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Layover guideHong Kong · HKG

Getting out of the airport in Hong Kong

Airport Express reaches Hong Kong Station in as little as 24 minutes, and the same-day return is free.

Baron Maddock / Wikimedia Commons · CC BY 4.0
All of Hong Kong

The Airport Express runs the 35.3 km between the airport and the city in as little as 24 minutes. AsiaWorld-Expo is about 28 minutes from the city centre.

Adult fares paying by Octopus or QR code are HK$120 to Hong Kong Station, HK$105 to Kowloon and HK$73 to Tsing Yi. A Smart Ticket costs more: HK$130, HK$115 and HK$80 for the same three journeys. Round trip is HK$215, HK$195 and HK$130.

Travel out and back on the same day and the return leg is free, but the same Octopus, contactless bank card or QR code must be used for entry and exit. An Octopus must not carry more than nine transaction records between the two taps, and a contactless card or QR code must not be used for any other journey in between.

The fare also carries free MTR connections, a free in-town check-in service and free in-train Wi-Fi. Confirm in-town check-in with your own airline before planning around it.

Taxis are metered, and all taxis are allowed to serve the passenger terminals at the airport. Urban red taxis run over most of the territory except certain Lantau roads, New Territories green taxis the north-east above Sha Tin and the north-west above Tsuen Wan, and Lantau blue taxis Lantau Island and Chek Lap Kok.

  1. MTR: Airport Express tickets and fares · checked 2026-09-03
  2. MTR: Airport Express Services · checked 2026-09-03
  3. Transport Department: Taxi · checked 2026-09-03

The rest of Hong Kong

The whole guide
Ride-hailingRide-hailing is only now being licensed; until licensed platforms start, the door-to-door option is the metered taxi.Local laws that catch crew outCBD is a dangerous drug here, vapes are contraband, and you must be able to produce your passport on demand.Staying connectedA local SIM must be registered to your passport before it will activate.WeatherTwo separate warning systems, one for wind and one for rain, and the No. 8 signal is the one that ends your day out.Eating near the crew hotelsA 10 per cent service charge is normal and should be displayed; the disputes are over what else gets added.What to buyA free port that charges no tariff either way, but a tight allowance on what you carry in.TippingMost restaurants add a 10% service charge, some bill for tea or snacks you did not order, and no official tipping norm is published.