nsstrvelr.cmscan at designated platform gates
at the station. You don’t actually
need a ticket before jumping
onto the train at the airport,
but you must have one to exit
the platform at your destination- there are manned service
counters for this at all stations.
BUSES
Two main bus operators –
Citybus and Long Win – carry
passengers from the airport to the
city. Follow the signage and head
down a long slope to the right,
leading to the bus terminal. For
those unfamiliar with which bus
to take to their destination, there’s
a large, clear route map before you
gettothebusstops.Morethan
60 lines travel to different areas
of the city, with many passing
through the city centre. Some
provide an overnight service.
The most convenient way to
pay is to buy an Octopus card
at the Airport Express service
counter (HK$50/US$6.5
deposit plus HK$100/US$13
minimum added value), andbusinesstraveller.comSMART TRAVELLER
ong Kong
International Airport
(HKIA) has been
in operation for
almost 20 years, since
international f lights
were moved from Kai Tak
Airport, in the middle of the
chaotic Kowloon Peninsula, to
the newly reclaimed Chek Lap
Kok Island – located to the
west of Hong Kong’s largest
outlying island Lantau.
While the new location
is farther away from the city
centre, thanks to Hong Kong’s
excellent public transport
system there are a number of
ways to get into town. Here we
help you plot the most efficient
course to your destination.
HKIA has two terminals
(T1 and T2), but all arrivals
come into Terminal 1, and it
is from here – through two
customs channels, A and
B – that all transportation is
accessed. Unless you are being
met with a private vehicle, there
are three types of transport from
which to choose: the Airport
Express train, bus or taxi.AIRPORT EXPRESS
As soon as you pass through
customs there’s a service counter
for Airport Express tickets to
the city. Exit into the Arrivals
Hall and large signs point you
through to the train platform
past another counter plus
automated machines doling out
tickets – it’s a two-minute walk.
The 24-minute train serviceHong Kong International
Airport to the city centre
is the fastest option to reach
Hong Kong Station, the end of
the line in Hong Kong Island’s
Central District. During that
sub-half-hour journey the
train also stops at Tsing Yi and
Kowloon stations, both of which
are well connected to MTR train
services reaching different parts
of the city (Tsing Yi is best for
the “new towns” of Tsuen Wan,
Tuen Mun, Yuen Long and Sha
Tin in the New Territories;
Kowloon for the Kowloon
Peninsula’s sprawling districts).
The train leaves every 12
minutes, operating from 0554
to 0048. Download the MTR’s
“Next Train” app for real-time
updates of the train schedules.
In-seat device charging is
available in the first and last
cabins, and there are four
storage spaces in each carriage.
A single-journey or same-
day-return ticket costs HK$115
(US$15) while a round
trip is HK$205 (US$26).
Octopus cardholders enjoy
HK$5 discount and there are
promotions for travellers in
groups of two, three or four
with rates at HK$170 (US$22),
HK$230 (US$29) and
HK$280 (US$36), respectively.
Some websites also offer pre-
booking discounts, for example
Klook (klook.com) offers a large
discount on Airport Express
tickets, with single-journey tickets
for HK$41 (US$5) and HK$129
(US$16) for a round trip. After
purchasing online a QR code is
sent to you by email, which youget on the bus by swiping the
card. Alternatively, coins and
notes are accepted but no
change is given.TA X IS
The taxi stands are located
down the left-hand ramp
outside the Arrivals Hall. There
are three kinds of taxi: red,
green and blue. Blue serves
Lantau Island, green serves the
New Territories only, while
red covers all Hong Kong
destinations except Lantau.
You’re most likely to be
hopping in a red taxi, and the
f lag rate is HK$24 (US$3) for
the first 2km, then HK$1.7 for
every 200m under HK$83.5,
and HK$1.2 per 200m after
that. For a ride to Central
expect to pay approximately
HK$370 (US$47). A taxi can
normally carry about three
regular-sized suitcases (charged
at HK$6 each) in the boot,
but you can also put oversized
pieces on the back seat.
hongkongairport.comH
JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2018How to get from...
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