The Best Way to Get From Hong Kong Airport to the City Center
Look, I know it was a long flight to Hong Kong. You didn’t sleep well. They only had 3 random episodes of Curb Your Enthusiasm teed up on the TV. You sat next to that one dude with a long mole hair protruding from his face and would awkwardly lean on your shoulder whenever he fell asleep. And you had some questionable jellied meat and petrified eggs that may or may not put a damper on your first day in the city.
How do I know this? I’ve been there before. Got the T-shirt. Thrown out my underpants. Embarrassingly called the hotel front desk to ask if they could send up a plunger. Hid my face as I awkwardly grasped said plunger from the hands of hotel staff. Experienced the unabating headache. Started the trip out already feeling like it wasn’t on my terms.
There are a lot of variables when it comes to traveling, some of them well within your grasp, others far outside.
While you can’t control whether or not the plane hits a stretch of turbulence on your way to Hong Kong, turbulence so devastating that it has you typing out “love you” messages to everyone you can think of, including your high school sweetheart Maria, who is married and happy now and still thinks you’re a loser because you lived at home with your mother for an extended period while you were figuring things out – fortunately, you can control how you get into the city center.
No dilly-dallying. No pitstops along the way. No B.S..
Here is the best way to get from Hong Kong Airport to the city center so that you can start your trip off in ‘Asia’s World City’ on sound footing.
Pale Ale Travel Note: I’m not entirely sure if the intro of this post is about navigating your way from Hong Kong Airport to the city center or just a projection of my own insecurities. I’ll do my best to rein it in and keep focus.
The Easiest Way to Get From Hong Kong Airport to the City Center
Lucky for us all, Hong Kong boasts one of the most comprehensive public transportation networks in the world, making it incredibly efficient when it comes to getting from Point A to Point B.
This couldn’t be any more apparent than the second you walk out of customs and are greeted by Hong Kong’s Airport Express – one of the city’s ten rail lines that makes up the Mass Transit Railway (MTR).
Hands down, taking Hong Kong’s Airport Express is the best way to get from Hong Kong Airport to the city center.
I define Hong Kong’s city center as ‘Central’ on Hong Kong Island and ‘Tsim Sha Tsui (TST)’ on Kowloon since those are the two key launching points for tourists and travelers.
On Hong Kong’s MTR map, it is easily recognizable as the ‘teal’ line and is the only rail link between the airport and the city center. Hong Kong’s Airport Express takes just 24 minutes from the doors closing to touching down at Hong Kong Station in Central, on Hong Kong Island.
It takes even less than that if your hotel and/or AirBnb is located in Sunny Bay, Tsing Yi, Nam Cheong, or Kowloon, as the Airport Express briefly stops at each.
Trains depart every 10 minutes and run from 5:54 AM to 12:48 AM every single day of the week.
Fun Fact: The addition of the Sunny Bay Station in 2005 saw the total trip time increase by 1 minute. Give me that extra minute back Hong Kong MTR Authority!!!
The Airport Express is spacious, clean, comfortable, equipped with designated luggage storage areas and racks, exponentially more affordable than taxi or Uber, and drops you off smack-dab in the city center.
It also boasts free WiFi and charging ports onboard – something we both know is a plus since your phone is operating at sub-5% battery after you kept turning it on during your flight.
Here’s a quick travel video I made when I returned to Hong Kong after 3 months in Europe. You’ll see some clips of what it’s like taking the Airport Express at 1:35!
Further, the Airport Express’s drop-off point at Hong Kong Station is connected by a several-minute walk (underground) to Central Station. Central Station is what I consider to be the major delta for Hong Kong’s MTR and bus network.
This means that you can easily switch over and hop on other convenient and expansive rail lines or exit to Exchange Square (Central Bus Terminus), which serves 18 bus routes (primarily Southern and New Territories).
Anytime I fly back to Hong Kong (where I currently live), 9 times out of 10, I take the Airport Express to Hong Kong Station. Then, I either hail a taxi right outside IFC or take the Mid-Levels escalators up to the road I live on.
Finally, I’d be remiss not to mention that more than a handful of popular hotels on Hong Kong Island and Kowloon provide free shuttle bus services to and from the Airport Express. I repeat, Airport Express, not the airport.
You can find the list of hotel airport express shuttle services here.
One of my favorite hotels in Hong Kong, the Bishop Lei International House, is one of them.
Airport Express Ticket Pricing
That middle building you see right there is the International Finance Center (IFC), which sits atop Hong Kong Station.
All roads lead to Rome when it comes to booking an Airport Express journey from Hong Kong Airport to Hong Kong Station (city center). Whether you simply need a one-way, round-trip, or even a group ticket, they’ve got you covered.
A single journey adult ticket from Hong Kong Airport to Hong Kong Station costs just HK$115 or HK$110 when you pay via Octopus Card (Hong Kong’s de facto electronic smart value card), while round-trip tickets cost HK$205. Children aged 3 to 11 are exactly half price. If you get off at Kowloon Station or Tsing Yi, “clocks in” even cheaper. But that’s also not the city center.
Physical tickets can be purchased at any Airport Express Customer Service Center or ticket issuing machines. They can also be purchased online or downloaded as an app for your mobile phone.
I’ve written a fair bit – I should have dropped a pun here and said “a fare bit” – about how to purchase/where you can purchase an Octopus Card in my Hong Kong Packing List, so make sure to read that post.
Hint: You can purchase at a ticketing counter at Hong Kong Airport or roughly 30 other establishments, along with snagging a digital Octopus Card via your phone’s app store. You can even pre-order the physical card online (ex. Over at Klook) and then pick it up when you land at Hong Kong Airport.
Pale Ale Travel Tip: Having lived in Hong Kong for nearly 7 years, I’ve forgotten to bring every essential item under the sun when it comes to moving to the city, moving back, or just visiting. To prevent yourself from ending like this Big Body bozo, check out my Hong Kong packing list of items I wouldn’t touch down in ‘Asia’s World City’ without.
A Bonus of Taking the Airport Express From the City Center to Hong Kong Airport
A view of Hong Kong Island from the other location I consider the ‘city center’ – Tsim Sha Tsui.
This one is for those traveling in reverse – from the city center to Hong Kong Airport.
Both Cathay Pacific and Hong Kong Airlines offer in-town check-in for passengers at Hong Kong Station from 90 minutes before or up to 24 hours before their scheduled flight’s departure.
Simply head to one of the smart check-in kiosks and self-service bag drop counters, scan your passport, select the number of bags/luggage you’re bringing, print your boarding pass, attach your luggage tags, and drop it off at the self-service bag drop counter.
I recommend this for anyone who wants to reduce any stress or extra legwork at the airport, such as waiting in a DMV-esque line, or for those who want to continue exploring Hong Kong before their flight and don’t want to be weighed down by their baggage (physical, not emotional). I also recommend this for families flying with large baggage.
Keep in mind that you need a valid Airport Express Ticket for the same day of travel or an Octopus Card.
Kowloon Station ALSO offers in-town check-in if that’s more convenient for you.
Pale Ale Travel Tip: Hong Kong is notoriously known for being one of the world’s most expensive cities, so I understand having some hesitancy about booking a trip here. However, numerous budget-friendly hotels make visiting the city a little less prohibitive. Here are five of the best affordable hotels in Hong Kong – all of which I’ve personally stayed at for roughly two weeks each.
Additional Practical Ways to Get to Hong Kong’s City Center
Actually a big fan of this picture I took. Look for a red taxi like this. Make sure you don’t try to jump in while it’s going 50 km/h.
While I’m a huge proponent of taking the Airport Express/Hong Kong MTR from Hong Kong Airport to the city center, I understand that it isn’t always practical or feasible.
At this point in my Hong Kong tenure, I’ve taken nearly every mode of transportation under the sun from Hong Kong airport to wherever it was I was living and/or staying in Hong Kong. The only one I haven’t taken is a rickshaw. But I’m open.
If I wasn’t going to take the MTR to Central or Tsim Sha Tsui (TST) – aka the ‘city center’ – I would either:
- Hail a taxi, or
- Take the bus.
Taking a Taxi From the Airport
This is my father’s preferred method as he seems to fly at very different hours than I do. It may be because he structures all his flights to pass through Zurich. Don’t quote me on that.
Also, he lives in the boondocks of Sai Kung, so it is just that much more of a journey and hassle to first make one way to Hong Kong Station AND THEN take the Airport Express. The point is, I don’t blame him for taking a taxi at all.
When I first moved to Hong Kong in 2012 (for my first stint), the move almost started shaky for both of us after we took a taxi from the airport and my father was convinced he lost his passport for half the journey. I think I was sitting on it but…crisis averted. This was no fault of the taxi drivers or taxis, it’s just a memory that stands out for me when writing about taxis.
Taxis in Hong Kong are color-coded, with each type serving a specific area (some more malleable than others). Simply exit Hong Kong Airport customs and head to one of the designated taxi stands and you’ll see:
- Red taxis: These cover urban areas like Hong Kong Island and Kowloon,
- Green taxis: These operate in the New Territories (ex. Sai Kung), and
- Blue taxis: These are designated for Lantau Island.
If you’re heading to the city center, you’re going to hail a red taxi. Rides to Central and/or Tsim Sha Tsui typically run anywhere from HK$300 to HK$400 – or roughly double what you’d pay with a round-trip Airport Express ticket.
They also don’t really get you to the city center any quicker. Scratch that. They will take longer. But they are quicker than the next option below.
Taking a taxi into the city center is typically “the play” when the Airport Express is closed – between 12:48 AM and 5:54 AM.
Pale Ale Travel Tip: A common question I receive from readers is if there are any ride-hailing apps available in the city. So, if you’re an Uberite or Grabber back home, make sure to check out my comprehensive post answering, “Is there Uber in Hong Kong?”.
Taking the Bus From the Airport
My physics teacher would always say, “Some people ride the bus to work, others wear their hats.” I’ve mentioned in another post that I have no idea what exactly it’s supposed to mean but I like it.
I won’t go into all the bus routes and bus types that depart from Hong Kong Airport but if you want to get into the city center, simply keep an eye out for a route that includes either (a) Central, or (b) Tsim Sha Tsui – depending on where your accommodation is.
Taking the bus is definitely the most budget-friendly of all options, with prices clocking in around HK$30 to HK$45. They also sport luggage racks and air conditioning, are relatively spacious, and accept payment via Octopus or cash (no change is given).
Snag a seat in the upper deck if you want to truly experience a Hong Kong double-decker bus.
You can find the complete list of bus routes here.
Repeat After Me, “I Will Take the Airport Express”
View of the Hong Kong skyline from the Bishop Lei International House (hotel mentioned above).
I’m not sure there are many cities in the world where you can touch down at the airport and be squarely in the hustle and bustle of the city center in under 25 minutes thanks to public transportation.
I firmly believe this is one of the major reasons why even having a several-hour layover in Hong Kong, where you can actually get out and about to explore the city, is doable.
You’re likely going to have a long day of flying so don’t overcomplicate things. Hong Kong’s Airport Express is a smooth transition and mode of transport into the city. Zone out, close your eyes, or have a montage of past exes flash through your head as you press your head against the glass and wistfully watch as the city begins to take shape.
Or, just completely disregard what I wrote and try to walk to the city center. Let me know how that goes.
If you have any questions about traveling to Hong Kong, like what to do or how to navigate the city, please don’t hesitate to reach out to me at info@palealetravel.com.
At the moment, due to an influx of messages from readers, I am prioritizing responses for my email subscribers. Just let me know in the comments that you’ve subscribed to my Hong Kong newsletter and I’ll make sure to get back to you as soon as possible!
Travel well everyone,
Big Body
Big Body is a voracious lov…eater, a cowardly fighter, and a self-proclaimed curry goat BBQ-eating champion (don’t forget the donkey milk) who likes Stoicism, baseball, and writing in the third person. Having worked for himself for the last 7 years, he isn’t particularly successful but he does still drink ice-cold Sapporo draft beers with the best of them and knows his way around a Dai Pai Dong or two. He is based in Hong Kong but you can still find him in Saigon, Osaka, and Vienna for extended periods.