Octopus Card

I%26#39;ll be arriving at HKG on friday evening and will be staying in TST until Monday around noon. I%26#39;m just doing the tourist thing and I%26#39;ve never been to Hong Kong before so I was wondering if this card makes the most sense for me. It works on the Star Ferry as well as the Airport express and the trains? I%26#39;ve been searching websites and I%26#39;m a little confused if they%26#39;re all covered. Thanks.

Octopus Card

Octopus card is accepted on most forms of transportation (notable exception being taxis), so it%26#39;s worth getting one even for just a couple of days. In addition, you can pay for fast food and convenience store purchases with the octopus.

Octopus Card

Hi, and also the Peak Tram(if you are going to Victoria Peak,and intending to experience a ride on this tram).

It makes alot of sense,as with this card,even journey on MTR(that is our train) is cheaper,compared to buying a ticket separately.

And one more that is covered,is the tram that transverses on HK island(local call it ';ding ding';).A flat fare of HKD2.00 allows you to catch a quick glimpse of HK island,from East to West(vice versa).

More so,as advised,can be used for purchases from convenience stores,such as 7-11, OK,and also several other eateries(e.g. KFC.McDonalds,Delifrance to list but a few,which you will not miss,when you see the OCtopus logo and terminal at these places).

Thanks so much for the advice. Sounds like a good deal, I%26#39;ll pick one up when I arrive.

There are seven million people in HK, including babies. Over ten million Octopus cards have been issued. Tourists take them home because they have money on them, thinking they%26#39;ll be back to use them again (they have a 3 year limit). They usually don%26#39;t, and leave dead money on a dead card.

I had over five days in HK, riding the subway, Star Ferry, Peak tram, etc. No Octopus card. I kept plenty of change and used that. When I left HK I had about 70 cents in HK money.

We%26#39;ll going to HK in April. I assume the point of the Octopus card is for convenience, eg, it saves you having to queue to buy tickets everytime you travel on the MTR, etc.

I thought you can get a refund on the credit you have left on the card before you leave HK.

Have I got it all wrong!?!

No, you have it exactly right. Use the card for transport, fast food, convenience stores, grocery stores, etc. When you leave - turn it in at the airport %26amp; get all back except a service charge of HK7. It makes most thing easier in HK.

You may use the Octopus card at all vendors accepting the Card as a form of payment for purchases of goods and services, including but not limiting to MTR.

Yes, any unused value plus the deposit of the Octopus Card is fully refundable when you return the Card on departure. You can do that at any MTR station including the kiosk at the airport. A small administration fee may apply.

You can always keep the card as souvenir to use it on your next trip to HK.

%26lt;%26lt;There are seven million people in HK, including babies. Over ten million Octopus cards have been issued. Tourists take them home because they have money on them, thinking they%26#39;ll be back to use them again (they have a 3 year limit). They usually don%26#39;t, and leave dead money on a dead card.

I had over five days in HK, riding the subway, Star Ferry, Peak tram, etc. No Octopus card. I kept plenty of change and used that. When I left HK I had about 70 cents in HK money.%26gt;%26gt;

You have Excellent Point.

It is just for convenience, AT A SMALL PRICE, I should add - the $7 ';Admin Fee'; getting deducted when you return the card for refund, plus whatever amount of HKD you get back, if at airport, that you would need to find a way to spend it - how about paying airport prices for snacks? :)

If a person takes MTR all day long, then the fare saved might offset the Admin Fee... and the convenience may be worth it. Just how many MTR trips a person would take each day... is another story.

OK, I understand the point about saving the $7 admin fee over convenience. Some people think that%26#39;s peanuts, others want to save every penny. But this $7 goes a long way in saving you time and the need to carry a lot of change. And it%26#39;s not just for the MTR, but buses (which require exact change, and you%26#39;ll need to ride them to places not covered by the MTR like Stanley and Ocean Park), ferries, trams, peak tram and other modes of transport, as well as purchases at fast food outlets, pharmacies, 7-11s and more.

Yes, you%26#39;ll get back what%26#39;s leftover on the card when you turn it in. And I don%26#39;t see what the problem is with having leftover money when you get to the airport. If you were topping it up at $50 increments, you won%26#39;t have much left anyways. You can spend it in the airport, and HKIA has some of the most reasonable prices I have seen at airports across the world. Prices at convenience stores and fast food restaurants are similar to what you would find in town. In LAX, I paid US$10 for a small plate of rice dish. Sorry, just can%26#39;t compare.

Hi, well, it is up to an individual if he/she wants to use the Octopus card;it is available.

Few good points were made:-

1). Inconvenience of carrying coins-HKD coins come in these denomination- 0.10,0.20,0.50,1.00,2.00,5.00,and 10.00;so make sure to give the right denomination;

2). As mentioned,no change are given.

3). save queuing buying tickets from ticket dispenser;and people in HK are always in hurried pace,and have low intolerance to cope with a person learning curve in getting a ticket from a ticket dispenser.

4). Tsuen Wan(and even Tsuen Wan West),Chai Wan,Sheung Wan,Cheung Sha Wan can be confusing at first glance.

5). Fare are discounted when using OCtopus Card on MTR(e.g. Sheung Wan to Causeway-with OC,is HKD4.40,without OC,it is HKD5.00)

6). It is also not how many journey will be made,it is the distance made.Unless one knows walking distances,and routes very well,MTR saves much navigation time.

7). At end of journey, it is better to get back currency notes,which can be sold back,compared to coins(unless one collects foreign coins-well,as HKMA has also stopped minting new coins,since 1998,well there could be value,such as those with QEII effigy).

8). not only the hassle of carrying change,but if say buying from convenience stores,which accepts OC,but one does not have it,then one has to ensure change given back is correct- so mental arithmetic comes to play.

To nylatraveler:- since you will be doing tourist thing and first time to HK,you will surely find Octopus card really handy;especially in areas where queue for buying tickets are just a hassle,and believe me,queues are not just any ordinary,in HK,you find queues for lifts going up building,and also to get a place in restaurants.

Well, sometimes I do dread having to queue also when surrendering my OC to get back the deposit refund(unless I am not aware,there is a electronic terminal to surrender the card,and get back deposit refund,and unused balance after subtraction of the HKD7.00).Well,there are electronic terminals to check on your last 10 transactions and also to show your remaining card balance.

Just remember,when you purchase the on loan OCtopus card,you pay HKD150.00,but card will only show stored value of HKD100;should you need to reload,you can do it in conveniences stores such as OK or 7-11,and there is no service charge imposed(unlike in Singapore,for their eZ-Link card).