Visit Hong Kong's most popular attractions on only HKD$50(P325)/day? Yes, with the Hong Kong Mass Transit Railway's HKD50 tourist pass which offers 24 hours of unlimited rides on the MTR System, you've got a Ticket to Ride!
Only bonafide tourists that have been in Hong Kong less than 14 days may purchase a tourist pass, so you'll need to show your passport at the MTR ticket booth. The ticket includes a flyer with suggested MTR destinations, but feel free to plan your own itinerary around the MTRs speedy train service.
The KCR network isn't included in the tourist pass, but you can always buy a KCR ticket and hop on if it takes you to where you're going (or to get back to the MTR system).
You'll never get lost in Hong Kong as long as you can find an MTR station, either on foot or via
minibus going to an MTR station (look for the MTR logo on the bus destination card). Areas near MTR stations have signs pointing to the station.
If you need directions to an MTR station or a destination, ask the staff at a chain store, such as
McDonald's, 7-Eleven, Watson's or Giordano, or look for a shop with the Quality Tourist Services Seal.
It doesn't matter which MTR station, as long as you find one (walking along Nathan Road for example, will usually bring you to the areas of different MTR stations), just take the train to where you need to go.
An unused pass remains valid for 30 days, but once used, expires after 24-hours, so plan ticket
purchases, and journeys, accordingly. At the end of 24 hours, the turnstile returns the ticket as a
souvenir. Late morning to early afternoon is the best time to clock the pass' first use, so you'll still have a few hours to run around in the morning of the next day.
If your pass runs out at the wrong time, a regular ticket back costs around HKD10, unless you find yourself at the distant Tsuen Wan, Tung Chung, Disneyland or Po Lam Stations, where tickets to Central are around HKD20-30, so plan your last trips. If you're going to be in Hong Kong another day, it may make more sense to purchase and clock in another tourist pass.
All routes allow reasonable amounts of luggage (about as much as airlines allow as carry on), and
plenty of shopping bags, but it's best to avoid the lines going out of Central and Admiralty during rush hour (from 5-6pm). The Tung Chung, Airport Express, and Disneyland resort lines allow baggage but be sure to use the station elevators instead of the escalators for safety. All stations provide facilities for wheelchairs (lifts and special turnstiles, etc.) and differently-abled passengers, with braille maps and footmarkers.
Tourist maps with directions to popular area attractions are posted at each MTR station. Major Stations in Central, Admiralty and Tsim Sha Tsui have system wide maps listing tourist destinations in other areas.
MTR Stations have multiple exits identified by letters and numbers, most exit to the street, and some exit inside buildings (particularly on the Island line), so check the station map for the correct exit to your destination. Some destinations are five to fifteen minutes walk away from the station.
Many stations function as underground walkways crossing streets, entering one exit allows you to reorient yourself on the maps and re-emerge at another part of the district.
Exceptions are the Central, Causeway Bay, and Tai Koo stations, where exit areas are divided into sections. Be sure to check the Station maps within the paid areas: Emerging from the wrong turnstile may not allow you to retrace your steps within the station and you'll have to re-orient yourself above ground.
The Hong Kong MTR System consists of five lines and the exclusive Disneyland Resort Line: Island Line on Hong Kong Island, the harbour crossing Tsuen Wan, Tsuen Kwan O, and Tung Chung Lines, and the Kwun Tong Line from central to eastern Kowloon.
The Island Line runs along Northern Hong Kong Island with stops along the tourist, shopping,
business, and government destinations on the Island. Stations from Sheung Wan to North Point are closely spaced and above-ground walking ten minutes in one direction usually take you to the area of the next station.
Interchanges: Airport Express and Tung Chung Line at the Central Station. The Tsuen Wan line at Central and Admiralty Stations, and the Tseung Kwan O line at North Point and Quarry Bay Stations.
Sheung Wan Station is the western terminus of the Island line where Shun Tak Centre and the Hong Kong-Macau and mainland China Ferry Piers are located. The Western Market is a restored early 20th Century building with stalls selling local handicrafts and fabrics. Nearby, along Bonham Strand, Wing Lok Street, Des Veoux Road West, and Ko Shing Street are dozens of dried seafood and tonic shops with Abalone, scallops, ginseng, and traditional Chinese medicine stores. The mid-levels escalator is equidistant from the Sheung Wan and Central Stations.
Central Station, with three internal sections, covers a wide expanse of the Island's main business
district. There's West Central, from the mid-levels escalator, going up to the SoHo (South of
Hollywood) bar and restaurant district. An underground walkway connects to Hong Kong Station and the IFC Mall. Nearby are Exchange Square (with a bus terminal to Repulse Bay, the Peak, and other Island destinations), Jardine house, with its iconic round windows, and World Wide House, where Philippine shops and money changers abound.
Mid-central is the focal point of this year's Winterfest, Santa's Town, and home to the Island's
institutions: The Mandarin Oriental, Statue Square, Legislative Council, HSBC and Standard
Chartered Bank Headquarters, the China Club (in the old Bank of China Building) and Prince Building, The Landmark Mall, and 9 Queen's Road with their high-end shops; uphill to the gas-lit Duddell Street, Foreign Correspondent's Club, and Lan Kwai Fong.
Walk uphill from east Central to the new Bank of China Building, to the Old French Mission, St. John's Anglican Cathedral, and the Peak Tram station.
Admiralty Station has a transport hub to the south side of the Island (with busses to Aberdeen,
Stanley, Ocean Park, and Shek O), Office complexes and the high-end Pacific Place Mall, and an
escalator leading up to Hong Kong Park, the Museum of Tea Ware, and the Visual Arts Centre.
The Hong Kong Marriot, Shangri-la, and Conrad Hotels are also located here. Queensway Plaza provides a bridgeway to eastern Central and is filled with boutiques, specialty stores and cafes.
The whole of Admiralty is interconnected by walkways and underpasses so there is little reason to cross streets. Take the underground walkway to Three Pacific Place and the triangular Methodist Church to get to Starstreet, a new lifestyle district with an artistic flavor full of cafes, clubs, and art galleries.
Wanchai Station takes you to the Wanchai Computer Center and nearby 298 Computer Center also sells digital photo accessories.
Nearby Tai Yuen street specializes in children's toys for kids of all ages.
Wanchai's former red light district at Lockhart, Luard, and Jaffe Roads have been replaced by
collection of trendy bars, traditional hot pot eateries, and fancy restaurants.
Walk north to find the Immigration Bureau, the Inland Revenue Service, Convention Center, and the Trade Development Council. The Arts Centre Pao galleries nearby showcase contemporary art. The Golden Bauhinia Square along the waterfront commemorates Hong Kong's return to China.
Nearby, there is a Star Ferry Terminal to Tsim Sha Tsui and Hung Hom (Whampoa Gardens, the mall with the concrete ship).
Causeway Bay Station brings you the heart of the Island's main shopping district. The northern
waterfront area has the Excelsior Hotel, the World Trade Center Mall, Sogo Department Store, and various specialty malls. The once-quiet southern section going towards Happy Valley, brought to life by the massive The Times Square mall, is full of local designer shops, chinese and ethnic restaurants, and quaint boutique hotels.
Causeway Bay is best appreciated on foot, in a walking tour starting at Sogo, crossing Lockhart road behind (where you can find HKD50 collapsible bags to bring home your extra loot), going North to the World Trade Center, then east to Fashion Walk. Go south to the In Square at Windsor House, where you'll find fashions and computers, then walk back towards Sogo, crossing Hennessy Road towards the southern half.
Jardine's Bazaar street is Causeway Bay's street market, with an assortment of clothes and bags for the value shopper. Walk further south towards Times Square Mall, with its shops and casual dining restuarants, or visit the local fashion designer shops around Russell, Sharp and Yiu Wa Sts. Other attractions in this area are the Lee Gardens and Leighton Centre shops, and the dozens of small chinese cafeterias lining the streets.
Walk further south to the Happy Valley Racecourse, with its racing museum and scheduled races (visit http://www.hkjc.com/ for schedules) is a must see if you're a horse racing fan.
Tin Hau Station provides direct access to Victoria Park and the Tin Hau temple built by the Tai family in the early 18th Century. South of Victoria Park and accessible from Causeway Bay is the Hong Kong Central Library, which offers books, multimedia resources, and quiet coffee shops.
North Point Station abounds in delicious streetside cafeterias, chinese restaurants, and specialty
shops. Primarily residential, it's similar to Causeway Bay without the congestion.
Quarry Bay Station takes you to the office district for tech companies and the warranty repair and parts depots of the major electronics and camera distributors.
Tai Koo Station connects directly to Tai Koo Shing Cityplaza Mall, built on the site of the Swire
Group's early 20th Century sugar mill, and one of Hong Kong's largest shopping malls with a wide variety of mid-priced Hong Kong chain stores.
Sai Wan Ho Station brings you to the Hong Kong Film Archive Museum, which archives, conserves, catalogues, and exhibits the products of Hong Kong's movie industry. A computerized catalogue system provides quick access to the thousands of pieces on store.
Shau Kei Wan Station brings you to the Museum of Coastal Defense in the 19th Century Lei Yue Mun Fort feauturing a 600-year history of Hong Kong's Coastal defense since the Ming and Qing periods.
Chai Wan Station is the eastern terminus of the Island line. The Law Uk Folk Museum, is a 200-year old Hakka Village House filled with rural furniture and farm implements is a short walk away.
The Tsuen Wan Line crosses the harbor, running from Central in Hong Kong Island to Tsuen Wan in the Western New Territories. Stations from Tsim Sha Tsui to Prince Edward are closely spaced and walking in one direction along Nathan Road takes you to the area of the next station.
Interchanges: Airport Express and Tung chung Line at Central Station; HK Island line at Central and Admiralty Station; Kwun Tong Line at Yau Ma Tei, Mongkok, and Prince Edward Stations; Tung Chung Line at Lai King Station; KCR West rail at Mei Foo station; Underground walkway to KCR East rail from Tsim Sha Tsui Station (use the Mody road underground path which has a motorized walkway).
Tsim Sha Tsui is the southernmost tip of the Kowloon Peninsula and Hong Kong 's famous tourist strip. It stretches from the Harbour City, Cultural Centre and Avenue of Stars area to the Hillwood SoHo/Knutsford Terrace nightlife district and extends east to TST East.
Tsim Sha Tsui Station is in the middle of the district, near the southern end of Kowloon Park.
Like Causeway Bay, Tsim Sha Tsui is best appreciated on foot. Follow the walking map in the Hong Kong Walks guidebook for a tour that takes you around Tsim Sha Tsui, ending in either north at the Jordan Station or south at the Star Ferry Terminal. Must go places along the Tsim Sha Tsui waterfront are Harbour City for mid to high end shopping, the Cultural Centre for events, the Space Museum, the Science Museum, the Museum of Arts, and the Avenue of Stars.
Visit the most elegant Peninsula lobby for some afternoon tea, and stroll through Nathan Road, but ignore the tourist traps and touts along the Golden Mile. You'll find more shops going west along Haiphong or Peking roads, or going east along Cameron Road and Granville streets (where surplus shops abound), or in the Miramar Shopping Centre and along Park Lane.
There are also interesting shops along Carnarvon road leading up to Knutsford Terrace, Kowloon's answer to the Island's Lan Kwai Fong.
An underground motorized walkway along Mody Road connects to the Tsim Sha Tsui East district, KCR East Rail, Rosary Church, a favorite Sunday meeting place of Filipino residents and tourists and shopping at DFS, Empire Center, and TST Centre; and several world class hotels.
The Jordan, Yau Ma Tei, Mong Kok, Prince Edward Stations bring you to different parts of the
street market and value shopping district on either side of Nathan Road between Jordan Road and Prince Edward Road West.
Start north, alighting at Prince Edward Station around noon, and walk east, first is the gold fish
market, then Fa Yuen street, further East is the Flower Market and Bird Market, but unless you're a real bird fancier, this is best avoided lest any of the birds carry pesky viruses.
Fa Yuen is the value market (open from 10:30 am to 10:30 pm) with men's and women's clothes for as little as HKD5. Ever wonder where some clever vendors of the adjacent Ladies Market on Tung Choi street get cheap merchandise to sell for HKD10?
Walk south along Fa Yuen Street until you reach Argyle street, the heart of Mongkok. Walk west towards Nathan Road to visit the Ladies Market (open noon-11:30pm) for clothes, accessories, and beauty products, Sai Yeung Choi Street South for Photo and Electronics shops, and the Mongkok Computer Centre for your IT needs.
If you need to get back to the MTR, Mongkok Station is at the corner of Argyle and Nathan.
Reach Nathan by walking west through either Argyle or Dundas street (at the southern ends of the market streets), then walk south towards Yau Ma Tei and visit the specialty malls along the way. Beware of the street touts offering pirated DVDs.
Just past Yau Ma Tei Station, go west on Man Ming or Wing Sing to find the start of the Temple
Street Night Market (open 4pm to midnight, but best visited from 5-7pm) which abounds in cheap gadgets and curios. Numerous eateries offer filling and affordable meals, but English skills, and hygiene standards vary.
If you're early, visit the Jade Market which closes at 5pm. It's four streets west at Kansu and Battery streets. This is a fun place to browse and buy something inexpensive, but think twice before buying pricey “real jade” unless you consider yourself a Jade expert.
Walk back east towards Nathan Road to the Yue Hwa Chinese Products Emporium, at the corner of Jordan and Nathan Road, and Jordan Station. Take the MTR to bring your shopping bags to the hotel, or follow the Tsim Sha Tsui walking tour route through Hillwood, Knutsford Terrace, Granville Road, then back to Nathan down to the waterfront Avenue of Stars.
Sham Shui Po Station is for the electronics and computer hobbyist. Go to Golden Computer Centre, New Capital Computer Centre, and Dragon Center for low priced computer goods, nearby Apliu street for hobby electronics, industrial control devices, and Cheung Sha Wan Fashion Street, for China-style fashion.
Cheung Sha Wan Station brings you to the Lei Cheng Uk Han Tomb. Unearthed in 1955, it has been converted into a museum showing artifacts from the early 12th Century Han period.
Tsuen Wan Station is the eastern terminus of the line. Nearby is the Kowloon Panda hotel. The Sam Tung Uk Museum is a restored 200-year old rural walled village with an ancestral hall, two rows of side houses, and four period houses displaying handicrafts and agricultural implements of the Hakka people. At Hoi Pa Village, The Old House, built in 1904, is a fine example of Southern Chinese village architecture.
The Kwun Tong Line runs from Yau Ma Tei in Central Kowloon to the eastern New Territories up to Tiu Keng Leng.
Interchanges: Tsuen Wan line at Yau Ma Tei, Mongkok, and Prince Edward; KCR East Rail at Kowloon Tong; Yau Tong and Tiu Keng Leng to the Eastern Harbor crossing Tseung
Kwan O line.
Kowloon Tong Station brings you to Festival Walk, a 90,000 sq.m. Mall filled with family
entertainment and Hong Kong's largest Ice Skating Rink.
Twenty minutes walk, or a short taxi ride, from Lok Fu Station is the site of the Kowloon Walled
City. Once an semi-lawless, high-rise slum, it was transformed into an award-winning park in 1995, featuring a museum housed in the restored offices of the Qing Dynasty Assistant Magistrate. Nearby is the new Kowloon City Plaza mall.
Wong Tai Sin Station brings you to Wong Tai Sin Temple, Hong Kong's version of Quiapo Church, where thousands of devotees flock to ask favors from the Chinese goddess Wong Tai Sin, and other dieties of the Confucianist, Buddhist, and Taoist philosophies. Fortune tellers abound just outside the temples, but prices vary, so check first lest your fortune be spirited away.
Diamond Hill Station brings you to Chi Lin Monastery, a 30,000 sqm Tang Dynasty style monastery featuring tranquil rock gardens and ponds and the adjacent Nan Lian Garden, recreated from an ancient village in Shanxi province is a leisure park featuring a museum of wood architecture and recreated Chinese classical timber structures made without iron nails.
Choi Hung Station exit C2 and minibus 1A take you to the rural retreat of Sai Kung Town, now a
trendy collection of European and Asian seafood eateries. A promenade connects the town to beaches and a lovely view of offshore islands.
Kwun Tong Station takes you near the old airport, now a golf driving range, and the APM Millenium City mall with over 170 lifestyle outlets, and restaurants that stay open until 2AM.
Yau Tong Station and minibus 24 take you to Lei Yue Mun Seafood Bazaar, a fishing village popular for seafood and al-fresco dining.
The Tseung Kwan O Line runs from North Point on Hong Kong Island, crosses the harbor at the east then runs along the eastern new territories northward to Po Lam.
Interchanges: Island Line at North Point and Quarry Bay, Kwun Tong Line at Yau Tong and Tiu Keng Leng.
Hang Hau Station exit B1, then minibus 101M, is an alternate route to the rural retreat of Sai Kung Town.
The Tung Chung Line is the newest MTR line. It runs from the Hong Kong station which is linked by underground walkway to Central Station, up to Tung Chung on Lantau Island.
Tip from the locals:
Save HKD70, and enjoy a quick ride to the airport from Central by taking the MTR to Tung Chung instead of the Airport Express, then take a 5-minute ride on the S1 Airport Bus.
Interchanges: Island Line and Airport Express at Hong Kong/Central Station, Airport Express at Kowloon and Tsing Yi, KCR West Rail at Nam Cheong, Disneyland Resort Line at Sunny Bay, and the Ngong Ping Skyrail at Tung Chung
Hong Kong Station is linked to Central Station by underground walkway and right beneath IFC
Mall, Star Ferry terminals to Tsim Sha Tsui, and Hung Hom (Whampoa Gardens), and the Outlying Islands Ferry to Cheung Chau, Lamma, and Lantau Islands.
Kowloon Station takes you to the western portion of the newly reclaimed and still undeveloped west Kowloon Peninsula. Walking east will take you to the China Hong Kong City mall and ferry pier, just north of Harbour City, and walking further east takes you to Nathan Road via Kowloon Park.
Tsing Yi Station is on an Island between Kowloon and Lantau Island, offering dramatic views of the Tsing Yi and Tsing Ma bridges linking the airport and Lantau Island to the rest of Hong Kong. The Maritime Square mall features the Snowman Fantasia where you can make your own snowman.
Sunny Bay Station is the interchange to the Disneyland Resort Line. Visit Disneyland Theme Park (park admission ticket required), or stroll (for free) in the adjacent Disney Gardens, Inspiration Lake and the scenic Disney Ferry Terminal , or dine at the picturesque Disneyland Hotel or glitzy Disney Hollywood hotel. Express buses to and from Central and other parts of Hong Kong are available the Disneyland station.
Tung Chung Station is near the airport and gateway to Lantau Island destinations. The Citygate
Outlets mall has dozens of outlet stores of well-known name brands offering discounts of up to 70% on end of season items. Take the Ngong Ping Skyrail or Bus 23 to The Giant Buddha, Po Lin Monastery, and Nogong Ping Village; or take Bus 11 to visit Tai O fishing village, one of the oldest inhabited villages in Hong Kong, with a wide assortment of seafood specialty products.
©2007 Maccess Corporation. The information in this document was current at the time of its writing and was obtained from sources deemed reliable. Use this information at your own risk, the authors assume no responsibility for any loss or damage resulting from the use of this information. If you do get lost, look for an MTR/KCR/LRT station and take the train back. If you need help, ask for assistance from a branch of 7-11, McDonald's, or Giordano. If you need to make a call, buy a HK SIM Card and put it in your phone.
