Octopus Card

With attractive discount and connivance, Octopus Card is a must have accessory in Hong Kong. The card is a contactless smart card. It is mostly used to pay rides on the MTR, buses, minibuses, ferries, trams or on some taxis that are equipped with Octopus readers, and also for payment in supermarkets, fast food, department stores, shops, cinemas, car parks, retail outlets, convenience stores, bookstores that provides with Octopus readers. The card was originally intrduced in 1997 as a payment means on the MTR. However, since then, because of its popularity with local and tourist, it was transformed into a payment system nowadays. The card can be commonly seen in Hong Kong and People can use it for payment anywhere in the city.

Where to buy the card

The On-Loan Octopus Card can be bought at the following places: Airport Express Customer Service Centre, MTR Customer Service Centre (except Racecourse station), as well as other Customer Service Centers of public transportation companies.

 

How Does the Card Work

People just have to swipe or touch the card over the he Octopus reader when they use it. But as for the transportation vehicles, different vehicles require different way to use it.
►For MTR: passengers should swipe the card at the entrance barrier and once again at the exit barrier (destination station)
►For trams: passenger should swipe the card when they get off.
►For Ferry: passenger should swipe the card at the entrance barrier.
► For Bus: passenger should swipe te card when they get on.

When you are swiping the card, the amount taken and the remaining value will be presented after each transaction, so you know when the time to top up the card is. The card can be kept in a wallet or bag.

 

Benefit of using Octopus Card

►You do not have to spend time buying a single journey ticket at Ticket Issuing Machines, or counting the exact amount of coins on buses and trams.
►Passengers of Cityflyer Routes traveling to/from the Airport can enjoy a 50% discount for a return journey on the same day.
► Enjoy free MTR connections to/from the Airport Express stations.
►The MTR fares using Octopus are usually cheaper than single journey tickets.
► Airport Express (AE) passengers can enjoy a free return journey on the same day.
►Apart from collecting fares on public transport, it can be used as a payment method in retail and fast-food outlets, car parks, leisure facilities and many other places.

Tips

If you leave Hong Kong, but forget to return the On-Loan Octopus to get the refundable deposit and the remaining value. However, to get the refundable deposit and the remaining value on the spot (i.e. at any MTR/AE Customer Service Centre), make sure that your card has the remaining value less than HK$500 and is in good condition.