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MR Over night layover in HKG

MR Over night layover in HKG

Old Sep 22, 2014, 11:06 am
  #16  
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Originally Posted by QDDawg
I'm doing the same thing this weekend, arrive HKG 10:30 p.m. leave at 10:30 a.m.

Found some info on tripadvisor, I believe, go to Terminal 1 near gates 34 - 36 and there are lounge chairs in that area, and/or benches without the arm rests between every seat.

Bring a neck pillow and blanket or sweatshirt, they say it is COLD in the airport.

there is also a 24 hour starbucks, McDonalds and 7-11

If I have the energy - mainly depending on my upgrade chances - I'll try to get into the city, but if not, my plan is to hopefully score a lounge chair, the VS lounge opens at 0600, so I can then head there, chill, eat, shower, and board the flight home, thankfully in first
Upon arrival you will be at arrival level. You need an onward boarding pass to head to departure level where you will encounter a BP check and then departure security. It is at this level around gate 34-36 where the lounging chairs are found. It is first come first served. If you don't have an onward BP you need to get one at the transfer/transit counter. Whether a BP can be issued so far ahead of a 10:30 departure the next morning is the issue.

If you can't get a BP to get you to the departure area there is a paid lounge airside with sleeping facilities for rent.

HKG is one big terminal, The separation of terminal 1 and 2 is for the check in counters. Even if you check in at terminal 2 you end up in the same terminal for departure.
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Old Sep 22, 2014, 11:27 am
  #17  
 
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Originally Posted by tentseller
Upon arrival you will be at arrival level. You need an onward boarding pass to head to departure level where you will encounter a BP check and then departure security. It is at this level around gate 34-36 where the lounging chairs are found. It is first come first served. If you don't have an onward BP you need to get one at the transfer/transit counter. Whether a BP can be issued so far ahead of a 10:30 departure the next morning is the issue.

If you can't get a BP to get you to the departure area there is a paid lounge airside with sleeping facilities for rent.

HKG is one big terminal, The separation of terminal 1 and 2 is for the check in counters. Even if you check in at terminal 2 you end up in the same terminal for departure.
Ahh, good info to know, I"m hoping since it will be less than 24 hours until departure I will be able to have my return boarding pass.

I guess I'll find out Saturday night and will post my results here.
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Old Sep 23, 2014, 12:10 am
  #18  
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Originally Posted by QDDawg
Ahh, good info to know, I"m hoping since it will be less than 24 hours until departure I will be able to have my return boarding pass.

I guess I'll find out Saturday night and will post my results here.
Please do post your results when you are back. It will be very useful for me and other MR flyers!!
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Old Sep 29, 2014, 12:31 pm
  #19  
 
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So I made it to HKG and back, and was very fortunate to be able to use my GUC on the flight out.

That being said - I'm afraid I don't have too much info on getting to the gates to find the sleeping areas.

Our flight from NRT - HKG was delayed 3 hours due to mechanical issues. We landed about 1/1:30 a.m local time. When we landed in HKG the "normal" immigration area was closed due to the APM (automatic people mover) not working.

We ended up walking all the way through the terminal passed many gates, and passed the transit check-in gates, but they were all closed. I'm not sure if this was due to the time or the fact that the other immigration post was closed.

I cleared customs and was outside in Terminal 1 arrivals area. There were a lot of people here camping out on chairs, and such.

Due to the late arrival Delta provided a free shuttle to downtown hong kong, since I had already cleared security and it was free I decided to go into the city and have a late night meal. A friend recommended an all night spot - Tsui Wah in Lan Kwai Fong. Fun area, although a bit clubby, food was good, I was entertained people watching and wandering around for about an hour or so after I ate.

Took a cab back about 4/5 a.m. cost me 310 HKG or about $40 USD. Hung out at the McDonalds watched The Wire on my kindle and cleared back to the gate about 6 a.m.

To get to gates 30 - 80 I had to take an air train - like in ATL - but it did not start running until 6:20 a.m.

Sorry I can't be of more help, but I think if you do not come into Terminal 1 by gates 34 - 36, you will be hard pressed to find your way there. I don't know if things would've been different had I gone through the "normal" immigration post.

But there are areas in the check in and arrival areas that you can find to lay down or just hang out with free Wi-fi to pass the time, clean bathrooms.

If I had/chose to do a mileage run again this would be at the top of my list with either leaving or staying in the airport.
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Old Sep 29, 2014, 9:04 pm
  #20  
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What happened is that the TRANSIT desks and security were closed, so you were forced through main immigration into HKG. There is simply two huge banks of immigration counters, and at that time of the day, only a few counters on one single side would be open. There's no "special" ones.

The automatic train gets you from one end of the terminal near (Gate 1-20) to the other other end (Gate 40-69). When it wasn't running early in the morning, you are free to walk past the other gates to your gate. You don't have to take the train at all.
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Old Sep 30, 2014, 3:29 pm
  #21  
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Originally Posted by QDDawg
So I made it to HKG and back, and was very fortunate to be able to use my GUC on the flight out.

That being said - I'm afraid I don't have too much info on getting to the gates to find the sleeping areas.

Our flight from NRT - HKG was delayed 3 hours due to mechanical issues. We landed about 1/1:30 a.m local time. When we landed in HKG the "normal" immigration area was closed due to the APM (automatic people mover) not working.

We ended up walking all the way through the terminal passed many gates, and passed the transit check-in gates, but they were all closed. I'm not sure if this was due to the time or the fact that the other immigration post was closed.

I cleared customs and was outside in Terminal 1 arrivals area. There were a lot of people here camping out on chairs, and such.

Due to the late arrival Delta provided a free shuttle to downtown hong kong, since I had already cleared security and it was free I decided to go into the city and have a late night meal. A friend recommended an all night spot - Tsui Wah in Lan Kwai Fong. Fun area, although a bit clubby, food was good, I was entertained people watching and wandering around for about an hour or so after I ate.

Took a cab back about 4/5 a.m. cost me 310 HKG or about $40 USD. Hung out at the McDonalds watched The Wire on my kindle and cleared back to the gate about 6 a.m.

To get to gates 30 - 80 I had to take an air train - like in ATL - but it did not start running until 6:20 a.m.

Sorry I can't be of more help, but I think if you do not come into Terminal 1 by gates 34 - 36, you will be hard pressed to find your way there. I don't know if things would've been different had I gone through the "normal" immigration post.

But there are areas in the check in and arrival areas that you can find to lay down or just hang out with free Wi-fi to pass the time, clean bathrooms.

If I had/chose to do a mileage run again this would be at the top of my list with either leaving or staying in the airport.
Thank you very much for the update! Now I am following the news of Occupy Central in Hong Kong. Maybe it's better just hang out near the airport?
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Old Oct 2, 2014, 1:02 pm
  #22  
 
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with all that drama, that is what I would do - stay at the airport. You don't want to get caught some place and not be able to get back to make your flight.

Hopefully you get some sleep on the flight over, you're awake mostly while on the ground and can catch up on reading or shows.

I did see something at the bottom of my trip for a hotel that was about $37USD, said it had a free shuttle, depending on times, but said I had to contact the hotel directly for info. I never did that, but something you might want to look into, a single bed, hot shower and free shuttle to and from would be worth it IMO.

It was at the bottom of my trip info, where it asks if you want to rent a car or reserve a room, etc.

Best of luck and safe travels!
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Old Oct 2, 2014, 5:48 pm
  #23  
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Originally Posted by QDDawg
with all that drama, that is what I would do - stay at the airport.
To me, the shear idea of flying halfway around the world to hang out in an airport is simply unconscionable, especially when the destination city is super easy to get to from the airport, and is as vibrant as HK. While the "drama" might help you justify this approach in your mind, the fact of the matter is that the city is still functioning AND it offers far richer experiences than the 24-hour MacDonald's at HKIA.

You don't want to get caught some place and not be able to get back to make your flight.
I agree with this statement. However, it's insanely easy to choose a hotel with good MTR access. Do this, and you have nothing to worry about.
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Old Oct 4, 2014, 4:42 pm
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However, it's insanely easy to choose a hotel with good MTR access.

How is this done when you don't have experience with the city or MTR routes? Is MTR running 24 hours?
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Old Oct 4, 2014, 5:13 pm
  #25  
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Originally Posted by mmthomas44
How is this done when you don't have experience with the city or MTR routes?
Google Maps, Tripadvisor, hotel websites, a modicum of research, and so on. It's not like the MTR or the hotel is going to be somewhere different next week. HK is pretty traveler-friendly if you are able to handle a rail-subway system. Even the express busses, which are slightly less traveler-friendly, aren't that hard to navigate, even if you don't speak a word of Cantonese.

Originally Posted by mmthomas44
Is MTR running 24 hours?
Not usually. Neither is the Airport Express, things will shut down after midnight from about midnight to 6 am.
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Old Oct 4, 2014, 5:32 pm
  #26  
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Originally Posted by mmthomas44
However, it's insanely easy to choose a hotel with good MTR access.

How is this done when you don't have experience with the city or MTR routes? Is MTR running 24 hours?
Just focus on the Island Line between Sheung Wan and Causeway Bay (as far out as North Point is actually okay), and the Tsuen Wan Line between TST and Mongkok (the closer to TST, the better). The Tung Chung Line, which connects with the HEX at Kowloon Stn and Tsingyi is a distant 3rd in terms of convenience and things to see/do. There are numerous threads in this forum discussing specific hotels, and very few do not adhere to the above criteria.

The MTR is not open 24 hours, but if your outbound flight is 730a or later, it is pretty easy to use it + HEX to get to HKIA if you don't have to make any transfers.
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Old Oct 4, 2014, 6:56 pm
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The MTR map I found online doesn't seem to show any transfer point from airport line to TST. How would you get to/from there from airport? Is the apx bus operating from Kowloon station? Can you buy apx/bus ticket at TST area hotel stops for the journey to airport?
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Old Oct 4, 2014, 7:38 pm
  #28  
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Originally Posted by mmthomas44
The MTR map I found online doesn't seem to show any transfer point from airport line to TST.
1. How would you get to/from there from airport?
2. Is the apx bus operating from Kowloon station?
3. Can you buy apx/bus ticket at TST area hotel stops for the journey to airport?
1. In order of my preference
-HEX/taxi
-HEX/free bus
-Taxi
-Bus

2. Yes. I only take these when the taxi queue appears to be more than 5 minutes long, and I know that my stop isn't far down the line

3. I'm not sure, but tickets are easy to buy at MTR/HEX stations, or you can go the Octopus route
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