初到香港 First2HK

Arrive

Arrive: what to do after immigration

First landing in Hong Kong: Octopus, SIM, cash, and airport to city (Airport Express HK$120, Citybus A21 HK$34.6).

Notes dated 2026-09

Hong Kong International Airport Terminal 1
Hong Kong International Airport Terminal 1

The airport is on Chek Lap Kok, not downtown. Ignore taxi touts. Use the official rank.

Suggested order

  1. Collect bags. Check the carousel screen.
  2. Get Octopus at the MTR customer centre or a machine. See the Octopus page.
  3. Data: eSIM, or a SIM at the airport or a convenience store.
  4. Into town: Airport Express if rushed; Citybus A21 to Kowloon if not; taxi late or splitting a fare.

You may not arrive by air

  • West Kowloon HSR: connect to Tuen Ma Line; Kowloon Airport Express is nearby. Octopus machines in the station.
  • Lo Wu / Lok Ma Chau: East Rail Line after immigration. Have Octopus or QR ready.
  • Macau/China ferry terminals: follow MTR signs for Sheung Wan or TST. No touts.

Fares change. Recheck App 1933, Citybus, or MTR Mobile before you go.

Airport layout Bags, GTC, taxi rank, Airport Express. Buy Octopus Tourist, T-Union, on-loan, and iPhone versions. Into the city Express, A21, taxi compared.

In this chapter

HKIA: where to go after baggage claim Find the Ground Transportation Centre, Airport Express, A-buses, and the official taxi rank at Hong Kong International Airport. Octopus: which card tourists should buy Tourist Octopus HK$39, airport T-Union pack HK$170, on-loan adult card, iPhone Tourist Octopus, and why interchange discounts usually need Octopus—not a random bank card. Data: eSIM, airport SIMs, Sham Shui Po How to get data in Hong Kong: eSIM before you fly, airport counters, or a physical SIM in Sham Shui Po. UK Type G plugs. Money: HKD, ATMs, wallets Hong Kong uses the Hong Kong dollar. ATMs, AlipayHK / WeChat Pay, and how much cash you actually need. Airport to the city: Express, A21, taxi Airport Express HK$120 Octopus to Hong Kong Station in about 24 minutes; Citybus A21 HK$34.6 to TST/Hung Hom; taxi to Kowloon from about HK$280.

Questions

What should I do first?

Follow signs to the Ground Transportation Centre. Sort Octopus or mobile pay, then choose rail, bus, or taxi.

Can I leave the airport without Octopus?

Yes. Airport Express takes tickets or contactless bank cards; A-buses take Octopus, tap-to-pay, or exact cash; taxis take cash and some e-pay. Interchange discounts usually need Octopus.

Octopus: which card tourists should buy Tourist Octopus HK$39, airport T-Union pack HK$170, on-loan adult card, iPhone Tourist Octopus, and why interchange discounts usually need Octopus—not a random bank card. Airport to the city: Express, A21, taxi Airport Express HK$120 Octopus to Hong Kong Station in about 24 minutes; Citybus A21 HK$34.6 to TST/Hung Hom; taxi to Kowloon from about HK$280. Data: eSIM, airport SIMs, Sham Shui Po How to get data in Hong Kong: eSIM before you fly, airport counters, or a physical SIM in Sham Shui Po. UK Type G plugs. Transit apps: 1933, Citybus, MTR Mobile Why Hong Kong bus times belong in App 1933 and Citybus, not Google Maps or Amap. Official links.