How to Get from Hong Kong Airport to the City

Hong Kong International Airport is one of the busiest in the world, and getting into the city is easier and cheaper than most people expect. Here are your three main options.

Airport Express Train. The fastest and most straightforward option for solo travellers or couples. The Airport Express runs directly from the airport to Hong Kong Station in Central in just 24 minutes. Trains run every 10 minutes from early morning until just after midnight.

Cost: HK$115 one way (~A$24) per person. Buy tickets at the station or use your Octopus Card.

Good for couples or solo travellers travelling light.

Taxi — Cash Only. Taxis are available outside arrivals but here's something most travel guides won't tell you. Taxis from Hong Kong Airport only accept cash. If you've just landed with no HKD on you, you're stuck. Expect to pay HK$300 to HK$400 (~A$63 to A$84) to most central destinations depending on traffic.

Uber — What We Actually Did. Uber works perfectly in Hong Kong and this is genuinely what we recommend if you're travelling as a family or group, have a lot of luggage, or simply don't have cash on arrival.

We travelled with our daughter Chloe, John's Dad Paul, a stroller and a pile of bags. The Airport Express would have meant three separate tickets plus navigating stairs and transfers with all of that. An Uber picked us up directly from arrivals (it's a short walk, ask information for directions), took us straight to our hotel door in Wan Chai, and worked out better value per person than three train tickets.

No cash needed, no transfers, no lugging bags through stations.

Kristina's tip: Open the Uber app before you land and make sure it's connected to a card. When you exit customs turn your data on immediately. Uber and Google Maps both work perfectly in Hong Kong so you'll be navigating like a local within minutes. If you don't already have an eSIM sorted, grab one at the airport before you leave the terminal. We get a discount with Saily eSims, use code KRISTINASTRAVELS at the checkout for 15% off.