Merlin666

Thanks, what's a good alternative to Wishing Tree. I assume that MTR will be main tranposrtation, but there will also be the Peak Tram, a ferry ride, and maybe one bus ride if I read the itinerrary correctly. I will be staying at the JJ Hotel in Wan Chai, which supposedly is short taxi ride away from Airport Express Station, or Wan Chai MTR.

rkkwan

There are tonnes of places to go in HK. You may notice that I post often on this forum but not in that sticky thread, as I don't agree with some of the itineraries there. Anyways, you should look at other threads as well as guidebooks, etc. And consider what interest you. Scenery? Pre-colonial villages? Temples and Monasteries? Shopping? Markets?

You shouldn't rely on MTR as your main transportation, as there are good bus network in the city which allow you to see more; and many places don't have MTR access - like the southern part of Hong Kong Island.

tentseller

If one has time a ride on the upper level front windows on the tram is a great way of seeing the city and the various 'Neighbourhoods".

For a thrill and scenery bus 15 from peak to central on the front row of the upper level beats any amusement park ride.

Merlin666

Thanks for all the suggestions, I may have to revise my itinerary. As I only have one day I would like to visit the "must-sees", but I also just like walking around to get a feel for the place and its diversity of people and architecture (or lack thereof).

But how does this octopus thing work - which one to start with? And i guess if I run out of fare I recharge it and if I have too much I get a refund (at HKG airport)?

rkkwan

There are only two you should consider. A "regular" Octopus; or the Airport Express tourist card, which is an Octopus with AE rides, a MTR pass, and some value already loaded on it.

A regular Octopus is HK$150 to start, which has HK$100 on it, and a deposit. You can get all unspent money plus $43 of that deposit back. You can load it at any train station as well as convenient stores, which are all over Hong Kong. Just return your Octopus to the Airport Express service counter at HKG where you get your card in the first place, and you'll get your money back.

In fact, I suggest you return your regular Octopus BEFORE taking the train back to the airport, so you can use that HK dollars to buy your train ticket, instead of having so much HKD to spend or to exchange at the airport.

CAPT Tee

Airport Express gets you to Hong Kong station in about 22 minutes. But from there you'll have to transfer to MTR Island Line's Central station (a 5 minutes walk underground?) onto Wan Chai Station. Then another 3 to 4 blocks to JJ hotel.

One of the easiest and cheapest ways to get from airport to JJ hotel is A11 Bus. It drops you off at Hennessy and Stewart Road, then it is only one block away to JJ hotel. On the way to the airport, catch the bus four blocks away on Gloucester Road and Stewart Road in front of Axa Center. The cost is $40 each way, no transfer and minimal walking.

Merlin666

Thanks, about how much time does the bus ride take? I am scheduled to arrive at 22:30 after a long trip FRA-ICN-HKG with 8h layover in ICN, so will probably not be very alert.

rkkwan

About 45-50 minutes at that time of the day.

Happy

And if you take E11, the cost drops to HKD20 I believe.

E11 would go thru Tung Chung first before heading out to HK Proper. It adds about 10 to 15 minutes to the ride normally as there are locals / airport employees using the E11 at the first few stops.

Alternately, Bus S1 costs HKD1.50? or some dirt cheap change to get you to Tung Chung where you can take the regular MTR, a fraction of the cost versus Airport Express and about the same as A11 but quicker than A11 / E11 which of course does not require any transfer between Bus and MTR.

Merlin666

That's ok I guess. I will be travelling with mid-size suitcase, carryon backpack, and a laptop bag - is that ok on a bus?

And in keeping with the theme of the thread - can I use an octopus card (tourist or regular)?

tentseller

There is a luggage compartment/rack inside near the front of the lower level of the A11 bus. Kind of like the airport shuttle to hotel/rental car type in North America.

Yes, you can use the octopus card to pay bus fare.

rkkwan

S1 cost $3.5.

Anyways, the neat thing about the bus is that it's single ride. S1/mtr means many switches to most points in HK.

Merlin666

Thanks the A11 worked well. Problem is - I got in after midnight and rushed to get the bus and paid with cash fare, as I did not want to line up at the ticket counter and possibly miss the last bus. Is it possible to get around just with cash and no octopus card?

Santander

Next time you visit an MTR station you can get an Octopus. It's just too much of a hassle imo to line up and buy cash tickets for every journey and fumbling with change.

tentseller

Hong Kong is a very fast pace society including getting on and off public transportation.
You will cause a backlog/lineup and be accused of preventing the earth from spinning. (;D 4 HKers)