Originally Posted by
tsmith12
Hi everyone,
Can you go over my 10-hour trip and see if this is possible or am I being overly ambitious?
My flight lands at 5:30am and connecting flight leaves at 6pm. (so, I'd like to be back by 4:15) I want to see the Peak/Harbor and Lantau/Giant Buddha. I also don't mind spending HKD$2-300 extra for taxi, if it can save me some time and more importantly any extended walking distance. (I hurt my leg and want to minimize my walking time)
With that in mind, here's what I planned and I'll appreciate if you can give me your suggestions and answer few of my questions-
1. Arrive 5:30am- leave airport by 7am (immigration, check-in carry-on..)
2. Take Airport Express around 7am to HK Station-7:45am
You should be able to leave the airport by around 6:15a and get to HK station before 7.
3. HOW DO I GET TO PEAK TRAM STATION FROM HK STATION? For walking, I read I have to walk thru Central Station and look for exit J2 then walk towards Peak Tram Terminus on Garden Road. How long is this walk? Can I get a taxi/Do I need a taxi here?
4. Reach Tram station by 8:30?
5. Take Peak tram and back by 9:30?
Taxi is cheap and easy, especially since it's uphill to the Peak Tram terminus. But it's also nice walking through Central, if it's not too hot. There are many ways to walk there, but I suggest this one, which allows you to see some of the sites of Central:
- Take the B2 exit of
Hong Kong Station, where you are, not Central.
- Cross the street and go between the General Post Office and Jardine House (the high-rise with round windows)
- Cross Connaught Rd to Statue Square using the pedestrian tunnel
- Cross Statue Square and Des Voeux Rd and go up one floor into the Standard Chartered Bank building (immediately next to HSBC HQ)
- Take the footbridge over Queen's Road Central onto Battery Path
- Continue up Battery Path, around St. John's Cathedral to Garden Road
- Up Garden Road and cross it in front of US Consulate
You'll see the Peak Tram terminal. You can do it in 15 minutes, or 20 if you stop to take pictures and such.
Yeah, you can come down from the Peak by 9 or 9:30.
6. Taxi to star ferry terminal 10:15?
Just walk. Perhaps take taxi up to the Peak Tram terminal, and walk down to Star Ferry. Just the reverse of my route. There's also the 15C bus, but it's not frequent.
7. Star Ferry to Tsim Sha Tsui and check out Ave of stars-11:30?
8. WHERE DO I GET A MTR TRAIN TO TUNG CHUNG? Is it right next to Ave of stars or Do I walk to somewhere? or take ferry back to star ferry terminal?
9. I read its about a 40 min MTR ride to Tung Chung (IS IT THE SAME MTR..DO I JUST SIT UNTIL I GET TO TUNG CHUNG OR DO I NEED TO CHANGE TRAINS?) Reach by 12:30
There's the MTR entrance in front of the InterContinental. You should take the
West Rail Line from the
East Tsim Sha Tsui station, and not the Tsuen Wan Line from Tsim Sha Tsui. The two stations (ETST and TST) are connected and both accessible from the entrance in front of the IC.
Switch to the Tung Chung line at Nam Cheong. Total journey is 32 minutes, but may add a few waiting for the Tung Chung line.
10. IS THE CABLE CAR to LANTAU RIGHT BY THE TUNG CHUNG station? Do I need a taxi here or walk to the cable car?
Short walk through a plaza straight out from the Tung Chung station. Signs everywhere.
Say I get to Lantau Ngong Ping Terminal by 1pm... is 3 hours enough to see the buddha, take the cable car back to Tung Chung and then take a Blue Taxi to the airport? I might skip walking up the steps to Giant Buddha if I'm too tired or running out of time.
Plenty of time. Even including a vegetarian meal at Po Lin Monastery. On the way back, either take blue taxi, or the S1 bus at the same transportation plaza outside the cable car terminus at Tung Chung.
Can I take a taxi anywhere in this trip to save time/walking?
Probably only from HK station up to the Peak Tram station, since it's uphill. And taxi back to airport from Tung Chung. You have plenty of time to do your itinerary, so time is not really a concern unless you really linger in Ngong Ping, which I don't envision.
Also, can I buy the octopus card using a credit card?
Should I exchange $ at the airport or are there any locations outside (within my way) where I can exchange $?
Any help will be appreciated..Thank you!
Cash only for regular Octopus. (You don't want a tourist card, which can be purchased with credit card).
Use ATM card at one of the many machines from major banks at HKG. HSBC, Bank of China, Citibank all have ATMs there. Don't use ones from Travelex, as they may have extra fees or poorer rates.
Make sure you buy a
same day return Airport Express ticket from the manned counter. It costs the same as a one-way, but they are not the same ticket.