Insider tip - Purchase the Octopus Travel Card in HK

17 Mar

Buy the Octopus Card in Hong Kong - essential for travel

**Me Jamie, your host, I am English and I have lived in Hong Kong for 53 years - I know the place.**
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Insider tip - Purchase the Octopus Travel Card in HK

Buy the Octopus Card in Hong Kong - essential for travel

“The Hong Kong Octopus card is a reusable contactless stored value smart card for making electronic payments in online or offline systems in Hong Kong. Launched in September 1997 to collect fares for the territory's mass transit system, it has grown into a widely used system for transport and other retail transactions in Hong Kong. The cards are used by 98 percent of the population of Hong Kong aged 15 to 64”

Personally I think the Octopus Card is essential for both residents and visitors coming to Hong Kong, I believe the UK version of our travel card for the “tube” is called the Oyster Card.

Purchase an Octopus Tourist Travel Card at Hong Kong Airport

The Standard Hong Kong Adult Octopus Travel Card - this is what Hong Kong Residents use to get around the City and to make purchases and such at many different types of stores

I wrote all of the text for this in late 2024 and published it as a blog post, the card is such an essential purchase that I thought it was worthwhile to republish it with a few extra comments.

I am still a little old fashioned and still pay cash for pretty much everything but I do have my trusty Octopus card because in Hong Kong it is essential for travel and purchasing stuff from convenience stores and supermarkets, a lot of restaurants now accept the Octopus card as a payment method and finally, a lot of Hong Kong Taxis will accept the Octopus card in 2025 (it is an ongoing process in the Taxi trade.)

Learn more | The MTR Corp. Tickets and Fares Page for Tourists

As a Tourist you are eligible to buy the Tourist Day Pass

It can be purchased at Hong Kong International Airport

As a Tourist you are eligible to buy the Tourist Octopus Card (Sold Version)

It can be purchased at Hong Kong International Airport

In a nutshell the Octopus card has to be one of the greatest payment systems in the World, we use to pay for travel on all transport modes in Hong Kong and also to purchase products in stores. You can either use a physical plastic card (like I do) or download an app to your phone and your phone becomes an Octopus Travel Card.

As a visitor coming to Hong Kong for either a few hours or a few days and you intend to explore Hong Kong then I always recommend you buy an Octopus card, it makes life so much easier and I would always strongly suggest purchasing the physical plastic card.

Please refer to the image below

I would suggest you navigate around the MTR | Octopus Card site to familiarise yourself with available card options, the link to the site I have listed above on the yellow button., the site is easy to navigate and everything is in plain English.

Generally you would purchase the Octopus Card at Hong Kong International Airport, the staff all speak excellent English and you should have no problems.

The Tourist Day Pass Octopus Card CANNOT be used on the Airport Express Train or for any other form of transport or store purchases, in essence it is only valid on the MTR Subway System
The Tourist Octopus Card Sold Version functions exactly like the residents Octopus Card and can be used on all forms of transport and for making store purchases

I urge you to read very carefully each of the images above to understand the terms and conditions.

My advice is you buy the Tourist Octopus Card (Sold Version) and add HK$300 value to the card, you can then use all forms of transport including buses, ferries, the Airport Express, the MTR Subway and make purchases at stores for snacks and such, when you go back to the Airport trade it in at the counter you purchased it from and they will refund any balance left in HK$ or you can as they suggest keep the card as a souvenir.

It seems a little complicated but for anyone visiting Hong Kong the Octopus Card is an essential tool.

You may wish to learn about how to get the Octopus Card electronically but frankly, I think downloading the app and using your phone to “pay” is too much hassle, I am not a luddite in any shape or form but for me using a physical plastic card is so much easier than using my phone, just a personal choice of course.

Finally, I urge you to visit the MTR website as suggested and remember the staff at the Airport that sell you the Octopus Card will assist with any questions you might have.