andrzej - Thanks for finally answering one of my long-lasting questions. So, the tourist Airport Expess/MTR card can indeed be recharged for other uses, beyond the HK$20 that comes with it.

Put it in another way, $300 buys you $20 extra money, $50 deposit, R/T AE trips worth up to $180. So, for $50, you get unlimited MTR rides for three days. $50 equals about 5 cross-harbor trips or 11 trips from TST-to-Mongkok or Causeway-to-Central if you use a regular Octopus card.

It's a decent deal if you've decided to take the AE already. But I suggest one shouldn't make the decision to take the AE because of the tourist card. Plus, there are often other offers like the current half-price "companion" tickets on the AE, till 3/31.

[This message has been edited by rkkwan (edited Mar 16, 2004).]