| If
it is your fist time to Hong Kong, or you haven't been
since the opening of the new airport, things can be
a little confusing. Below we offer you a guide to arriving
at the Hong Kong International airport and getting
into town, and also travelling around the city during
your stay.
At
the Airport
The
Airport Express
The
train, Airport Express is the fastest and most comfortable way to get into town.
The Airport Express stops at three stations, namely Tsing Yi,
Kowloon and Central. Each seat on the modern train has its own TV set with different
channels offering viewers information on Hong Kong, news and
other entertainment channels. See our full review of the Hong
Kong Airport Express.
Bus
The
bus is a very cheap and pleasant way to travel into central
Hong Kong. There are buses that will take you anywhere you
could possibly want to go, and you get the additional benefit
of travelling over the amazing suspension bridge stretching
from Lantau Island to the mainland. More on the bus routes to
come soon. See: Hong
Kong Airport Bus.
HOW
After
passing through customs your best bet is to take a train directly
into HK. But WAIT, you need a ticket, not to get on, but to
get off !! Buy what they call an Octupus card which is
a bit like a stored value card which you can keep topping up
as needed. If you are staying
for a week then just put 300HK$ on and that should cover you
for your entire stay. You will even be able to use the Octopus
Card in some shops such as 711. The Octopus Card counter is right in between the customs and the train,
and the counter is circular in shape. Basically it will be
at either 1 o'clock or 11 o'clock in direction when you exit
the customs welcome barriers.
Once
you have the card you will be able to get on and off the train,
with ease. You do not need to validate your new card before
you get on, but you will when you get off. When you alight
from the train you will reach the barriers, you simply need
to pass your card over the pad at the top of the barrier.
Don't try to insert it instead just hold it over that pad
and move it around until you here the beep.
There
are always people at hand if you do need some help, but after
your first few times it is a breeze.
Now
you have a choice, you can either can take a taxi, or take
a complimentary bus to your hotel. If you are at Central
then the buses are H1 and H2, and are located at around 10
o'clock direction when you come out of the barriers. The taxis
are straight ahead. The buses stop at all major hotels and
have different routes so check which one goes to your hotel.
To see the destination
of all the buses click HERE, and you
will see which buses go to which hotels. So you know, you do
not need to be staying at the hotels listed to use the buses
so you can always take the bus to a hotel which is close to
your own and then simply walk from there.
The
Airport Express train departs from the airport to the right
when you are looking at it, and from Central to the left.
When
returning to the airport just do the reverse.
In
town
You
have a choice between buses, taxis, the
MTR (underground), trams, ferries
and of course walking.
Taxis
Taxis
are everywhere and cheap. They start at HK$ 15
and go up from there. Some Taxis have a board with Chinese
writing in their front screen, or some may be sat around and
then refuse to take you anywhere! They are not being rude, it is just
that they are travelling to Kowloon, and so are waiting for
passengers to take them back, that way they do not have
to pay the toll for using the tunnel. In general the level
of English of the drivers is quite limited so it can be useful
to ask your hotel to write your destination in Chinese so the
driver knows exactly where you are going.
MTR
Here
you will be able to use the Octupus Card in the same way that
you did when you arrived. Just pass it over the barriers.
The MTR is clean, fast, cheap and covers most of the major
areas in Hong Kong. The MTR is by far the fastest way to get to and from the Island
to Kowloon. All you need to know is where the station is that
you are going and where you are at that time. Look for the
last station in the direction that you want to travel and
then just follow the signs for that.
Buses
Coming
Soon
Walking
Hong
Kong is very safe, and while it may sound a little crazy, in the heat
and humidity, walking is a very good option.
Hong Kong is so small that sometimes it is quicker just to
walk.
Trams
If
you are in Hong Kong for business or pleasure you have to
take a ride on a tram. Do NOT take the tourist tram, just
simply jump on any tram passing by and mix in. It will cost
HK$ 2 (have the change ready) for the ride no matter how short
or long. A great experience.
Ferries
Ferries
can take you from Central to Tsim Sha Tsui (Kowloon) or Wanchai
to TST, or Hung Hom, Discovery Bay, Lamma, Lantau, Cheung
Chau. They are amazing and worth the experience, so do try
to find the time to take one. From Wanchai to TST will cost
HK$ 2 one way. Airport
Buses
These
buses are free of charge and will take you from the airport
express station to your hotel. Check which bus number is the
one you require.
(K
= Kowloon side H = Hong Kong Island side)
From
/ To Hong Kong Station (Central)
H1
- Service hours 06:20 - 23:10
(every 24 minutes) Island Shangri-La >> Conrad
International Hong Kong >> Pacific Place >> JW
Marriott Hotel Hong Kong >> The Empire Hotel Hong Kong
>> Renaissance Harbour View Hotel >> Hong Kong
Convention and Exhibition Centre
H2
- Service hours 06:20 - 23:10
(every 24 minutes) The Wharney Guang Dong Hotel Hong Kong
>> Novotel Century Hong Kong Hotel >>The
Excelsior, Hong Kong >> Regal Hongkong Hotel >>
The Park Lane >> Luk Kwok Hotel
From
/ To Kowloon Station
K1
- Service hours 06:18 - 23:10
(every 12 minutes) MTR Jordan Station (alighting, Tak Shung
School) >> KCR Hung Hom Station (alighting) >>
Whampoa Garden (Tak On Street) >> Harbour Plaza Hotel
>> Harbour Plaza Metropolis >> KCR East Rail Hung
Hum Station (boarding) >> MTR Jordan Station (boarding,
Union Church Kowloon)
K2
- Service hours 06:18 - 23:10
(every 12 minutes) The Marco Polo Prince >> The Marco
Polo Gateway >> The Marco Polo Hongkong Hotel >>
Sheraton Hong Kong / KCR East Tsim Sha Tsui Station
K3
- Service hours 06:18 - 23:10
(every 12 minutes) The Kowloon Hotel >> Hyatt Regency
Hong Kong >> Langham Hotel Hong Kong >> Royal
Pacific Hotel / China Ferry Terminal
K4
- Service hours 06:18 - 23:10
(every 24 minutes) New World Renaissance Hotel >> Regal
Kowloon Hotel >> Hotel Nikko Hongkong >>
InterContinental Grand Stanford Hong Kong >> Kowloon
Shangri-La
K5
- Service hours 06:18 - 23:10
(every 24 minutes) Holiday Inn Golden Mile Hong Kong >>
Park Hotel >> Hotel Miramar >> The Knutsford Hotel
>> The Empire Hotel Kowloon >> B P International
==========
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