Hong Kong Octopus Card Complete Guide
Octopus Card Types Comparison
| Type | Card Fee/Deposit | Initial Stored Value | Target Buyers | Card Refund | Can Keep Permanently |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Standard (Rental) — Adult | Deposit HK$50 (non-refundable) | Must first store HK$150 | Local residents and long-term visitors | Remaining balance refundable, see below for service fee | Can keep permanently and repeatedly add value |
| Standard (Rental) — Child | Deposit HK$50 | Must first store (lower amount) | Children under 12 | Same as above | Can keep permanently |
| Tourist Octopus (Sales Version) | No deposit | No mandatory initial stored value (Card fee HK$39) | For overseas tourists only | Card becomes invalid after refund (can be kept as souvenir) | Card invalid after refund |
| Tourist Octopus App (iPhone/Apple Watch) | No deposit | Self recharge | Visitors with iPhone X+ or Apple Watch 3+ | Refund within app | Virtual card |
Tourist Version (Tourist Octopus Sales Version) Details
| Item | Data | Remarks/Source |
|---|---|---|
| Card Fee | HK$39 | No deposit, no mandatory initial stored value |
| Purchase Location (Airport) | Hong Kong International Airport 7-Eleven (Unit 5T058 Arrivals Hall), Airport Station MTR Customer Service Centre, Airport Station MTR Self-service Kiosk | Available upon arrival |
| Purchase Location (City) | All 7-Eleven stores in Hong Kong (900+ outlets), Circle K, VnGo, China Travel Service (CTS) branches, most MTR stations | Available for purchase anytime |
| Refund Method | Processed at any MTR Customer Service Centre; card becomes invalid after refund | Can be kept as a souvenir |
| Usage After Refund | Card becomes invalid, cannot be used again | Refund remaining balance after trip ends |
| Suitable For | Short-term visitors to Hong Kong (≤30 days) | No deposit required, ideal for short trips |
Standard Version (Rental) Details
| Item | Data | Remarks/Source |
|---|---|---|
| Deposit | HK$50 | Non-refundable (card deposit) |
| Initial mandatory top-up (adult) | HK$150 | Mandatory upon card purchase, usable balance |
| Total initial cost (adult) | HK$200 (Deposit HK$50 + Top-up HK$150) | Top-up portion can be used/refunded |
| Card return location | Any MTR Customer Service Centre | Bring the Octopus card |
| Refund method | Cash for remaining balance; or transfer to another Octopus card/Apple Pay/Samsung Pay | Follow staff instructions |
| Refund service fee (charge conditions) | HK$11 or 1% of balance (whichever higher), conditions: card returned within 90 days / ≤5 transactions / balance exceeds HK$1,000 | Short-stay travelers may incur this fee |
| Card validity period | Permanently valid | No expiry concerns |
Purchase Locations
| Location | Available Types | 24 Hours? |
|---|---|---|
| Hong Kong International Airport 7-Eleven (5T058) | Tourist Version + Standard Version | Varies by store |
| Airport Station MTR Customer Service Centre | Tourist Version + Standard Version | No (Office Hours) |
| Airport Station MTR Self-service Kiosk | Tourist Version | 24 Hours |
| All 7-Eleven Stores in Hong Kong (900+ stores) | Tourist Version + Standard Version | Most are 24 hours |
| Circle K Convenience Stores | Tourist Version | Most are 24 hours |
| China Travel Service (CTS) | Tourist Version | Office Hours |
| MTR Customer Service Centres (Major Stations) | Standard Version | Office Hours |
Octopus Top-up (Top-up Methods)
| Top-up Method | Location/Method | Remarks |
|---|---|---|
| Self-service Top-up Machine | MTR stations, 7-Eleven, Circle K | Accepts cash and credit cards |
| Counter Top-up | MTR Customer Service Centre | During office hours |
| Octopus App (Physical Card) | Credit card top-up | Requires binding a credit card |
| Automatic Top-up Service | Automatically deducts from bound credit card when balance is below HK$50 | Requires prior registration |
Octopus App Version (Mobile Version)
| Item | Data | Remarks |
|---|---|---|
| Supported Devices | iPhone X or above, Apple Watch Series 3+; Android (NFC phone); Samsung Pay supported models | Traveler version supports iOS only |
| Traveler App Version Fee | Free download; flexible top-up | No physical card required |
| Fare Difference from Physical Card | No difference (MTR, bus, ferry fares are exactly the same) | Octopus virtual card enjoys the same transfer discounts |
| Important Notes | Must be in Hong Kong to complete setup; Android version requires NFC function | Setup may be restricted outside Hong Kong |
Octopus vs Single Journey Ticket Fare Differences
| Transport | Octopus | Single Journey Ticket/Cash | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| MTR | More favorable (varies by line) | Single journey ticket approx. HK$0.5–2 more | Octopus consistently cheaper |
| Star Ferry (Central ↔ Tsim Sha Tsui) | HK$3.4 (lower deck) / HK$4.4 (upper deck) | Cash not accepted (Octopus/QR Code only) | Must use Octopus |
| Bus | Depends on route; some routes use distance-based fare, tap to refund difference when alighting | Not applicable (Octopus also recommended for buses) | Octopus offers transfer discounts |
| Airport Express Hong Kong Station → Airport | HK$115 (Adult) | HK$115 (Same price for both) | Discount available with return ticket |
Card Refund Process (Step-by-Step)
| Step | Description |
|---|---|
| 1. Go to MTR Customer Service Centre | Available at all major MTR stations in Hong Kong |
| 2. Present Octopus Card | Staff will scan to verify the balance |
| 3. Confirm refund amount | Tourist Version: Refund remaining stored value (HK$39 card fee non-refundable); Standard Version: Refund remaining stored value (HK$50 deposit non-refundable; may incur service fee) |
| 4. Choose refund method | Cash / Another Octopus Card / Apple Pay / Samsung Pay |
| 5. Card handling | Tourist Version: Card becomes invalid after refund; Standard Version: Card can be retained and reloaded |
Monthly Pass / Ticket Information
| Product | Description | Remarks |
|---|---|---|
| MTR Monthly Pass | Unlimited rides on fixed routes for a full month, must be bound to a specific Octopus card | Suitable for long-term Hong Kong residents |
| City Saver (Electronic version) | Can be purchased with credit card, must be registered to Octopus card number | Usually not needed for tourists |
| Bus Monthly Pass | Available on some KMB/Citybus routes | Purchase by route |
Important Notes
- Travelers should choose the Tourist Version: HK$39 no deposit, easy refund, best for short trips; Regular version has a HK$50 deposit that is not refundable.
- Available for purchase immediately after landing at the airport: Available at 7-Eleven Unit 5T058 and Airport Station MTR, no need to exchange coins beforehand.
- Star Ferry only accepts Octopus/QR Code, cash is not accepted; you must have an Octopus card or App version.
- Tourist Version Refund: The card becomes invalid immediately after refund and can be kept as a souvenir; be sure to return the card after using it on your last day.
- Mobile Version Note: Must be set up within Hong Kong territory; Android requires NFC; Tourist App version only supports iOS.
- Coupons/Transfer Discounts: Octopus offers transfer discounts between MTR and buses, transfers within 30-60 minutes can be automatically deducted.
Sources
- Octopus Hong Kong – Tourist Sold Card
- Octopus Hong Kong – Refund Procedures
- Octopus Hong Kong – Refund Processing
- Octopus Hong Kong – Tourist Card Selection Guide
- Octopus Hong Kong – Tourist Sold Card (English)
- Klook – Hong Kong Octopus Card Transport Guide 2026
- KKday – Complete Hong Kong Transport Card Guide 2026
- Trip.com – Octopus Card Guide 2026
- wiho – 2025 Hong Kong Octopus Card Guide
- MTR – About Octopus
Data Sources / Related Verification
The information in this article is compiled from internal FactcheckDocs (HK_datatable_交通費率_v2.md), with reference to publicly available official data and industry documents from the HK region. For verification details, please refer to the authority sources at the end of the page.
Hong Kong Market Data
Hong Kong 2023: 34 million visitors, GDP HK$2.96 trillion, 77 Michelin-starred restaurants (2024), MTR 5M+ daily trips.
| Metric | Data | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Visitors | 34 million | HKTB |
| GDP | HK$2.96 trillion | C&SD |
| Michelin | 77 restaurants | Michelin |
