So, let’s say you have decided to take the airport express to your hotel. A good, safe choice, as the airport express will certainly get your closer to your hotel, and the free shuttle bus service is really helpful if your hotel is one of the ones on this list.
If you haven’t don’t it already, now would be a good time to do the Things To Do Before Leaving Hong Kong Airport, because a bit of cash in hand is good, and the Octopus card will be used to pay for your Airport Express. Please note there are sometimes specials on the Airport Express (recent example was Hong Kong to the Aiport for $160 for two people… which is a bit lower than the price when you use the Octopus card). But remember, in the end, the airport express is $100HK per person from airport to Hong Kong (central) station, or under $13US… any discount would be about $2-$3 US is you can get it.
The airport express station is centrally located in the airport. Once you have picked up your Octopus card at the MTR ticket counter:
you will see signs for the airport express train. There are three access points to the train platform, one behind the ticket booths as shown in the picture near the A and B sides, and there is also one in the middle. Pro tip if you have baggage is to use the access closest to your exit gate, because it has a ramp up and not stairs! Just look for these passages:
or closer up:
or finally signs like this:
The airport express from the airport is one of the rare train stations that you do not have to “beep in” to get to the platform. Generally Hong Kong subways and trains are “beep in – beep out” systems that track your travel from start to finish and deduct from your Octopus card that way. However, from the airport you can just walk right onto the platform. So let’s go and get to the platform and wait for the train. Your wait won’t be long, the trains leave every 10 minutes or so. Here is one other nice Pro Tip to remember in Hong Kong: Above the doors for the train, you will see a route map, like this:
It shows each station on the journey. The ones that are still colored are the ones remaining on this trip. Notice which way the stations are, because that is the direction that the train will travel when you get on – so you can sit on the train facing the right way! This system applies for all MTR subway trains in Hong Kong, so you can be sure you are heading the right way, and you know which way the train will run.
When the train arrives, the doors will open and inside each door area is place for your baggage. Put your bags here, it really is safe, and just take your carry on with you. Take your seat and get comfortable, your journey to Hong Kong proper is about to start. There are three stations on the route, and you choose your exit based on where you are going. Most people will not get off at Tsing Ye (this is for the New Territories generally). For most travelers, it will be a question of Kowloon Side or Hong Kong side. If your hotel is on Hong Kong Island (such as Wan Chai, Central, Cuaseway Bay, North Point, Tin Hau, Happy Valley, or similar) then you will want to take the train to the Hong Kong stop. If your Hotel is in Kowloon, Jordan, Kowloon East, or similar, then you will want to get off at Kowloon station.