A unique feature is that passengers for the train are able to board without purchasing any ticket, as tickets are only required to exit the station at the destination. The airport is keen to ensure that travellers are able to leave the airport with minimum impediment.

The Airport Express train can be paid for by PayWave credit card, or Octopus card, at the destination gates. Alternatively, the traveller can purchase a ticket (recommended at the ticket counters at the start of the journey rather than at the end of the journey) to use on the destination gates. Ticket counters are directly in front of the entrance to the station.

As a general guide, train tickets cost HK$120 if paid for by Octopus card, or HK$130 otherwise, to Hong Kong Island. The MTR publishes the exact fare schedule. Discounts are available for groups of travellers. The photo below shows the ticket machine prior to the exit gates at Hong Kong Station.

The Airport Express train terminates at Hong Kong Station on Hong Kong Island. From there the visitor may take a taxi to the Hopewell Hotel in Wan Chai (drop off will be at Level 18 which is just off 15 Kennedy Road). Alternatively, the Central MTR station is a short (underground) walk from the Airport Express Hong Kong Station; the visitor can take the MTR Island Line (Blue Line) from Central to Wan Chai (2 stops). From there, the walk to the Hopewell Centre is mostly underground, following the signs for Exit D (Lee Tung Street). From there it is a short walk to Queen’s Road East, and the pedestrian crossing that leads to the Hopewell Centre and Hopewell Hotel.

There are other public transport alternatives to get to the city, depending on budget or where the visitor’s actual destination is. Taxis are readily available, as is the Citybus service. To access these services, the Arrivals Hall exit between the two Airport Station exits leads to the taxi and bus services.

At the end of this large corridor, turn left down the incline to the taxi stands, and turn right down the incline to the bus station.

Overhead signs show “Train”, “Bus” and “Taxi”, to help make it clear where the visitor has to go. Directional signs on the pillars help give more detailed information:

These signs include which type/colour of taxi goes to which destination, warnings about unauthorised transport services, etc. APRICOT visitors who choose to use a taxi service will want to use the Red taxis, which is the urban service, going to Kowloon and Hong Kong Island. A taxi to Hong Kong Island will cost around HK$350 depending on destination and traffic. Note that while taxis are required to accept at least one type of contactless payment (eg QR code, Octopus, etc), it is not ubiquitous and it is recommended to have cash available to cover the fare.

A popular alternative, and the most inexpensive option, is to use the Cityflyer bus express airport services. These are limited stop express buses which go to destinations all over Hong Kong. The approach to the bus terminus is on the right after exiting the airport arrivals concourse:

The bus routes and destinations are displayed on large signs approaching the bus terminus, and at the station itself:

The express bus that serves Wan Chai, including the Hopewell Hotel, is the A11, and the bus stop for A11 is very conveniently the first position on the right-hand side of the huge sign board displaying all the destinations. Visitors pay for their fare as they board the bus using their Octopus card (other local contactless options are available too) – no cash! The bus fare from the airport to Wan Chai is HK$41.90, and the journey to the stop for the Hopewell Centre takes about an hour (depending on traffic). There is plenty of space for luggage storage at the front of the bus; note the request for how to stack luggage – the most scenic seating is on the top deck, where most visitors to Hong Kong go.

The bus-stop to alight at is called Luard Road, on the main Hennessy Road in Wan Chai. Be prepared well in advance of the stop and press the call button in very good time to ensure the driver stops – because the bus will not stop otherwise.

From the bus stop it is a short walk (400m) up Luard Road to Johnston Road, then either Ship Street or Taiwong Street East to Queen’s Road East. The Hopewell Hotel has multiple entrances through the extended Hopewell Centre Mall; take the escalator and then follow the signs to the lifts which take you to the Level 19 lobby/check-in for the Hopewell Hotel itself.

As with the arrival process, sufficient time should be allowed for the chosen mode of transport from the Hopewell Hotel to Hong Kong International Airport, especially during busy times. As with coming to the city, the travel options include taxi, Cityflyer express bus, and the Airport Express train.

Taxis can collect visitors either from the Level 18 concierge at the Hopewell Hotel, which is on Kennedy Road, or from outside the Hopewell Centre on Queen’s Road East. The former is more straightforward as concierge can assist, and there is no need to compete with shoppers or office workers from the Hopewell Centre.

The A11 Cityflyer bus service is the bus option to the airport, with the closest pickup point being the Fenwick Street stop on Gloucester Road. Check the Citybus website for the exact location map. From the Hopewell Hotel, first walk down to Johnston Road, turn left on Johnston Road until to Luard Road, walk the length of Luard Road, and then turn left on to Gloucester Road. The Cityflyer bus stop is about halfway along the block (look out for the red A11 Cityflyer sign along with signs for other bus services).

For the Airport Express train, taking either a taxi to the Hong Kong station, or using the MTR from Wan Chai to Central and then walking across to Hong Kong station would be the two options. The photograph shows the lifts from the concourse of Hong Kong station down to the Airport Express train, as well as the underground walkway to the MTR and the various lines covering Hong Kong Island.