Hong Kong Stopover - The Easiest Ways to Get From the Airport to the City's Main Attractions
This article will show you the best ways to travel from Hong Kong International Airport to the city"s key attractions and back.1) Storing your luggage
As a transit passenger, your suitcases are handled by the airline, so you don"t have to worry about them, but you still have the trolley luggage and the last thing you want is to walk all over the city with itò€¦ Isn"t it?
A baggage storage facility can be found at the "Meeters and Greeters Hall", just after immigration and customs.Ò They are open 7 days a week, from 5:30am to 1:30 am and charge HK$ 40 per piece for up to 3 hours, HK$ 55 for 3 ò€“ 24 hours and HK$ 130 for more than 24 hours (but less than 48ò€¦)
2) Octopus anyone?
Hong Kong"s famous Octopus Card is an electronic stored-value card that allows you to travel on most public transport services without having to bother about getting small change, or wasting time buying tickets from the automatic vending machinesò€¦
It comes with a refundable deposit of HK$ 50, which you will get back together with any leftover money, once you return the card.
The card can be bought at the Airport Express Customer Service Counter in the Arrivals Hall (just a few steps from the baggage storage desk).
3) Getting to the city and back
Now, that you have taken care of the trolley, you are ready to hit the big city, and the only question remaining is "what is the best way of getting there and back"?
*Airport Express The Airport Express train provides the fastest and most convenient link for those of you who want to get to city centre areas like Central on Hong Kong Island, or Tsim sha Tsui on Kowloon side.
It departs from the platform at the end of the Arrivals Hall once every 12 minutes and covers the distance to Hong Kong Island in only 24 minutes, with stops in Tsing Yi (Which is just an ordinary dormitory townò€¦) and Kowloon (Gateway to Tsim sha Tsui, Jordan, Yau ma tei and Mongkok)
Octopus card holders can also enjoy free MTR Connections to or from Airport Express stations, if their cards have usable value and their travel on the MTR and Airport Express is within one hour of each other.
Moreover, Airport Express passengers traveling within the same day can enjoy a FREE return journey (Offer is applicable to both Octopus Card and Same Day Return ticket holders).
First train departs from the airport at 5:54am, while the last one departs at 00:48 after midnight (Trains in the opposite direction leave at the same time, more or less).
The main disadvantage of the Airport Express is that it takes you to the train stations, from where you have to use another means of transport to get to where you want (there are free shuttles at the stations, but it still takes a bit of timeò€¦)
All in all, you can be where you want in approximately 40 ò€“ 60 minutes (including a waiting time of 6 ò€“ 10 minutes, traveling time of 20 ò€“ 24 minutes and another 10 ò€“ 20 minutes to get from the station to where you want)
*Buses Buses are cheaper than the Airport Express (unless you return on the same day and get a free return journey), but take much longer to get to townò€¦
Nevertheless, they are worth considering, for two main reasons:
-Ò Ò Ò Ò Ò Ò Ò Ò They operate throughout the night, which is important if your flight arrives after midnight or departs before 7am.
-Ò Ò Ò Ò Ò Ò Ò Ò You don"t have to change means of transport, as the bus normally takes you right to where you want to go.
Buses leave from the Ground Transportation Centre, outside the terminal building, and you can pay either by cash or Octopus Card.
Citybus A11 travels to Causeway bay, Wanchai and Central, on Hong Kong Island (N11 is the "overnight version" of this bus route)
A 21 travels to Mong Kok and Tsim sha Tsui, on Kowloon side (N 21 is the "overnight version" of this line)
If there is no heavy traffic, buses can get you to the main areas of Hong Kong Island or Kowloon in 45 ò€“ 60 minutes.
To conclude: The Airport Express makes a better choice if you are traveling during rush hour (typically, from 7 to 10am) and you know where exactly you want to go (I will give more details about specific attractions and places-of interest in my upcoming articles).
However, If you just want to travel to one of the city"s main shopping & entertainment streets, or if you know you have to travel one direction at a late night hour, bus is your best bet !