Hong Kong’s MTR Corp proposes 9.4% Airport Express fare increase

Hong Kong rail giant the MTR Corporation has proposed raising Airport Express fares for the first time in eight years, with an average increase of 9.4 per cent. Lawmakers said the proposed rise was “restrained” compared with the accumulated inflation rate of 13.8 per cent since prices were last adjusted in 2017, but urged the company to roll out more promotions to increase ridership. The company submitted its fare adjustment proposal to the Legislative Council on Tuesday, in which a single journey ticket for adults using an Octopus card would cost HK$120 (US$27) at most, up from the current HK$110. “To ensure a sustainable income to meet rising operational costs and investment needed for renewing railway assets, there is a need to adjust the Airport Express fares to achieve break-even and maintain a high-quality service,” it said. The MTR Corp said the new fares were expected to take effect in June following consultations with lawmakers and government advisers, and board members’ approval. It added that the Airport Express had been facing financial challenges as the number of tourists had declined during the coronavirus pandemic, while its passenger traffic, so far, had only returned to around 70 per cent of pre-Covid levels. “As Hong Kong International Airport’s passenger traffic recovers, the Airport Express is affected by many factors, including competition from other public transport and changes in business travel patterns,” the company said. The company also said Airport Express fares had remained unchanged since 2017, when they were increased by 9.6 per cent. It was also the only price change since the service started in 1998. The MTR Corp said the city’s inflation rate had risen by 13.8 per cent between 2017 and 2024, while energy costs had increased by 27 per cent over the same period. It added that airport railway services in other international cities, including London, Sydney, Tokyo and Seoul, had raised fares by 13 to 38 per cent since 2017. Under the proposal, a single journey ticket between Hong Kong station and the airport for adults using an Octopus card will cost HK$120, while the trip between Kowloon station and the airport will increase by HK$5 to HK$105. An adult single journey ticket between Tsing Yi station and the airport will cost HK$73 using an Octopus card, up from HK$65. Without an Octopus card, the price of a single journey adult ticket between Hong Kong station and the airport will increase by HK$15 to HK$130. An adult fare between Kowloon station and the airport will cost HK$115, up from the current HK$105, while that between Tsing Yi and the airport will be HK$80. A same-day return adult fare for Octopus card users will increase to between HK$73 and HK$120, while ticket buyers will pay between HK$80 and HK$130. Children’s fares will also increase, but remain at half the price of those for adults. The company said it expected the Airport Express to remain attractive to passengers as it would continue to upgrade its facilities, offer concessions and strengthen its cooperation with the tourism industry on travel products. The company said it would invest more than HK$2 billion to renew Airport Express assets in the coming few years, including constructing a new platform to connect the airport station with Terminal Two, as well as upgrading ticket gates and changing to new trains. It also said it would have offers for passengers, such as free rides for children during the summer holiday and Christmas this year. At Hong Kong station, civil servant Thomson Lam, 59, said he would continue to use the airport service even if prices increased. “Firstly, it is easy for me to budget my time. Second, it is also very consistent,” he said. “I am buying convenience with money. I do not think it is ridiculous to charge a bit more for a service that is so reliable and stable.” A French tourist, who only gave his name as Gates, said the increase was not too much. “For HK$10 more or less, I do not think this makes much of a difference,” the 39-year-old said. “Compared with the alternative, which is taking a taxi, it would probably be way more expensive, something like HK$200 to HK$300, so I think it is decent.” Lawmaker Ben Chan Han-pan said the increased fares would reduce the competitiveness of the Airport Express as the price gap with other transport options would widen. A one-way bus fare to the airport cost about HK$40, while a five-seat taxi from urban areas was about HK$300, he said. He also noted that the current daily passenger flow of about 40,000 people on the Airport Express was just half of its limit, calling for more promotions to increase ridership. Lawmaker Michael Tien Puk-sun said the average increase of 9.4 per cent was already “very restrained” compared with the accumulated inflation rate since prices were last raised in 2017. But he suggested that the fare increase for trips to and from AsiaWorld-Expo should be limited to 5 per cent to encourage more people to go to the exhibition venue for events.

Hong Kong’s MTR Corp proposes 9.4% Airport Express fare increase

.css-1c6uqr6{color:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-size:inherit;font-family:inherit;line-height:inherit;overflow-wrap:break-word;}Single journey ticket for adults using an Octopus card will cost HK$120 at most under proposal, up from current HK$110

Single journey ticket for adults using an Octopus card will cost HK$120 at most under proposal, up from current HK$110