Since the opening of the first line in 1979, the MTR has been providing
a safe, reliable and efficient service to passengers. Apart from the
Airport Express Line, the current system comprises 6 lines - the Kwun
Tong, Tsuen Wan, Island, Tung Chung, Tseung Kwan O and Disneyland Resort
Lines, running over 83.7km through 51 stations. Today it keeps over 2.4
million people on the move every weekday, making it one of the most
heavily utilized mass transit systems in the world.
Hong Kong's MTR, or Mass Transit Railway, is a modern, efficient, clean, and
safe subway/metro/underground that lets you get around the city quickly and
at a very reasonable cost. Each station has multiple entrances clearly
denoted by the MTR logo while the exit you choose depends upon your
destination at street level. Fares range between HK$4.00 - 26.00, to be
determined by distance traveled.
You can buy your tickets at automated machines in every station for each
individual journey or you can purchase what is called an "Tourist" Octopus
Card. For Hong Kong residents, the regular Octopus Card is essentially a
debit card which you can use to pay for many transportation services,
including the MTR. As there's a (not large) minimum fee and a deposit, it's
impractical for visitors, thus the Tourist version was created. This allows
you one Airport Express Line journey plus 3 days of unlimited MTR rides
(except for the Airport Express Line) for HK$200. To see if it's worth it
for you, the fare between Tsim Sha Tsui and Wanchai, for example, is HK$9
one/way, or HK$18 round/trip. Assuming you would have bought a round/trip
AEL ticket upon arrival, that would make the value of a trip to the airport
HK$80 (half of HK$160). So, you'd have to spend HK$120 worth of Tourist
Octopus Card (there's no refund on any unused portion) on the MTR over a 3
day period to make it worth your money. That's a lot of trips across the
harbor, plus, you're sure to spend one trip across the harbor on the Star
Ferry. Up to you if you think it's a good bargain.
