OCTOPUS CARD
The internationally acclaimed Octopus Card has been an integral part of Hong Kong life since 1997. It makes using Hong Kong’s impressive public transport system simple and convenient and is a “must” for most visitors to Hong Kong. At the beginning of 2010 there were over 20 million Octopus Cards or products with Octopus functions in circulation. Originally conceived an electronic fare collection system for the MTR (Mass Transit Railway) it can now be used on virtually all forms of public transport, including MTR trains, Airport Express, buses, outlying island ferries, Star Ferry and other ferries, Peak Tram and Hong Kong Island trams as well as convenience stores, supermarkets, fast food shops and many other retail outlets. It cannot however be used in taxis (an unsuccessful trial was undertaken in 2006). Octopus Card users benefit from lower MTR fares than single-journey ticket fares.
Other applications include vending machines, telephone kiosks, parking machines and access control for some private residential developments and school campuses. Octopus Card transaction records have also been used as evidence in obtaining convictions for crime.
In January 2010 Hong Kong Monetary Authority confirmed a new smart card incorporating chips for both Hong Kong's Octopus Cards and neighbouring Shenzhen's Shenzhen Tong Card will be introduced before the end of 2010. Octopus Card company had formed a working party with Shenzhen Tong in 2008 to establish reciprocal arrangements to allow the Octopus Card to be used on the Shenzhen Metro and the Shenzhen Tong (Shenzhen's equivalent of the Octopus Card) to be used on public transport in Hong Kong. The new card will be able to be used for both payment of public transport fares and for small-value purchases and is expected to bring great convenience to the millions of cross-border travellers. Following breakthroughs in resolving technical and operational obstacles such as currency conversion the card is expected to undergo a testing phase for several months before its introduction. In the meantime the card can be used in Shenzhen at several branches of Cafe De Coral and Fairwood restaurants and duty-free shops at the Huanggang border crossing and in Macau at two KFC restaurants.
Also in January 2010 it was announced that the company had teamed up with mainland company Digital China Holdings to run a joint venture to develop and operate "Citizen Cards" in mainland China. Digital China Octopus Information Technology Systems will bid for provincial and municipal government contracts to supply and operate cards for services such as social security, medical and healthcare, cultural, educational and birth planning, as well as residential property management and utility bill payments.
A list of retailers accepting Octopus can be found here;
http://www.octopuscards.com/consumer/payment/use/en/retail.jsp
"Rainbow" Octopus Card
There are two types of Octopus, "Sold Octopus" and "On-Loan Octopus";
SOLD OCTOPUS
Sold Octopus are effectively souvenir products issued from time to time. Unlike the On-Loan Octopus they usually have no stored value included in the purchase price. By adding value (topping up the card) these products often then function as a normal On-Loan Octopus Card but unlike the normal On-Loan Octopus Card but will not function if the balance goes below zero (as no deposit has been paid) and the product is non-refundable so any outstanding balance will not be refunded to the user on departing Hong Kong. Examples of Sold Octopus include keyrings, neck straps and ornaments. For details of current Sold Octopus products see;
http://www.octopuscards.com/consumer/products/cardtype/en/sold.jsp
ON-LOAN OCTOPUS CARD
The price of an on-loan Octopus Card includes a refundable deposit*;
ADULT
Cost HK$150 representing a deposit* of HK$50 and an initial stored value of HK$100.
CHILD (AGE 3-11)
Cost HK$70 representing a deposit* of HK$20 and an initial stored value of HK$50
ELDER (AGE 65** and over) Cost HK$70 representing a deposit* of HK$20 and an initial stored value of HK$50.
**Transport operators have different criteria (qualifying age, amount of discount etc) with regard to "Elders". The qualifying age to use the (Green) Elder Octopus Card is 65 and this card can be purchased by visitors. Octopus Card Readers automatically apply any available discount and if no discount is available the full adult fare is deducted. Currently examples of qualifying ages are 65 for MTR and KMB (Kowloon Motor Bus), 60 for most Citybus/First Bus routes (but 65 on some routes - mainly airport and jointly-operated cross-harbour routes). To obtain concessionary fares where available at age 60 passengers age 60 to 65 should use a Personalised Octopus Card, which stores the holder's age or pay (exact fare) in cash. However, as the Personalised Octopus Card is only available to Hong Kong ID Card holders and visitors in age group 60 to 65 wishing to take advantage of concessionary fares where available should pay in cash.
HOLIDAY CONCESSION SCHEME FOR SENIOR CITIZENS Until 31st August 2010 (then subject to review) all MTR journeys on Wednesdays and public holidays (but not Sundays) using Elder Octopus Card are charged at a concessionary fare of HK$2. This concession does not apply to Airport Express journeys, journeys to the mainland border stations of Lo Wu and Lok Ma Chau, journeys on Light Rail or first-class journeys on East Rail.
Until 31st January 2011 (then subject to review) passengers using Elder Octopus Card on KMB, Long Win, Citybus, New World First Bus routes on Sundays and public holidays are charged a special concessionary fare of HK$2 or 50% of the adult fare whichever is the lower. The concession does not apply to “A-prefix” numbered routes serving the airport and recreational routes such as racecourse services and R11 and R22 prefix Disneyland services.
*REFUND OF DEPOSIT- the deposit (less any use of NEGATIVE VALUE**) plus any remaining unused value is refundable at any time by handing in the card at the Customer Service Centre at any MTR Station or ticket office. Visitors leaving Hong Kong by air can hand the card in and obtain a refund at the Airport Express Customer Service Counter at the airport. There is a small administration charge of HK$7 which is deducted from the balance in respect of cards which are returned within three months of date of issue.
**NEGATIVE VALUE – If the balance on the card is positive (HK$1or above) but insufficient to cover the cost of the next transaction the card can incur a negative value of up to HK$35 which is recovered the next time the card is reloaded. The card cannot be used for any further transaction once a negative balance has accumulated until the card has been reloaded.
PERSONALISED CARDS incorporating the users photograph are also available but only for Hong Kong ID Card Holders. These allow holders to use the automatic add-value service whereby the card is automatically topped up when the balance reaches a certain level and the holders bank account is charged accordingly. Personalised cards also offer some protection against loss or theft as the card can invalidated to prevent unauthorised use.
WHERE TO PURCHASE THE CARD
The card can be purchased on arrival at Hong Kong International Airport at the Airport Express Customer Service Counter and at;
Ticket offices/Customer Service Centres of;
All MTR/Airport Express//Light Rail Stations
KMB Customer Service Centre at Sha Tin Central Bus Terminus
New World First Ferry Central Ferry Piers, Ferry Piers at Peng Chau, Cheung Chau, Mui Wo, Discovery Bay, Lamma.
Payment must be made in cash. Credit cards are not accepted for purchase of Octopus Cards or other MTR tickets (Credit card payment is accepted for purchase of Airport Express tickets only).
No identification is required, anyone can purchase the card and records of purchasers are not kept.
Octopus Cards cannot be used by more than one person for each transaction. For example a card cannot be used to open entry barriers and then immediately be passed back for another person to open the barriers with the same card. The barriers will not open. A separate card should be purchased for each person wishing to use Octopus Card method of payment.
USING THE CARD
The plastic card is credit card size and has a Sony FeliCa Radio Frequency Identification Chip (RFID) embedded into it. The technology is “contactless” so the card simply needs to be “waved” over the card reading machine. The card can be read by the machine from a distance of between 3cm and 10cm and it is common for users to leave the card in their bag and pass the bag over the reader. At rail stations and ferry piers the card reader is located at the entrance/exit barriers and on buses just inside the entrance next to the driver. At retail outlets such as convenience stores the machine will be on the counter or at the checkout. Each time the card is used the remaining balance is shown on the card reading machine.
Typical arrangement of entry barriers at MTR stations
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To operate the turnstile "wave" or touch the Octopus Card on the Octopus pad on the right (the red slot is for single-journey tickets). On exit from the destination station there are exit barriers and the Octopus Card is "waved" or touched on the pad at the barriers in a similar way and appropriate fare deducted.
On buses the Octopus Card reader is situated next to the drivers cab opposite the entry doors on buses. Passengers "wave" or touch the Octopus Card on the Octopus pad at the bottom of the machine. The machine displays the full fare and concessionary fare and Octopus Card automatically deducts the appropriate fare on entry (fares are based on point of boarding the bus, not point of disembarking from the bus)
Octopus Cards cannot be shared for the purposes of travel and a separate card needs to be purchased for each person travelling. The card is programmed so that once it has been read by an entry reader at MTR station barriers there is a ten minute delay before the card will function again at another entry reader without having first passed through an exit barrier. This protection is built in to prevent accidental multiple charging for the same journey as the card is read without necessity for physical contact with the card reader and it would otherwise impose a high level of risk of the card being read more than once during the action of "waving" it in the vicinity of the reader.
In the event of a malfunctioning card it can be taken to any Customer Service Centre or ticket office for investigation. In the meantime a replacement card is issued with a “get you home” value of HK$20. In order to obtain a refund of any outstanding balance on the original card the user should visit at any Customer Service Centre or ticket office after 5 working days from date the original card was handed over for investigation and refund will be issued in cash less the HK$20 value of the replacement card.
PERIOD OF VALIDITY
The card remains active for a period of three years from date of last use and visitors who intend returning to Hong Kong within this period may wish to retain the card instead of handing in for a refund.
TOPPING UP THE CARD
The value on the card can be topped up in units of HK$50 and HK$100 to a maximum of HK$1000 at:
Ticket offices/Customer Service Centres of MTR/Airport Express/Light Rail Stations, New World First Bus, Citybus, KMB, Central Ferry Piers, Ferry Piers at Peng Chau, Cheung Chau, Mui Wo, Discovery Bay, Lamma.
Add-value machines at all MTR/Airport Express stations and some Light Rail Stations (machines accept HK$50 and HK$100 notes)
Numerous retailers including MacDonalds, KFC, 7-Eleven, Circle K convenience stores, Watsons Personal Stores, Wellcome and ParknShop Supermarkets.
AIRPORT EXPRESS FREE MTR CONNECTION
Passengers using Octopus Card to travel on the Airport Express can enjoy free travel to or from an Airport Express station to or from anywhere else on the MTR network (including the border stations Lo Wu and Lok Ma Chau) provided all connections are made within one hour of each other.
MTR FARE SAVER
MTR Fare Saver machines are intended to reward people who choose to walk to certain designated MTR stations rather than take buses or taxis. They are strategically located a few hundred metres from the nearest MTR station and allow Adult Octopus Card holders a discount of HK$2 or HK$1 on their next journey from the designated station provided the journey is made on the same day. Simply "swipe" the Octopus Card over the reader to take advantage of this discount. Current list of locations of machines, designated MTR Stations and amount of discount is available here;
http://www.mtr.com.hk/eng/whatsnew/fare_saver.html
MTR Octopus Fare Saver machine at Central-Mid Levels Escalator link above Queens Road East
AIRPORT EXPRESS TRAVEL PASS**
This is a special tourist card only available for visitors spending 14 days or less in Hong Kong and for many visitors does not represent good value or have the same flexibility as the standard “On-loan” card.
It is available in two denominations;
HK$220 AIRPORT EXPRESS TRAVEL PASS
Includes a HK$50 deposit and provides one trip on the Airport Express and three days* unlimited travel on all MTR lines but not to the border stations Lo Wu and Lok Ma Chau. Since 1st October 2009 the pass also includes three days unlimited travel on MTR Light Rail and MTR bus.
HK$300 AIRPORT EXPRESS TRAVEL PASS
Provides two trips on the Airport Express and three days* unlimited travel on MTR all lines but not to the border stations of Lo Wu and Lok Ma Chau. Since 1st October 2009 the pass also includes three days unlimited travel on MTR Light Rail and MTR Bus.
* The three days unlimited travel commences at the time of first MTR journey. "Three days" refers to "calendar days", not 72 hours. (eg if time of first use of the pass to make a MTR journey is 11-00 on Monday the "three days of unlimitd rides" expires at 23-59 on Wednesday.
These cards can be “topped up” in the same way as the standard Octopus Card and will then function as a "normal" Octopus Card. Once "topped -up" the card can be used on all other forms of public transport which accept Octopus Card in addition to MTR.
A refund of the deposit can be obtained by the same method as for the standard “On-loan” Octopus Card (see above).
More detailed information can be obtained from the Octopus Card website at;
http://www.octopuscards.com/consumer/products/en/index.jsp
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TOURIST DAY PASS
A one day pass is available which may be useful to some visitors. It is valid for one day in a 30 day period from date of purchase and can be used on all lines except Airport Express and cannot be used for travel to the mainland border stations of Lo Wu and Lok Ma Chau. Since 1st October 2009 the pass also includes travel on MTR Light Rail. The pass costs HK$55 and is available to tourists staying in Hong Kong for less than one month. A Child Tourist Day Pass is also available for children age 3-11 for HK$25. The Tourist Day Pass (but not the Child Tourist Pass) is available online. Details here;
http://www.mtr.com.hk/eng/train/products_index.html
OTHER PASSES
Other passes available, although less likely to be of interest to visitors are;
NEW TERRITORIES DAY PASS
DISNEYLAND RESORT LINE DAY PASS
CROSS-BOUNDARY TRAVEL PACKAGE
and details also be found at;
http://www.mtr.com.hk/eng/train/products_index.html