of the Airport Express lane:
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Hong Kong is a group of islands and city built amidst hills on the shores of Pacific Ocean. So the airport and city are on different islands. The metro ride is quite scenic along the shores of the ocean, hills, various bridges, harbour, highway etc....
The airport alone is on one single island "Chek Lop Kok", then the metro crosses three more islands to enter the Hong Kong Island, where the Skyline and main city is constructed.
It takes exactly 24 minutes between Airport Metro Station and Hong Kong Central with 2 intermediate halts at Tsing Yi & Kowloon Stations.
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The Airport Express metro is a standard gauge line runs from Hong Kong Station in the Central and Western District, crossing under the harbour to West Kowloon, where it serves Kowloon Station. The line then runs along the western side of the Kowloon peninsula, and crosses by bridge to Tsing Yi Island where it serves Tsing Yi Station. From here the line crosses the major Tsing Ma Bridge before running along the northern shore of Lantau Island to Airport Station before terminating at AsiaWorld-Expo Station.
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How My Journey Plan started:
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I did a little research before I left India with layover of 9 hours in Hong Kong on the way to USA.
I found out the Visa stuff and then about the public transport between Airport & City and decided that I can easily explore the city and its attractions and take my onward flight to US in 9 hrs after landing at Hong Kong airport.
The usual fare for a round trip ticket in MTR airport express from Airport to City and back is $180 HKD. Since I made a last minute booking before my flight from Bangalore, I could still book this round trip ticket online on www.asiatravelcare.com for $150 HKD.
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Upon Arrival at HKG Airport:
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I took a free intra airport terminal connection train to change from Terminal 3 to Terminal 1, thats from where I would get Airport Metro Express into the City.
It was easy to findout this stuff with the direction signs.
I went through immigration and got my 14 day visitor visa.
I again stood in the line with my online confirmation to collect the actual metro roundtrip ticket. The Ticket Vendor told me that I can only collect such tickets against the online receipt in the Central or Kowloon stations. He also told me that I can travel oneway into the city and then collect the ticket there before exiting.
I boarded the airport express coming from AsiaWorld Expo, going to Hongkong Station and sat in a window seat to my left and I could feel the beauty of Hong Kong in that 24 minute journey.
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Upon arrival at Hong Kong Central station:
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I collected the actual ticket and exited into the city. Captured some pics infront of the station and proceeded to Central Piers by foot (10 minutes) to explore the city. I booked a 1.5 hour Big Bus Hopin-Hopoff Hong Kong Island tour for $300 HKD. Which would also give me a ticket for the Peak Tram & Skydeck ($40 HKD roundtrip +$10 HKD) to the highest mountain peak of the HKG island. Without wasting time at other attractions, I chose to directly hopoff at Peak Tram Station. Since it was a weekend big Q was there. It took 2 rounds of Tram trips to clear the rush infront of me. Finally I got into the 125 year old tram lines constructed by Brits. I would write my experience here in a separate blog.
After coming down the peak again by tram, I hoppedon to a passing by BIG BUS again to proceed to Central piers and Hopped off there.
I also had a free round trip ride by Star Ferry to Tsim Tsa Tsui Island from Central Piers. Which I finished by 4:30 pm and got back to Central Metro station to catch Airport Express back to Airport Terminal 1.. This time it was easy for me as my onward flight to Chicago was departing from Terminal 1.
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It was a short & memorable experience in Hong Kong with all kinds of transport (Road, Rail, Water, Air) ......
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Pictures:
1. Entry to Airport Express at the HKG Airport Terminal 1
2. Myself Seated in an Airport Express Coach
3 & 4. Scenary along Metro line (Harbour, Hills, Sea, Boats)
5. Hong Kong Central Metro MTR station
6. Its me infront of the HK Central Station
7. Long shot of the Metro Central station thats connected with an integrated lounge above a road into the IFC Mall. You see big rush ? Thats IPHONE6 crowd.
8. The original ticket that was issued at HK station aginst the online booking.
#hongkong #airportexpress #mtr #international #hongkongrailway8. The Orginal Round Trip Ticket
