Considered a travel essential by tourists, the Octopus Card in Hong Kong lets you ride the MTR trains and buses like a local. You can use the prepaid transportation card to avoid purchasing one-way tickets each time you take public transportation. You can also use it to pay in convenience stores, fast-food chains, and other establishments. Get a Tourist Octopus Card that you can pick up at Hong Kong International Airport when you book here.
In a nutshell
- What is the Octopus Card? This is a prepaid or stored-value card in Hong Kong that locals and tourists use to take public transportation. It can also be used to make purchases in convenience stores, cafes, fastfood joints, supermarkets, bakeries, and more.
- Why book one? So you can enjoy slightly cheaper train and bus fares exclusively for Octopus Card holders! Plus, you can won’t have to purchase single-ride tickets each time you commute.
- Where to buy. To save time and money, our team at Travlists booked a tourist Octopus Card here. We received a mobile voucher that we used to redeem a card at Hong Kong Airport (Arrival Hall) in just a few minutes.
- Price. Hong Kong Octopus Cards are usually preloaded with usable credits (worth HK$50). The card usually sells for around $13, but you can click here to see lower offers.
- How do I top up? When your Hong Kong Octopus Card’s balance runs low, you can top up your card at any 7-Eleven, Starbucks, McDonalds, Watsons, 759, or Wellcome. You can also reload at MTR Airport Station or Hong Kong West Kowloon Station.
Where to Buy Hong Kong Octopus Card
Tourist Octopus Card on Klook
• PICK-UP LOCATION: Hong Kong International Airport
• RATING: Booked 1M+ times with 4.8/5 star rating
Tourist Octopus Card on KKDay
• PICK-UP LOCATION: Hong Kong International Airport
• RATING: Booked 60k+ times with 4.8/5 star rating
Introducing Tourist Octopus Card in Hong Kong
Making everyday life easier. This is the tagline of Hong Kong’s Octopus Card, which tourists and locals use for transportation, dining, and everyday purchases. If you’re planning to travel to Hong Kong soon, make sure to get this tourist essential to enjoy the following benefits:
- Enjoy slightly cheaper transportation fares (as opposed to buying single-entry train tickets)
- Not having to purchase train or bus tickets as you make your way to Hong Kong Disneyland or this equally popular theme park
- Pay in cafes, convenience stores, lifestyle and beauty shops, groceries, bakeries, and other establishments
By the end of your trip, you will also have the option to keep your Octopus Card for your next visit to Hong Kong (or take it back home as a nice souvenir).
Where to Use: Public Transportation & Stores
The Octopus Card in Hong Kong can be used in the following modes of transportation:
- MTR trains
- Buses
- Ferries
- Public light buses
- Coaches
- Trams
Aside from public transit, the Octopus Card in Hong Kong is also accepted in 180k+ stores. This includes bakeries, fastfood, cafés, ice cream shops, convenience stores, department stores, personal care stores, and supermarkets. Additionally, the Octopys Card can also be used in skating rinks, cinemas, racing courses, swimming pools, and theme parks. (As a tip, you can use the Octopus Card in establishments that show the Octopus logo.)
Book Hong Kong Octopus Card: Tourist Card & Rental Card
Now that we know the benefits of using an Octopus Card, let’s check out the various types of cards and bundles that you can book:
1. Tourist Octopus Card + HK$50 Credits
The Tourist version of the Octopus Card is designed as a souvenir for foreign travelers. When you purchase this card, you won’t have to return it after use — keep it as a souvenir or use it on your future trips (The card is valid for 7 years!).
- PRICE: Book here from $12.85
- INCLUSIONS: Tourist Octopus Card & usable HK$50 credits
- PICK-UP LOCATION & HOURS: Hong Kong International Airport (Counter A13 in the Arrivals Area): 8am-9pm
- BEST REVIEW: “A must have when [traveling in] Hong Kong. It can be used not only for MTR and buses, but also in a lot of shops…”
2. Tourist Octopus Card + Hong Kong Airport Express Ticket
If you’re planning to take the airport train to get to downtown Hong Kong, you can book an Octopus Card + Airport Express Ticket combo. Check out more details below:
- PRICE: Book here for $25.7
- INCLUSIONS: Tourist Octopus Card, usable HK$50 credits, & one-way or roundtrip Hong Kong Airport Express ticket for Kowloon Station or Hong Kong Station
- PICK-UP LOCATION & HOURS: Hong Kong International Airport (Counter A13 in the Arrivals Area): 8am-9pm
- BEST REVIEW: “Perfect for people who really opt for more [train, bus, tram rides] while visiting [Hong Kong]. Very easy to redeem and use. You can easily [top] it up [at] the train stations. You can also use this [at] convenience stores and some restaurants and establishments. Very recommended for people who do not like to bring cash with them while traveling.”
3. Rental Octopus Card + HK$150 Credits + 4G SIM Card (Airport Pick-up)
Our third option is a Rental Octopus Card, which is different from the two Tourist Octopus Card options that we have above. The Rental or On-Loan Octopus Card is lent by Octopus Cards Limited, which means you will need to return it after use. A refundable deposit is required to redeem this card.
- PRICE: Book here for $28.9 (vs. regular price of $30.7)
- INCLUSIONS: Rental Octopus Card, usable HK$150 credits, & 8-day Hong Kong SIM Card
- PICK-UP LOCATION & HOURS: Hong Kong International Airport (Counter A13 in the Arrivals Area): 8am-9pm
- NOTE: A deposit of HK$50 is required to pick-up this option.
- REVIEW: “Very convenient to use. Upon arrival, we looked for the booth to claim the [Octopus Card], showed the QR [code,] and that’s it. Adding value to it was [easy], and it could be used to purchase other stuff as well.”
4. Tourist Octopus Card + Hong Kong Airport Shilla Duty Free $50 e-Voucher
This promotional may no longer be available. Click here to check availability.
Want to shop at the Shilla Duty Free inside Hong Kong Airport? Grab this Octopus Card for tourists that come with a free $50 shopping voucher!
- PRICE: Book here for around $12.4
- INCLUSIONS: Tourist Octopus Card, usable HK$50 credits, & a $50 e-Voucher for Shilla Duty Free at Hong Kong Airport
- PICK-UP LOCATION & HOURS: Hong Kong International Airport (Counter A13 in the Arrivals Area): 8am-9pm
- BEST REVIEW: “We booked and picked up the Octopus card at the airport [terminal 1]… Just top up the card and you can use it in bus, train, malls, 7-Eleven, fastfood restos. We’ll book it again when we get back in Hong Kong,” reads a review for the Octopus Card on Klook.
4. Tourist Octopus Card + Victoria Harbour Evening Cruise Ticket
This promotional may no longer be available. Click here to check availability.
If you’ve added Victoria Harbour Cruise in your travel itinerary, then you can save money by booking this Hong Kong tourist Octopus Card with Cruise Ticket deal!
- PRICE: Book here starting at $26 — save up to 5%!
- INCLUSIONS: Tourist Octopus Card, usable HK$50 credits, & Victoria Harbour Evening Cruise Experience with unlimited drinks
- PICK-UP LOCATION & HOURS: Hong Kong International Airport (Counter A13 in the Arrivals Area): 8am-9pm
- BEST REVIEW: “It was our first time doing a cruise in Hong Kong and it was amazing. The view of the Hong Kong skyline is perfect and breathtaking. You will never get tired of looking all the tall buildings with nice skyline. Please make sure to book this when you visit Hong Kong. Will definitely come back here when I visit Hong Kong again!”
5. Tourist Octopus Card + Big Bus Hong Kong Ticket or Night Tour
This promotional may no longer be available. Click here to check availability.
Thinking about getting tickets for the hop-on hop-off tor bus or the night tour? This Octopus Card combo deal is for you!
- PRICE: Book here starting at $47 — save up to 5%!
- INCLUSIONS: Tourist Octopus Card, usable HK$50 credits, & Big Bus Hong Kong ticket OR Big Bus Hong Kong Night Tour
- PICK-UP LOCATION & HOURS: Hong Kong International Airport (Counter A13 in the Arrivals Area): 8am-9pm
- BEST REVIEW: “I took a bus tour in the evening, and except for the fact that the wind was a little strong and it was cold, it was nice to be able to sit comfortably and enjoy the night view of Hong Kong and people-watch 🙂 If I visit again next time, I think I will try to take my time and enjoy the sights.”
How to Use
To use the Octopus Card, place it on the reader or sensor at the subway turnstile or bus, wait until you hear a sound, and remove the card when you see the remaining credits of your Octopus.
Here are other notes from the official Octopus Card website:
- If the transaction shows incomplete, it’s probably because you moved your Octopus card too quickly. Do it again.
- Do not hold more than one Octopus card or an Octopus with another type of smart card over an Octopus reader at one time.
- Do not tamper with your HK Octopus Card, such as 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 Octopus Card for buses, you’ll spot the reader beside the driver.
How to Top Up
Adding credits to the Hong Kong Octopus Card is easy. Simply visit any of the following retail outlets pay via cash, and you’re all set!
- 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 in select Transportation Customer Service Centers or Add-Value Machines found in the following:
- MTR
- Light Rail
- Add-value machines
- Airport Express Line
- KMB
- First Ferry Customer
- Octopus Service Centres (Cheung Chau Pier, Mui Wo Pier, Central Pier 5 & Central Pier 6)
- NWFB (Admiralty (East) Bus Terminus)
- Citybus (Airport Ground Transportation Centre).
Additionally, if you’re coming from Shenzhen, you may top up your Octopus Cards 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).
Note that an Octopus Card can be reloaded up to HK$1,000 only. Also, if the value on your Octopus Card is at or below HK$0, you won’t be able to use it until you top up.
Reviews
With more than 1M+ bookings and a 4.8/5 rating from over 49,000+ Klook users, the Octopus Card in Hong Kong ticket is definitely a highly recommended product for tourists. Here’s a review frm a satisfied user:
One of the best things we bought for our trip. You can use to pay for train, dingding, and bus rides and buy something from groceries. Octopus card makes everything so convenient. We were able to travel around the city hassle-free.
Another customer who booked the Hong Kong Octopus Card wrote: “Octopus card wasn’t available at 7-11 at the airport so I booked at Klook on the spot and was able to redeem the cards at the counter immediately. No-hassle booking and instant redemption! Highly recommended!”
- Hong Kong Airport Express Ticket (5M+ booked)
- Hong Kong-Macau Ferry by Cotai Water Jet (400k+ booked)
- Big Bus Hong Kong (30k+ booked)
- Hong Kong Disneyland Ticket (6M+ booked)
- Peak Tram and Sky Terrace 428 Ticket (1M+ booked)
- Klook Pass Hong Kong (80k+ booked)
- Lantau Island Day Tour (3k+ booked)
- Aberdeen Fishing Village Boat Tours, Floating Museum, & Boat Noodles (4k+ booked)
- Ngong Ping 360 Culture & Heritage Insight Tour (20k+ booked)
Hong Kong Octopus Card Refund Guide
Vsit any MTR Customer Service Center to get a refund for the remaining value on your Octopus. 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 Octopus will 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.
How much to top up?
How much money should you add to your Octopus Card? Here are some key transportation fare notes that may help you with your budgeting (fares are estimates for adults):
- MTR Light Rail: HK$5.5-7.5 per ride (around $0.7-1)
- MTR Trains: HK$4.6-30 per ride (or $0.6-3.8), depending on location
- Bus Fares: HK$4-25 per ride (or $0.5-3.2), depending on location
If you’d like to get a better estimate of your Hong Kong trip transportation costs, you may want to access the Trip Planner in this website or the MTR app. You can also check out the official Hong Kong transportation fare matrix for Octopus Card users here and non-Octopus Card users here.
