Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
When to Travel
During rush hours (8am to 9.30am and 5.30pm to 7pm) the MTR's interchange stations
(Central, Admiralty, Tsim Sha Tsui, Kowloon Tong) are jam packed.
Vehicular traffic on major roads and the cross-harbour tunnels can also be painfully slow
during peak hours.
Travel at Night
Hong Kong's night buses, running every half hour or so, cover most of the city. Their
numbers are prefixed with the letter 'N'. But while they're comfortable and safe,
sometimes it's worth taking a taxi as they are inexpensive and get you to bed more
quickly.
Etiquette
Have your ticket or Octopus Card ready before you go through the barrier in the MTR sta-
tion. You'll feel the impatience at your back if you slow down the human traffic by three
seconds.
Stand on the right side of the escalator or you risk being asked to move aside by those in
a hurry - and there are plenty of them in Hong Kong.
Drinking and eating in MTR and buses is not allowed.
People waiting to get on the MTR train usually let passengers disembark first before mak-
ing their way inside. There's no need to push your way in. The train won't leave the station
until all doors are properly closed. Wait for the next train rather than hold up the train.
Hong Kongers are not very good at giving up their seats to pregnant women and elders.
Tickets & Passes
A prepaid Octopus Card (
www.octopus.com.hk
) can be used on most forms of public
transport. They can be bought at any MTR station, and topped up at MTR stations and
convenience stores.
If visiting for over two days, buy an Octopus Card; it will save you up to 5% per trip and
you won't have to buy tickets and pay exact fares on buses.
