Mass Transit Railway)
Mass Transit Railway: Route Map
The MTR stations on our Interactive Area Maps of the main neighborhoods
are:
1.) Tsuen Wan Line - Yau Ma Tei, Jordan, Tsim Sha Tsui, Admiralty, and
Central
2.) Island Line - Central, Admiralty, Wanchai, Causeway Bay, Tin Hau,
and Fortress Hill
3.) Airport Express Line - Airport, Tsing Yi, Kowloon, and Hong Kong
Hong
Kong's MTR, or Mass Transit Railway, is a modern, efficient, clean, and
safe subway/metro/underground that lets you get around the city quickly
and at a very reasonable cost. Each station has multiple entrances cleary
denoted by the MTR logo 
while the exit you choose depends upon your destination at street level.
Fares range between HK$4.00 - 26.00, to be determined by distance traveled.
You can buy your tickets at automated machines in every station for each
individual journey or you can purchase what is called an "Tourist"
Octopus Card. For Hong Kong residents, the regular Octopus Card is essentially
a debit card which you can use to pay for many transportation services,
including the MTR. As there's a (not large) minimum fee and a deposit,
it's impractical for visitors, thus the Tourist version was created. This
allows you one Airport Express Line journey plus 3 days of unlimited MTR
rides (except for the Airport Express Line) for HK$200. To see if it's
worth it for you, the fare between Tsim Sha Tsui and Wanchai, for example,
is HK$9 one/way, or HK$18 round/trip. Assuming you would have bought a
round/trip AEL ticket upon arrival, that would make the value of a trip
to the airport HK$80 (half of HK$160). So, you'd have to spend HK$120
worth of Tourist Octopus Card (there's no refund on any unused portion)
on the MTR over a 3 day period to make it worth your money. That's a lot
of trips across the harbor, plus, you're sure to spend one trip across
the harbor on the Star Ferry. Up to you if you think it's a good bargain.
Ferries
Across Victoria Harbour
The most famous is, of course, the "Star" Ferry but the same
company runs other routes across the harbor (shown below). The "Star"
Ferry is just the ferry service between Tsim Sha Tsui and Central. It
began in 1898 and took 40 minutes to one hour. Now, the journey takes
less than seven minutes with ferries running every ten minutes or less
(during peak hours). A ticket is inexpensive at HK$1.70 for an adult and
HK$1.20 for a child (3 to 12 years old). Add 10 cents for kids and 50
cents for adults if you want to ride in the air-conditioned upper deck.
If you are over 65 (or under three) and have a Hong Kong ID or a senior
citizen card, you can ride for free. Hours of operation are 6:30 a.m.
to 11:30 p.m. The cigar-shaped boats look a bit different, but they're
extremely safe and handle the often choppy harbor quite well. If it's
going to be your first time on the ferry, stay out of the air-conditioning
and take in the fresh breeze and magnificent views. A must-do in Hong
Kong. The company -- The Star Ferry Co., Ltd. -- runs the following routes:
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Star Ferry Pier
at Tsim Sha Tsui
Tsim Sha Tsui <> Central (the "Star" Ferry)
Tsim Sha Tsui <>Wanchai
Hung Hom* <> Central
Hung Hom* <> Wanchai
*The Hung Hom pier
is shown on our TST East Interactive Map
There are other ferry services across the harbor. For more information,
please call the Hong Kong Tourist Association's visitors hotline (multi-lingual)
at (852) 2508 1234.
To the Outlying Islands
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The ferry piers for the outlying islands are just west of the Star Ferry
pier in Central, behind the Airport Express Line's new station. Ferries
run from/to:
Central Pier - Discovery Bay
Pier 4 - Tuen Mun, Sha Lo Wan, and Tai O (Shun Tak Ferries at 2859-3333)
Pier 5 - Tsing Yi, Tsuen Wan, and Lamma (HK & Kowloon Ferry at 2815-6063)
Pier 6/7 - Peng Chau, Cheung Chau, and Lantau (HK & Yaumatei Ferry
at 2525-1108)
Fares are roughly HK$10.00-20.00 from piers 5, 6, and 7 (higher on
Sundays and holidays) and HK$25.00-35.00 from Pier 4. High-speed ferries
to Discovery Bay cost HK$25.00 and take 25 minutes. Please call first
to double-check the rates are they are subject to change without notice.
Taxis
There are three different colors for Hong Kong taxis,
depending on which area they are serving. Red taxis operate on Hong Kong
Island and in Kowloon, green taxis are found in the New Territories, and
blue taxis work Lantau. All three of them can go to the airport, however,
so it pays to be careful getting in the right line if you're taking a
taxi from the airport.
All taxis are metered. The "flagfall" charge is HK$15.00 for
the first two kilometers and HK$1.40 for each 200 meters afterwards. Additionally,
you must pay all tunnel fees and bridge tolls, plus HK$5.00 for each bag
or suitcase put in the trunk. If you are crossing the harbor, note that
you will be charged the two-way tunnel fare (HK$20) as it is assumed
that the driver would need to return to where he/she came from, at some
point. Fees for other tunnels are one-way: Lion Rock - HK$6.00,
Junk Bay - HK$3.00, and Aberdeen - HK$5.00. Remembering this could prevent
a misunderstanding.
Two important tips when you are hailing a cab: 1.) Outside many of the
larger shopping areas and tourist attractions there will be an organized
line waiting for a cab. If you leap into the street, throw your hand into
the air, and shout "Taxi!", you may be cutting in front of people.
Have a look around, first., 2.) If you are trying to get a cab to stop
but they just keep cruising on by, you may be in a "no-stopping"
zone. These are marked by a yellow line running along the curb and they
are surprisingly numerous. Go to where there's no line and give it another
try.
One final note. Though many of the Chinese residents will speak some English,
your taxi driver may not. Be sure to bring a fold-up map with you (with
Chinese markings as well as English! - easily obtainable at the airport
or your hotel) or, if things get comical, ask someone to help you out.
If all else fails, the driver's dispatcher can usually help out over the
radio.
Public Buses
Street Trams
The
street tram line opened in 1904. The double-decker cars have no air-conditioning
and are often crowded but they're dirt cheap at HK$2.00 a ride. The line
runs from west of Central to east of Causeway Bay. In Central, heading
east, the tram runs along Queen's Road, through Admiralty and past Pacific
Place. It dips down in Wanchai a bit onto Johnston Road until it rejoins
Hennessy Road just before Causeway Bay. In Causeway Bay, it follows Hennessy
as it turns into Yee Woo Street and then back into Causeway Road just
below Victoria Park. In other words, it follows on the surface almost
the same route as the MTR below. There is also a spur that loops around
Happy Valley Race Track. Very convenient for short to medium hops.
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