Hong Kong’s Airport Express rail line on track for 10 per cent fare increase
MTR Corporation proposes first rise in ticket prices since line opened 19 years ago
The cost of a trip on the Airport Express is set to take off after Hong Kong’s rail operator proposed raising fares by 10.3 per cent – the line’s first increase since it opened 19 years ago.
The MTR Corporation cited a need to cover rising operating costs and maintain quality.
The rise, which could take effect by June, would see the price when using an Octopus card reach HK$110 for a trip from Central to the airport on Lantau Island.
A journey from Kowloon station to the airport would cost HK$100 – an 11.1 per cent rise from the current HK$90 fare.
Taking into account all journeys between stations along the line, the increases in adult Octopus fares would be between HK$5 and HK$10, according to a paper the corporation submitted to the Legislative Council’s transport panel on Tuesday. Trains on the line also stop at Tsing Yi and AsiaWorld-Expo.
Adult fares for passengers buying a paper ticket for a trip between in-town stations and the airport would rise by between HK$10 and HK$15, while fares between the airport and AsiaWorld-Expo would go up by 50 cents for Octopus users and HK$1 for ticket buyers.