Getting around · Hong Kong · China
Getting around Hong Kong
Public transport, passes, airport connections and when a car makes sense.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: WiNG, CC BY-SA 3.0
Quick answer
Hong Kong has superb public transport: the MTR rail network covers the urban areas and the airport, while trams, buses, minibuses and ferries fill the gaps. One Octopus card pays for nearly everything, and many routes also accept contactless bank cards or mobile wallets. No.
Key facts
- Main way around
- Metro
- Airports
- HKG
- Need a car?
- No
- Travel pass
- Octopus card
Ways to get around
Metro
The MTR runs from about 6am to around 1am, with trains every few minutes on core lines. Fares are distance-based and lower with an Octopus card.
Use the Airport Express in-town check-in at Hong Kong and Kowloon stations on departure day, where offered by your airline.
Tram
Double-decker trams run east–west along Hong Kong Island's north shore for a low flat fare — slow but scenic.
Ferry
The Star Ferry crosses the harbour, and fast and ordinary ferries from the Central Ferry Piers serve Lamma, Cheung Chau, Lantau and Peng Chau; TurboJET ferries go to Macau.
Bus
Double-decker buses and red and green minibuses reach the south side of the island, Sai Kung and the country parks; green minibuses run fixed routes with fixed fares.
Taxi
Taxis are metered and relatively inexpensive: red taxis serve the urban area, green ones the New Territories and blue ones Lantau.
Have your destination written in Chinese; many drivers speak limited English.
Walking
Covered footbridges link Central, Admiralty and Sheung Wan, and the Mid-Levels Escalator climbs the hillside, but expect hills and humidity.
Tickets and passes
Octopus card
A stored-value smart card accepted on the MTR, buses, trams, ferries and minibuses, and in convenience stores and many cafés; a mobile version works on compatible phones.
From the airport
Hong Kong International Airport is on Chek Lap Kok off Lantau. The Airport Express reaches Kowloon in about 20 minutes and Hong Kong Station in Central in about 24 minutes; Cityflyer buses are slower but cheaper, and a taxi to Central takes about 30–40 minutes.
Do you need a car?
No. Public transport reaches almost everywhere, roads are congested and parking is very expensive.
Reaching the day trips
| Destination | Travel time | How |
|---|---|---|
| Macau | About 1 hour by ferry | TurboJET ferry from Sheung Wan, or bus via the Hong Kong–Zhuhai–Macau Bridge |
| Lamma Island | About 30 minutes by ferry | Ferry from Central Pier 4 to Yung Shue Wan |
| Cheung Chau | About 35–60 minutes by ferry | Ferry from Central Pier 5 |
| Sai Kung and the Geopark | About 1 hour by MTR and minibus | MTR to Hang Hau or Diamond Hill, then minibus or bus to Sai Kung |
| Shenzhen | About 20 minutes by high-speed rail | High-speed train from West Kowloon Station to Futian, or MTR East Rail to Lo Wu |
Questions travellers ask
+Do you need a car in Hong Kong?
No. Public transport reaches almost everywhere, roads are congested and parking is very expensive.
+How do you get from the airport to Hong Kong?
Hong Kong International Airport is on Chek Lap Kok off Lantau. The Airport Express reaches Kowloon in about 20 minutes and Hong Kong Station in Central in about 24 minutes; Cityflyer buses are slower but cheaper, and a taxi to Central takes about 30–40 minutes.
+What is the best way to get around Hong Kong?
Metro: The MTR runs from about 6am to around 1am, with trains every few minutes on core lines. Fares are distance-based and lower with an Octopus card.