Originally Posted by
wco81
I wasn't expecting same-day return fare for Airport Express. I see $90 from HKG to Kowloon for a single and $160 for the return. Surely they don't' expect you to return the same day?
I did consider the Airport Express tickets with the 3-day pass but that's only valid on the MTR right? So if I want to use the Star Ferry or buses, that wouldn't work?
How do you pay fares on the bus with the OC? Fares vary depending on the distance, it appears. So do you have the OC read when you board and when you exit the buses? For instance, I may take the bus from TST to Aberdeen or from Central to Aberdeen/Stanley. Or another bus between Aberdeen and Stanley.
Also, can the OC be used to pay for the ferry to Lantau, the buses on Lantau Island, the cable car on Lantau? And the MTR back from Lantau to TST?
I have some of the answers you are looking for but not all.
- Round trip Airport fares: There are some folks that really do fly into and out of HKG in one day, they would be flying intra Asia. The other scenario are local folks who want to see off family members who are taking a flight; they need to get home.
- In looking at the MTR Airport Express website, it doesn't seem like the Airport Express cards with the one or two airport trips is good on the Star Ferry or on the local buses (ie Citybus, Kowloon Motor or New World). However a regular Octopus card will work (btw the regular Octopus card can also be used in places like 7-11, the supermarkets (Wellcome, anyway), and I believe McD's).
- Hong Kong buses charge on a two zone system. What happens is that they charge full fare at the beginning of a route, then somewhere at the halfway or two thirds point the fare drops. Thus you flash your Octopus card just once; there's no exit reader. This is really fair for someone who's going between point A and point B where B is a mile or two from the bus' starting point - they pay the full fare going one way, and the reduced fare to get back (the bus started its journey ffrom the other end).
- You need to get answers from others on most of your other Lantau questions, however the MTR Tung Chung line stations (including Tung Chung station itself) will take the Octopus card. BTW if you have time and want to save money, there are S buses (S1 and two other S routes I think) that connect HKIA with Tung Chung station. A lot of crew and airport staff use these to get back and forth; assume it's 20 minutes between the two ends.