Arriving in Hong Kong: airport, SIM and paying
This guide covers the airport train and taxis, SIM registration, Wi-Fi, power plugs and paying on arrival in Hong Kong. Checked against official pages on 25 October 2026; disagreements and gaps are said plainly.
Sources checked ·
How much is the Airport Express to the city?#
MTR's ticket page lists adult Airport Express fares between the airport and Hong Kong Station HK$120, Kowloon HK$105 and Tsing Yi HK$73 when you pay by Octopus, contactless bank card or QR code. A single-journey Smart Ticket costs HK$130, HK$115 and HK$80. A Round Trip Smart Ticket, valid 30 days, costs HK$215, HK$195 and HK$130.
MTR says contactless cards and QR codes work at selected Airport Express stations and designated gates. For Octopus cards, see the Octopus page. The MTR fare page is undated, so check it before you travel.
Sources & data1
How long does the Airport Express take, and when are the first and last trains?#
MTR's timetable, shown as effective from 13 September 2026, gives about 24 minutes between Hong Kong Station and the airport, 22 minutes from Kowloon and 14 minutes from Tsing Yi.
From the airport to the city, the first train is at 05:54 and the last at 00:48. To the airport, the first and last trains leave Hong Kong Station at 05:50 and 00:48, Kowloon at 05:53 and 00:52, and Tsing Yi at 06:00 and 00:59. MTR says to check precise times at any Airport Express station on the day.
Sources & data1
What do children pay on the Airport Express, and is a return cheaper?#
MTR lists child (aged 3 to 11) fares of HK$60 for Hong Kong Station, HK$52.5 for Kowloon and HK$36.5 for Tsing Yi by Octopus or QR code, and HK$65, HK$57.5 and HK$40 by Smart Ticket. Children under 3 travel free. Contactless bank card users pay the adult fare.
MTR says a same-day return costs nothing extra if you use the same Octopus, contactless card or QR e-wallet at both ends. Octopus users must have no more than 9 transaction records in between. Card or QR users lose the offer if they use the same method for another journey in between.
Sources & data1
What is the Airport Express Travel Pass?#
MTR sells an Airport Express Travel Pass for HK$220 with one designated Airport Express journey, or HK$300 with two. It adds any three consecutive days of unlimited MTR, Light Rail and MTR Bus (Northwest New Territories) travel.
It excludes extra Airport Express rides, East Rail First Class, and travel to or from Lo Wu and Lok Ma Chau. It is for people who are not Hong Kong residents and have stayed in Hong Kong less than 14 days. MTR says it is sold at Airport Express or designated MTR Customer Service Centres, or online.
Sources & data1
What is the HK$260 card with two Airport Express rides?#
MTR sells a Tourist Octopus - China T-Union Card with two Airport Express single journeys for HK$260 at the Customer Service Centre at Airport Station. The price covers the two rides and HK$50 of stored value.
Octopus's terms say each ride is valid for 180 days from purchase, for one journey between Airport Station and Hong Kong, Kowloon or Tsing Yi Station. While rides remain, Airport to AsiaWorld-Expo is free. A same-day return uses one ride, or two if the Octopus has more than 9 transaction records in between. Unused rides and the card cost cannot be refunded. For other Octopus cards, see the Octopus page.
Where do I get a taxi at the airport, and which colour do I take?#
The Airport Authority says arriving passengers can catch a taxi at the Taxi Station near the left-hand ramp outside the Arrivals Hall. Pre-booked taxis use a pick-up zone next to Car Park 1.
Red urban taxis serve most of Hong Kong except part of Tung Chung Road and south Lantau. Green New Territories taxis serve mainly the north-east and north-west New Territories. Blue Lantau taxis serve only Lantau and Chek Lap Kok. All three may serve the airport terminals.
The Transport Department says staff at the Taxi Stand can give you a passenger's record showing the taxi, destination and estimated fare. Keep it; do not give it to the driver.
What does a taxi from the airport cost?#
The Transport Department and the Airport Authority list estimated urban taxi fares from the airport, for reference: Central/Admiralty HK$375, Tsim Sha Tsui HK$290, Mong Kok HK$285 and Tung Chung MTR Station HK$75.
The metered scale (effective 14 July 2024) for an urban taxi is HK$29 for the first 2 km, then HK$2.1 per 200 m or per minute of waiting until the fare reaches HK$102.5, then HK$1.4. Baggage is HK$6 a piece, not counting light hand baggage in the cabin. New Territories and Lantau scales are on the Transport Department page. If a driver does not use the taximeter, note the taxi number and report it to 1823 (24 hours).
Can I pay for the MTR with a bank card or QR code?#
MTR says contactless Visa, Mastercard and UnionPay credit, debit or prepaid cards work at designated gates, as do payment-enabled phones and watches. UnionPay debit cards are not accepted. The fare equals the Adult Octopus fare, with no concessions. It is not available on Light Rail or MTR Bus. Use the same card to enter and exit. Overseas banks may add a foreign transaction fee.
QR payment works at heavy rail gates with AlipayHK EasyGo, Alipay Transit QR Code, UnionPay App MTR Transit QR Code and WeChat Transit QR Code. QR fares are not refundable.
Sources & data2
How do I pay for a taxi?#
Cash is still accepted. The government said on 15 March 2026 that passengers may keep paying in cash.
From 1 April 2026, every taxi driver must offer at least two e-payment types: one QR code means, such as AlipayHK, WeChat Pay HK or BoC Pay, and one non-QR means, such as Octopus, credit cards or FPS. The driver chooses which, and stickers on the window show them. A given taxi may therefore not take your foreign credit card. Look at the stickers before you set off.
Are Uber-style ride-hailing apps legal in Hong Kong now?#
This is based on Transport Department announcements and may change. The Road Traffic (Amendment) (Ride-hailing Service) Ordinance 2025 has been mostly in force since 3 August 2026; the rest takes effect on 22 August 2027. The Transport Department says a lawful ride needs a permitted vehicle, a permitted driver and a platform with a ride-hailing service licence.
The department invited platforms to apply on 28 August 2026, with applications closing at noon on 30 October 2026. That release does not say any platform has been licensed. Check the Transport Department's announcements before relying on an app.
Do I need to register a Hong Kong SIM card?#
Yes, for SIM cards issued by Hong Kong telecommunications providers. OFCA says all such SIM cards for person-to-person communications in Hong Kong need real-name registration before activation. That covers service plans and prepaid SIMs. Registration has been required for new users from 1 March 2022.
OFCA says a person without a Hong Kong ID card may register with another valid identification document, such as a valid travel document or passport. A HKSAR passport or a British National (Overseas) passport is not accepted.
No OFCA page we read mentions eSIM or travellers, so none says whether a travel eSIM bought outside Hong Kong must be registered.
How do I register a prepaid SIM, and what are the limits?#
OFCA's steps: insert the prepaid SIM, switch on mobile data and disconnect from Wi-Fi, follow the registration link in the provider's SMS, photograph and upload the original ID document, confirm the extracted details and accept the disclaimers. A confirmation SMS follows. Registration is free, and providers with shops can help in person.
An individual may register up to 10 prepaid SIM cards with each local provider. Providers run sample checks and send SMS from sender ID #SIMREG; a card is deregistered if you cannot confirm your identity before the deadline. OFCA says not to buy a prepaid SIM sold as already registered.
Is there free Wi-Fi in Hong Kong for visitors?#
The Digital Policy Office (page revised 30 June 2026) says the Wi-Fi.HK brand covers around 43,000 hotspots across the 18 districts. With no prior registration, the public and visitors get at least 30 minutes of free Wi-Fi a day from each participating organisation, including HKT, HGC, SmarTone, Hong Kong Broadband, China Mobile Hong Kong and the Airport Authority. Hotspots are listed on the Wi-Fi.HK website and in the iAM Smart app.
GovHK (May 2026) says the Government provides free Wi-Fi to citizens and tourists at designated government venues in all 18 districts, such as public libraries, museums, sports centres and major parks.
What voltage and plugs does Hong Kong use?#
EMSD says the voltages in Hong Kong are 220 V single phase and 380 V three phase. Plugs are generally 3-rectangular-pin 13 A plugs to BS 1363, the UK-style plug, or 3-round-pin 5 A or 15 A plugs to BS 546.
EMSD's handbook says an appliance rated below 200 V, such as 110 V, must not be connected directly to the 220 V supply.
EMSD says the product safety regulation does not apply to a travel adaptor. Its October 2025 Electricity News warns that adaptors failing safety requirements, such as ones with irregular holes, can overheat and cause fire.
Is there a service charge in restaurants, and do I tip?#
The Consumer Council (18 July 2023) describes a 10% service charge as a charge restaurants may add. It urges restaurants to say whether it applies to the original or the promotional price, and to display any rounding-off on menus and at entrances. A restaurant that did not notify rounding in advance may round down or charge the exact bill, but not round up. The Council does not say a service charge is compulsory or capped.
No official page we read says whether to tip in Hong Kong or how much.
Will my home mobile wallet work in Hong Kong?#
Official pages confirm little. What is confirmed: MTR gates accept AlipayHK EasyGo, Alipay, UnionPay App and WeChat transit QR codes, though the page does not say whether your own overseas wallet app works; and every taxi must offer one QR payment means.
We found no official or operator page saying whether Weixin Pay works at ordinary Hong Kong shops for visitors. Before you travel, check your wallet provider's Hong Kong guidance, and ask at the shop.
Is my money protected in a Hong Kong e-wallet or prepaid card?#
The HKMA says multi-purpose stored value facilities, such as e-wallets and prepaid cards, must be licensed by it, and it publishes a register of licensees. Credit cards and Apple Pay are not under that licensing regime.
The HKMA warns that if you use an e-wallet or prepaid card from an operator not subject to Hong Kong's licensing, your interest may not be protected. The page was last revised on 29 September 2023.
Sources & data1
What could we not confirm?#
Partly verified: Airport Authority bus data, undated and not seen as rendered, list Airbus A routes and overnight N and NA routes. Example: A21 to Hung Hom Station, 05:30 to 24:00, HK$34.6. Some N routes run once or twice a night; operators may change times. Pay the exact fare by Octopus or e-payment; bank cards are not mentioned. Also partly verified: no Transport Department page states a fixed or maximum airport taxi fare.
No official page we read says: whether JCB cards work, which foreign cards shops accept, whether visitors can use Weixin Pay or AlipayHK in shops, or whether a travel eSIM needs Hong Kong registration.