The Mass Transit Railway (MTR), Hong Kong’s underground subway network, is the most popular mode of public transport, serving some 3.97 million commuters a day. Clean, modern and efficient, the MTR is the fastest and most convenient way of getting around the city.
There are 11 lines which interconnect at several main stations and cover a total of 152 railway stations and 68 light rail stops. The lines are:
- East Rail
- Kwun Tong
- Tsuen Wan
- Island
- Tung Chung
- Tseung Kwan O
- West Rail
- Ma On Shan
- Light Rail
- Disneyland Resort
- Airport Express
Eight of the lines provide general metro services while the Light Rail provides service in the north western part of the New Territories and the Disneyland Resort Line transports passengers to the Hong Kong Disneyland theme park. The MTR also operates the Airport Express train service which is a combination of both over-ground and underground services that provides a direct link between the Chep Lap Kok International Airport and the city centre.
All signs are in Chinese and English, and next-station announcements on the trains are given in English, Cantonese and Mandarin. All trains and most MTR stations are air-conditioned. Pets are not allowed on the MTR.
Trains run every 2-4 minutes from 6am to 1am daily, and single-journey tickets can be purchased from self-operated machines or ticket counters. Adult fares range from HK$3.5-$51.00. Children below the age of 3 travel free, while children between the ages of 3 and 11, senior citizens 65 years or older and full-time Hong Kong students between the ages of 12 and 25 qualify for the concessionary rate on all lines except on the Airport Express. Concessionary fares are usually half the adult fare, and start at HK$2.00.
The MTR system in Hong Kong accepts single journey tickets and the stored value Octopus card. Riders are expected to swipe their tickets/cards twice, once when entering the paid area of stations and the second time when leaving the paid area of stations. For information on the stored value Octopus card for frequent travelers, see the “Public” section. Transfers between subways and buses and vice versa are not allowed in Hong Kong.
For more information and journey planning:
MTR hotline: (852) 2881 8888
http://www.mtr.com.hk
The website of the MTR corporation is also equipped with a journey planner that helps you plan your journey from point to point and even outlines the costs involved.
Aside from the Octopus card, the MTR has also introduced day and monthly passes for certain routes like Sheng Shui to East Tsim Sha Tsui, Tuen Mon to Naem Chong and Tuen Mon to Hung Hom. These monthly and day passes are available at the customer service kiosks of the East Rail and West Rail Stations.
Etiquette
The platforms of the Hong Kong MTR stations all bear markings that indicate where the doors of the train will normally open. You are expected to stand behind these markings and allow passengers to disembark before you rush into a compartment. Once you are on board the train, you are expected to move into the compartment and not crowd around the doors. As is the custom elsewhere, while traveling on the Hong Kong MTR, you are expected to give up your seat on the train for other disadvantaged passengers like the elderly, pregnant women or women traveling with young children.
Most subway stations in Hong Kong have various facilities like ramps, free internet terminals, free WiFi, escalators, toilets and various other facilities for disabled passengers.
