lsquare

Does it matter where I obtain the Airport Express ticket? Yes, I always take the airport express to and from HKG. I took the bus once from HKG to Kowloon in 2008 and I would never do that again. Every trip since then has been with Airport Express to and from HKG.

kaka

i only take the bus if i have rollerboard. fullsize luggage then its a headache.

AEx ticket - doesnt matter if you mean if you get one over klook/kkday/mtr.com.hk/MTR CS stall at HKIA/train station.
HOWEVER, you must depart from HK station or Kowloon Station, not Tsing Yi.

PS: If you are nice I have referral offers for klook. pls PM if you are bothered. i think you get a 25HKD discount or sth.

ricktoronto

HK or Kowloon stations, not the smaller ones. You go in and check in at a desk with your luggage just like the airport, and leave and come back the next day and take the train. You have to have your Octopus card or AE ticket to get into the airport check in desks. It will charge you for the trip at the check in gate but won't charge again for the trip when you board. CX is there for sure and there are others but since I only fly CX I don't know what others or how far in advance.

ricktoronto

I can't imagine they would know or care where you bought it if it's a ticket or Octopus card then it's a ticket or Octopus card.

lsquare

Thanks for the info. I never stayed anywhere close to Tsing Yi cuz it's quite far from central parts of HK.

Sorry, but I already have one.

lsquare

Can you elaborate more on that? I have never done this before. So if I use my AE ticket to get into the HK/Kowloon Station to check-in, then where do I leave to ensure that I don't use up my ticket so that I can use it the next day to get to HKG? Sorry, it's not very clear to me.

Rain187

It is a very simple, easy and convenient, the check in counter usually in the GF level with a gate, just use your octopus card / ticket to pass through the gate, everything recorded in the octopus system/ ticket. Then just leave the check-in area using the exit door (no need to tap your card there). Then just tap your card/ ticket again on the entrance gate at platform before you board the train.

There is also customer service/ ticket counter next to the gate at both check-in area/ platform, you can ask for help if you need.

One more point, suggest you to get the ticket through Klook (an app) which is much cheaper than the octopus card and ticket sell at ticket office, and they offer return ticket in 30 days too. Once you bought the ticket at Klook, they will give you a QR code in the app and just scan the QR code at the gate then you can get in

Don't worry, it is a very simple process

kaka

ricktoronto

Do what I described and if you want go to the MTR site and they can tell you the same thing and it works. They don't want loads of non AE using moochers and freeloaders checking in at HK/Kowloon if they are not AE customers because they would fill up the check-in counters and load up with all their luggage which is sent on the train. Imagine 1,000 non passengers clogging up the pipes and not paying for the train.

So you get into check-in with the fare card (ticket, either one-way or the other 1/2 of a return or Octopus), and then you leave through a gate marked "exit" (e.g. to exit the check-in area). When you go back you don't go to check-in (IIRC not even the same floor) and you go to the train and when you tap the gate it opens. You are charged going into check-in and not charged tapping to go on the train. If you fail to go on the train in the next 24 hours, well your luggage won't go on a plane anyway, and after 24 hours your ride won't be free.

You appear to have been to HK before so you know that signage and guides and arrows abound around things like the AE, CX, HKIA and the MTR. They are not going to trap you in the check-in area like a rat or force you on a train 23 1/2 hours early. Check in and leave. That's all there is to it. Return and take the train.

Zacnlinc

Be advised though that checking in at, say Kowloon, then going to Central to kill time before heading o airport, you may need some manual assistance from MTA. I've done this a few times myself.

Last time I did this, the check-in system was down at Kowloon but apparently working at HKG. The CX agent advised that I could either go there to check-in or just head to airport. I had 6 hours to kill so I opted to go to HKG and shop/eat in Central.

The info MTA agent scanned my card and ushered me in after I explained things. Now I just need to find my AE card as I'm heading back to HKG in a couple weeks. Nice that they offer a (small) refund for recycling the cards too.

kaka

Zacnlinc

Guessing I've been lucky... Will be prepared in case I need to pay from now on. I'm so "tourist" looking that they must pity me or something..

sxc

kaka

ricktoronto

The MTA was Boston's transit agency (Kingston Trio: The Man Who Never Returned) and is now the name for New York City's agency. Neither will be a lot of help. Try the HK MTR for help. You can go to an MTR service desk to add the fare for Kowloon check-in and HK train departure. It's not that unusual (the other way around doesn't matter because it's slightly cheaper as long as you paid for HK-Airport and leave at Kowloon).