For a hassle-free way of touring Hong Kong, purchase your Octopus Card here.
Highlights
- The Octopus Card in Hong Kong is a stored-value card that locals and travelers use to pay for transportation. It can also be used in bakeries, fast food chains, theme parks, and supermarkets.
- With this card, you won’t have to buy single-journey tickets for the MTR (train) or the city bus each time you ride.
- If you’re planning to get one, you can check the price here.
- When you need to reload, you can easily do so at any 7-Eleven, Starbucks, McDonalds, Watsons, 759, or Wellcome outlet.
- Don’t forget to book your Hong Kong Airport Express Train tickets too! You can learn more about it here.
Explore more: Enjoy Hong Kong Disneyland With These Discounted Tickets!
Travel like a local with an Octopus Card in Hong Kong
True to its tagline — Making everyday life easier — the Octopus Card in Hong Kong enables locals to pay for their rides, meals, and groceries with great convenience. If you’re planning a trip to the country, you too can enjoy the perks of this smart card, which include (1) not having to buy train or bus tickets as you commute (perhaps to Hong Kong Disneyland and Ocean Park Hong Kong?); and (2) getting a discount on your fares (rates for single-entry train tickets are slightly higher).
What’s more is that with a tour card like the Octopus — similar to T-Money in Korea! — you can pay for your purchases in coffee shops, fast food chains, cinemas, convenience stores, groceries, and apparel shops! Plus, by the end of your trip, you will also have the option to keep your Octopus Card for your next visit to Hong Kong!
How to get your Octopus Card HK
To get a discount on the Octopus Card, buy online. WAUG offers the Tourist Special Edition, which is preloaded with HK$50 and does not require a deposit. Here are more details:
- PRICE on WAUG: less than $12 for one (1) preloaded Octopus Card Hong Kong
- Redemption: Pick up your travel card at Counter A13 found inside Hong Kong International Airport, Arrivals Area.
- Pick-up hours: 9am-11pm
- The card’s design makes it the perfect Hong Kong souvenir!
If you’re unfamiliar with using WAUG, here are the steps to buy an Octopus Card online:
- Sign up for an account here or log in if you’re already a registered user. (New members will get an instant $3 discount coupon!)
- Go to the booking page. Here’s the link.
- Select the quantity and your intended date of pick-up.
- Check-out and pay with your Visa, Mastercard, or American Express.
- Wait for the confirmation of your purchase and your Hong Kong Octopus Card voucher.
Aside from a tourist card, you can also book this SIM card and Hong Kong Disneyland tickets on WAUG!
How to top up or recharge your Octopus Card Hong Kong
While you’ll be receiving a preloaded Octopus Card online, chances are that you’ll still need to top up your balance in the middle of your trip, especially if you plan to be a full-on tourist. No worries, though! Recharging your Hong Kong Octopus Card is very easy. Simply visit any of the following retail outlets and pay via cash:
- 759 Store
- 7-Eleven
- AEON
- Arome
- Café de Coral
- Circle K
- Vanguard
- Fairwood
- Mannings
- Maxim’s Cakes
- Maxim’s MX
- McDonald’s
- Park’n Shop
- Saint Honore Cake Shop
- Starbucks
- VanGO
- Watsons
- Wellcome Supermarket
Alternatively, you can also top up at select Transportation Customer Service Centers or Add-Value Machines that are found in the following: MTR, Light Rail, Airport Express Line, KMB, First Ferry Customer and Octopus Service Centres (Cheung Chau Pier, Mui Wo Pier, Central Pier 5 & Central Pier 6), NWFB (Admiralty (East) Bus Terminus), and Citybus (Airport Ground Transportation Centre).
Additionally, if you’re coming from Shenzhen, you can top up your Octopus Card using your RMB bank account or digital wallet at Shenzhen Unionpay EPS kiosks (located along Shenzhen Metro Lines 1, 2 or 5, Community Centres, Shenzhen Bay Port, Luohu Port, Futian Port and Huanggang Port).
Hong Kong Transportation Fares: How much to top up?
To help you budget, here are the estimate transportation fares in Hong Kong:
- MTR Light Rail – typically costs HK$5.5-7.5 or $0.7-1 per ride
- MTR Trains – usually costs HK$4.6-30 or $0.6-3.8 per ride
- Bus Fares – typically costs HK$4-25 per ride or $0.5-3.2
If you’d like to get an estimate of your total Hong Kong trip transportation cost, you may want to access the Trip Planner on this website or the MTR app, which can be downloaded here. You can also check out the official Hong Kong transportation fare matrix for Octopus Card users here and non-users here. Please note that you can charge up to HK$1,000 only.
How to use the Octopus Card in Hong Kong
It’s easy! Just place your card on the reader, hold and wait until you hear a sound, and remove the card when you’re able to see the remaining credits.
Here are other notes from the official website:
- If you can’t get through the gate or turnstile, it’s probably because you moved your card too quickly. Do it again.
- Don’t hold more than one card (or another type of smart card) on the reader.
- Be careful not to do anything that will damage your HK Octopus Card, e.g. bending it, writing on it, scratching it, cutting it, or pasting stickers, photos or accessories on it. Otherwise, transactions will not be honored and the remaining stored value will not be refunded.
When using your Hong Kong Octopus Card for buses, you’ll spot the reader beside the driver. (TIP! Don’t share your card with other people, i.e. you’ll use one card to pay for multiple rides. An Octopus cannot be used twice within a designated time period.)
How to get a refund for your Hong Kong Octopus Card Balance
After your trip, you may visit any MTR Customer Service Center to apply for a refund for the remaining balance on your card. Here are some notes:
- If the remaining value of your Octopus Card HK is less than HK$500, an immediate refund can be collected at the MTR Customer Service Centre.
- If the remaining value is HK$500 or more, the card will have to be returned to Octopus Cards Limited for processing. You will be notified of the refund arrangements within nine (9) working days, as indicated on the website here.
Do note that the cost of the card is non-refundable. If you opt to get a refund, the card will be deactivated and can no longer be used for your future visits.
Other Hong Kong Travel Essentials
Aside from the Octopus, you may also want to check out the following travel essentials to make your Hong Kong trip more convenient and enjoyable:
- [Fast-track Lane Ticket] Peak Tram
- [Klook Designated Lane Ticket] Ngong Ping 360 Standard Cabin
FAQ: Octopus Card Hong Kong
1. How else can I get an Octopus Card? Can I buy one at HK Airport?
If you’ll enter Hong Kong by flight and are not looking to book online, you can get your card at the following stores inside Hong Kong International Airport: 7-Eleven, China Travel Service (CTS), VanGo and Circle K, among others. The only downside is that you won’t get a discount on your purchase.
If you’ll arrive by land, here are the nearest locations:
- 7-Eleven
- Unit K8, 2/F, Lo Wu Station
- Shop WEK B1-1, Hong Kong West Kowloon Station
- Unit No. 308, G/F., Passenger Clearance Building, Hong Kong- Zhuhai-Macao Bridge Hong Kong Port
- CTS
- B2-5, Hong Kong West Kowloon Station
- Circle K
- Unit 109, Lo Wu Station
- Shop WEK B2-8, Hong Kong West Kowloon Station
- Unit No. 502, 1/F, Passenger Clearance Building, Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge Hong Kong Port
- VanGo
- Unit K3, Lo Wu Station
- TripAdvisor
- B2-7, Hong Kong West Kowloon Station
If you’ll enter Hong Kong via sea, purchase one at the following 7-Eleven locations:
- Shop 289 on 2nd Floor, Shun Tak Centre, 200 Connaught Road Central, Hong Kong)
- Shop 48-49, Upper Ground Floor, China Hong Kong City, 33 Canton Road, Tsimshatsui, Kowloon)
2. How much is a Hong Kong Octopus Card?
If you’re not buying online, expect to pay HK$39 or $5. Unlike the online option that comes preloaded, you will have to top up the card immediately after purchase.
3. What’s an On-loan Card?
There are two types of Octopus: Sold and On-loan. The Sold one, as the name suggests, is the type of Octopus Card that you can buy (personal). There is also the On-loan type, which is lent by Octopus Cards Limited. A refundable deposit and initial stored value is required for the On-loan Octopus Cards. For more information, click here.
4. Are there any other designs for the Hong Kong Octopus Card?
Yep, but there’s not a lot! You can check out some Octopus Card designs here.
5. Can I link the Octopus Card with my Samsung Pay?
As written here, Octopus Card can be integrated with Samsung Pay for mobile payments. As of writing, compatible devices are the following Samsung smartphones: Samsung Galaxy Note9, S10, S10+, S10e, S9, S9+, S8, S8+, Note8, A70, A9, A8s, A8 Star, A8+, C9 Pro, C7 Pro, C5 Pro.
6. How do I know if I can use the card on a certain store?
If you’re unsure, check if the establishment carries the sign shown above.
That’s all, folks
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