MTR to offer discount schemes to help offset 3.6pc fare rise

The MTR fare increase that takes effect next month is needed to help cover rising costs and other expenses, a source in the corporation said yesterday as it announced the details of the 3.6 per cent rise.

The company at the same time rolled out concession plans including an early bird scheme and a "City Saver" ticket for urban commuters.

But critics argued that the MTR should not increase its fares when services are deteriorating.

The fare rise for 52 per cent of the passengers would be under 20 cents; 26 per cent would pay 30 cents to 40 cents more, and the rest would face increases of more than 50 cents, the MTR said.

The early bird concession will apply to passengers leaving one of 29 urban stations between 7.15am and 8.15am on weekdays in a trial to last until May next year.

The MTR commercial director, Jeny Yeung Mei-chun, said the number of peak-hour commuters is expected to drop only a few per cent with the scheme, last tried in the 1990s. "We haven't had the scheme for a long time, and we want to see how passengers will react to it," she said.