How much to load on Octopus card
 

According to a TripAdvisor article, it's cheaper to buy at kiosks near Airport Express than to buy at a vending machine?

So I plan to load at least the round-trip fare for Airport Express, which should be about $160? The Octopus card should be $150 which includes $100 of credit.

I know that they will refund the $50 deposit but do they refund the unused credit?

Or will the Octopus Card store that credit for years or is it best not to have credit remaining and to get your deposit back if you may not be back in HK for years?

Yes, they refund the unused credit. They charge a service fee if you return the card within 3 months of getting one.

There is no difference in price. It's all the same on the MTR system. What you might have read is a reduced Airport Express fee if you buy 2 cards at the same time. I'm not sure if that's still offered.

$160 is the round-trip price to Kowloon - it's $180 to Central. I'm also not sure about if the Octopus is smart enough to figure out to only charge you $80 for the return journey if a period of days elapses though I do know it can handle the same-day return as I've done that a number of times.

Depending on number of days you are staying and the number of trips by other modes of transportation the tourist card with airport express return and unlimited travel for three days might make sense.

www.mtr.com.hk

If you're originating from the Airport there is no discount when you use Octopus, you actually get charged the full $120/$180/$200 full fare as if you bought 2 single journey tickets. (I do this sometimes if I am in a massive hurry to squeeze in a couple of errands in HK during a short layover) The Octopus discount is only applicable from one of the city stations to AsiaWorld-Expo, although you could get off at Airport, do your thing then go spend exactly 1 hour at AsiaWorld-Expo if you really wanted to save a few bucks. You can buy same-day returns for the same price as single journey which is way cheaper than buying a roundtrip ticket.

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?

For info on what the pass is good for:
www.mtr.com.hk

First, about the roundtrip fares on the Airport Express. Like you said, roundtrip ticket HKG-Kowloon is HK$160 (good for 30 days), so it's a little discount over two singles (HK$90 x 2 = HK$180). Some credit cards also get discount if you bought online. But it's absolutely ridiculous that they want you to use Navigator or IE only - who uses Navigator? These are not loaded onto Octopus, but actual separate physical tickets they give you.

When you asked why buy from kiosk over vending machine, it's for the group tickets and same-day return tickets, which are not sold at the vending machines.

Second, yes, 3-day pass only good for most MTR trains (and not all). Not on other transportation.

On most buses, fares are NOT based on distance, only where you board. So, you simply "beep" your Octopus when you board and that's it. I can tell you all the exceptions, and the one that a tourist may see is getting off the bus to Stanley at Repulse Bay. You "beep" your Octopus one more time when you get off, and you'll get a refund onto your Octopus. On these buses, you'll get off through the front door only, as the card reader is next to the driver.

Finally, yes, you can pay for all those trips you listed with an Octopus. Basically, you can use it on any public transportation except a few taxis (and I do mean a few actual taxis, if you're lucky enough to get into one), and most red-colored 16-seat "Public Light Bus" (some routes do have them).

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.

It all depends on the route. Many are single zone, and some have 3 or more. The point where they often reduce the subsequent fare is a geographical barrier, and not necessarily due to distance. Like after crossing a bridge or tunnel.

And besides the buses to Stanley I mentioned, #15 to The Peak also gives a refund if you beep your Octopus when get off at or before Wan Chai Gap. In the New Territories, some KMB routes allow you to pay sectional fares, but only with cash and not with Octopus.

i just got back from HKG, and i usually load about $100 per reload.
sometimes $200 if i know im going to be doing some intensive traveling.

Mine has worked for years. Just keep it. That's what I do, I keep it with my passport and the odd currency I accumulate on my trips that I don't bother to exchange back on the way out.

When you exit customs at the airport, there's a desk right at the exit (before you clear that area where all the people are) on the right that sells the octopus cards. I just put 200 - 300 on it, which covers my Airport Express round trip and usually whatever extra trips I do on bus, train, ferry. You can check your balance/reload anywhere/anytime. In that same area, there's some ATM machines also, so first you will pass that desk, go to the ATM machine, get 500 - 1000 or whatever and go back to the MTR desk and buy/reload your Octopus card.

There's a bunch of places where you can pay for stuff with your Octopus card now. There's even a web site for it. (Quokka posted a link to it in post#2). It's a separate third party payment system.

It's a great system. (both Octopus and the HKG transit system). Enjoy.

-David

I will be in Hong Kong for two nights and one day on which I intend to follow this itinerary:

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/13337861-post18.html

For required local transport it looks like I may need an airport express roundtrip ticket, along with an adult loan octopus card, or an adult sold tourist card. What is the best option, and what is the best process to get this going smoothly?

First, I highly suggest you NOT to go to the Wishing Tree. It's a waste of your precious time in Hong Kong.

Assuming you're set in taking the Airport Express to/from airport, the cost of your two choices are not that different. If you are planning to take a lot of MTR rides, like going to the Big Buddha via Tung Chung or Disney, then get the tourist card. If you plan to trying more of the other transportation - buses, ferries, trams, etc, then get a separate Octopus.

You can get the Octopus and all kinds of Airport Express tickets at the circular counter right outside customs exit at HKG. Cash only for the regular Octopus. Credit card accepted for the airport express tickets and tourist card.