In October 2017 I visited Hong Kong for the second time after more than 25 years. How the city has changed. I contacted Cherry before my trip and we planned a two days sightseeing and tours in Hong Kong. Cherry came all the way from Guangdong province to guide me through the big city and she was fabulous. Cherry was very knowledgeable about the Hong Kong highlights and without her language skills in Mandarin and Cantonese I would have not seen and experienced half of the great things the city has to offer. We did a walking tour through Soho with all the art and photo galleries.  She guided me through the local eateries  in that part of town. For the most part we used the great HK public transportation system in combination with taxis. We explored Hong Kong island with Admirality, Soho and Central as the main highlights. On day 2 we visited Nong Ping village on Lantau Island.  We took the glass gondola up the village where the Big (Tian Tan) Buddha is located.  Cherry has a great personality and she is very knowledgeable about the locations, transportation and the really good restaurants.  She will adjust her pace and her tours according to your needs and just having her by your side makes you feel safe and comfortable in a place where not everyone speaks English. Great job Cherry and I hope to see you next time again.

Date: Nov 2nd - 3rd , 2016

Clients:  2 Businessmen from USA

General： Shenzhen Trainstation Pick-up 

                  Hong Kong Airport Dorp-off

In Nov 2nd , at night,  I picked up 2 clients at Shezhen North trainstation and sent them to hotel . 

Meanwhile  , I arranged a crossing-border taxi , preparing to drop off them to Hong Kong Airport in Nov 3rd.

In Nov 3rd , in the morning , I went with them across border from Shenzhen to Hong Kong by crossing-border taxi.

It taked about 40 mins to Hong Kong Airport from Shenzhen. Fees is 550 RMB for 3 passengers . 

Clients were satisfied for this Pick-up&Drop-off service. It saved their time and enegy for business trip .

My service made their tour more efficient and comfortable. 

Attached file: Invoice of crossing-border taxi

The Hong Kong Island trams are a great way of seeing Hong Kong.   They travel from one end of the island to the other, with a few coins its an exciting way to spend an afternoon.  HongKong tramsways operate a fleet of double decker trams, tall and skinny.  The service operates around 120 tram stops along routes including Shau Kei Wan, Happy Valley and Kennedy Town.  Please enjoy these photos I took from the upper deck of a tram while in Hong Kong.

It is not often that you get the chance to ride a piece of transport with a 100-year-old history, but some of the Hong Kong trams have been in operation for even longer than that. However, there is no need to worry about safety, as new models have been introduced with many of the older trams having been re-bodied and upgraded. This 163-strong tram-fleet is the only tramway system in the world that operates exclusively on double-deckers, and is by far the cheapest. In fact it is probably one the cheapest forms of transport in the world costing a fixed fee of $2, regardless of how long you stay on the tram. The trams (and their characteristic ‘ding’) have become synonymous with Hong Kong and, with the original trams imported from the UK, they are another product of Hong Kong’s all-encompassing East meets West equation.

Unlike most transport systems around the world, payment is made upon alighting from the tram at the end of the journey. Customers can also choose to get off at any stop they please, whether they have forgotten their passport 10 seconds prior, or are on for the long-haul to do a bit of sight-seeing. There is no change given so one must either give up the exact fare or use the nifty octopus card. The trams operate a circular route on Hong Kong Island only, which runs for 8 miles from one side of the island to the other. Some special refurbished open-top antiquated trams are also available for private hire, which make for a great party venue.

Adults - $2                 Children - $1       

Hong Kong Tramways Website

Hong Kong taxis have become almost as ubiquitous as London black cabs and the infamous yellow New York taxis. However the outstanding difference is these taxis are more affordable and give you way more bang for your buck. They are priced at HK $18 for the first two kilometres, and HK $1.40 for every 200 metres thereafter. There are extra charges for crossing bridges, going through tunnels and for use of the rear trunk. Taxis can be flanked down from just about anywhere and at any given time of the day. All drivers have at least basic command of English. Look out for the uniform bright red circular ’FOR HIRE’ sign in the front windows (of which souvenir copies can be found and bought in Mong Kok, should you want one for your family car as well) to know if the taxi is available for hire. Serving Kowloon and Hong Kong Island, red taxis are the most common, but green (New Territories) and blue (Lantau) taxis are available as well.     

Central is Hong Kong’s core ‘central’ business district. The district is extremely varied, but it is the main area that most resembles your average international cityscape. Think something along the lines of a concrete jungle littered with sprouting ultra-tall futuristic buildings – all complete with smatterings of Starbucks' and McDonalds'. Many leading international organizations set up their Hong Kong flagship branches and main offices here.

Central boasts many luxurious brand outlets such as Louis Vuitton, Cartier and all the other usual common denominators. If you seek the finer consumer things in life - like a Montblanc pen or a Swarovski crystal - then head straight for the 88-story Two International Finance Centre’s (Two IFC) shopping mall. In Central you can also sample some of finest (and most expensive) cuisines in Hong Kong. However, its not all money and glamour as you can dig for lost treasure in one of the many antique shops or art galleries in Soho and take in the distinctive atmosphere along Hollywood Road. For those who cannot resist the nightlife - and even for those who can - there is a huge cornucopia of locales where one can party until the sun comes up in the district of Lan Kwai Fong (兰桂坊) where many hip bars and clubs are concentrated. True to its name, you can also reach many other prime Hong Kong spots, including the Peak and Repulse Bay (浅水湾).

The MTR (Mass Transit Railway) is the major urban transportation system in Hong Kong. More commonly known in other countries as the metro or underground, it is the always fast and always reliable train system that over 2.3 million Hong Kong passengers use daily. It is in fact one of the most intensively utilized mass transit railway systems in the world. The system is amazingly efficient - so efficient in fact, that customers start to get fidgety if a train is more than 5 minutes late. Passengers can easily and accurately estimate the duration of a journey with electronic signboards indicating the waiting times of the next train. Riding the MTR during rush hour is one classic Hong Kong experience, but not recommended for those who are prone to bouts of claustrophobia. Most sections of the MTR run underground, but there are also a few elevated sections above ground. The lines run through most districts in the urban area of Hong Kong including major commercial and shopping areas such as Central, Causeway Bay, Tsim Sha Tsui and Mongkok.

Areas Covered by MTR

There are altogether 6 MTR lines available (plus the Airport Express line):

- Kwun Tong Line (Kowloon area – Yau Ma Tei to Tiu Keng Leng)

- Tsuen Wan Line (Hong Kong Island to New Territories area – Central to Tsuen Wan)

- Island Line (Hong Kong Island – Sheung Wan to Chai Wan)

- Tung Chung Line (Hong Kong Island to Lantau – Hong Kong Station to Tung Chung)

- Tseung Kwan O Line (Hong Kong Island to New Territories area - North Point to Po Lam)

- Disneyland Resort Line (Lantau – Sunny Bay to Disneyland Resort)

- Airport Express (Hong Kong Island to Airport – Hong Kong Station to Asia World Expo)

MTR Fares

The MTR fare varies depending on which station you begin and end your journey.

The fares for adults range from HK$4 - $26 and HK$3 - $13 for children and senior citizens.

MTR Tickets

1)      Single Journey Ticket – This ticket can be used for a specific journey on the day of issue. It can be purchased from the Ticket Issuing Machines in any station.

2)      1–Day Pass – The ticket can be used for taking unlimited MTR rides on any single day within the ticket validity period
(1 month from day of purchase). The selling price is HK$50. It is available for sale at the Customer Service Centre of all MTR or Airport Express stations or through online booking. Passengers can keep the ticket after use as a souvenir. 

3)  Like the 1 day-pass, an unlimited tourist pass can also be arranged specially for visitors to Hong Kong. Three types are available, with the two main pass types including one with unlimited rides on main urban lines for a single day ($50) and a cheaper one ($30) which allows rides on the more suburban lines located further out (including the East Rail Line, West Rail Line, connecting buses and the Light Rail trams. The other more expensive pass allows three days of unlimited rides on the main urban lines, with the inclusive option to have a single ($220) or return ($300) trip on the Airport Express as well. Tourists are required to produce a passport or some proof of tourist status.  

4)   Octopus Card – It is a magnetic debit or credit card widely used in Hong Kong for making purchases of goods and transportation. The adult card costs HK$120 and includes a refundable HK$50 deposit with cash readily available on the card.

Tip

You must complete your journey within 90 minutes of passing through the entry gate or else you will be forced to pay a surcharge equivalent to the current maximum single journey fare, so don’t loiter around doing your sightseeing underground.

Official Website

MTR

The Octopus Card is a kind of smart credit card that is widely used in Hong Kong for in shops and on transport. With an Octopus Card there is no longer a need to buy individual transport tickets or carry coins. London also has its own version, and this is called the Oyster Card.

Where Octopus can be Used.

Octopus is accepted for almost all kinds of public transportation, including railways, buses, ferries, the Peak Tram, trams and most green minibuses. Many chain stores in Hong Kong accept the card including supermarkets, convenience stores, cinemas, bakeries, and fast food restaurants such as McDonalds. It can also be used at vending machines, photo booths and pay phones (see Where to use your Octopus).

How to Use an Octopus Card

All transport system stations and shops that accept Octopus have fare-deducting processors installed. When you put the card on the sensor, you will hear a ‘beep’, which indicates the fare or purchase amount has been deducted. The balance of your Octopus Card will also be shown on the processor. It is not necessary to take the card out from your wallet as the sensor can still read it.

How to Get an Octopus Card

Octopus Cards can be purchased at various outlets including MTR / KCR East stations and convenience stores. Every Octopus Card has a stored value of HK$70.  The card costs HK$120 in total including a refundable HK$50 deposit.  If the balance is positive, but still insufficient to cover the cost of a transaction, you may incur a maximum HK$35 negative balance. To use it again, you need to reload your card at Add Value Machines at stations, ticket offices and customer service centers of transport operators, or any retail outlets that accepts Octopus.

Tourist Octopus

Tourists may consider buying the following two kinds of Octopus Cards:

The Airport Express Tourist Octopus

The Airport Express Tourist Octopus is similar to the normal Octopus. It requires a deposit, has a stored value and is rechargeable. The price is HK$220 or HK$300 which includes the following:

    -  One or two Airport Express journeys respectively to the Hong Kong International Airport

    -  3 days of rides on the MTR (except for the Airport Express Line). Counting starts on the day of your first MTR journey.

    -  HK$20 value for any transport system or retail outlet that accepts Octopus. The value will be deducted after the three-day MTR free ride period.

     -  HK$50 refundable deposit.

Sold Octopus

Sold Octopus is ideal as a souvenir. New collectible designs are regularly introduced. The selling price of Sold Octopus is HK$70 and it contains no deposit or initial store value. You need to load it first before using it. Any remaining value is not refundable. They are sold at all 7-Eleven and Circle K convenience stores and selected MTR and KCR East Rail stations.

Official Website:

Octopus

Lantau (also known as Tai Yue Shan, meaning Big Island Mountain) is Hong Kong's largest island. At 144 sq. km in size, it is almost twice as large as Hong Kong Island, but thankfully, it is not as developed. The highest point is Lantau Peak (Fung Wong Shan, translating as Phoenix Mountain) and it clocks in at 934 meters, nearly twice the height of The Peak.
 
Anyone arriving in Hong Kong by plane will visit Lantau Island the moment they arrive at the Hong Kong International Airport, but this is connected to Hong Kong by the Tsing Yi bridge and a few highways. For sightseeing In Lantau, you can either go over the top at Hong Kong Disneyland, or take in a moment of serenity at the Po Lin Monastery and Tin Tan Buddha (Big Buddha), which can be accessed by the new Ngong Ping cable car.