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Hong Kong > Public Transport > Octopus Card
Using public transport in Hong Kong will leave you continuously minding your coins, because change is hardly given and you will need to pay the exact fare almost everywhere.
Should you plan to frequently use public transport, it is advisable to purchase an Octopus Card at the airport right after touchdown. Look for the public transport customer service stalls in the arrival hall.
The card functions as a debit card. You will need to make a safety deposit of HK$ 50 for the card itself, then credit it with an amount of your choice. Afterwards, refill your Octopus Card through add-value machines or in convenience store chains such as 7-Eleven or Watsons.To pay with the card or to credit it, it is usually sufficient to hold your wallet against the installed scanner and a beep will tell you that the necessary amount has been subtracted or added. (This, by the way, also means that you should keep the Octopus Card away from your credit and other cash cards, because their strong individual magnetizations could interact.) Note that as long as you start with a positive value on your card you can go into negative up to an amount of HK$ 35 (which is covered by the safety deposit).
Since the card is a simple carrier of electronic money, one can also pay with it in some stores and restaurants as well as for parking.
Upon your departure from Hong Kong, hand in the card and your credit as well as your safety deposit will be refunded to you (minus a HK$ 7 handling fee for cards issued less than tree months).
Should you decide on an Octopus Card, keep your eyes open for fare saver posts which will load special discounts on your card. One of them is, e.g., located at the entry to the mid-levels escalators in Central.