Why MTR, Why?

[HowardCoombs]

Comparing it to other places is meaningless,

I disagree. Tourists travel and tourists are used to paying a certain amount.
When tourists go to London, they get a sticker shock while paying 4.5GBP because comparatively its a fairly hefty amount. Then tourists come to HK and take the Star Ferry, they find the price ridiculously cheap and they ride it with a smile.

IMO, MTRcorp has chosen the price of a tourist-targeted product to be higher than locally targeted product; I think its fairly priced.

Take a look at a different example:
Star Ferry (targeted at locals) : around $2.xx
Star Ferry The round the harbour tour (for tourists) : $85 - $215
Most will think its perfectly normal to pay $10-$30USD for a ride on a boat for a couple of hours (while its called a tour) and tourists will happily pay it. I personally think its ridiculous to pay 100 to 200 times the price of a single crossing

it's like saying why not charge them higher for a glass of beer as long as it's cheaper than NYC or London.

Look at prices being charged at hotel minibars, hotel bars and tourist geared establishments. They are set in line with expectations of what the consumer (the tourist) will be happy to pay for as opposed to the 7-11/local bar across the street. Those prices are arrived at (and maximised) based on what other big cities are able to get away with....

[closedcasket]

Just a friendly reminder to all. ALL seniors 65+ can get an Elder Octopus card...even tourists. They certainly don't advertise this info to tourists..but they are entitled to it...and it is big savings.

[MovingIn07]

Just a friendly reminder to all. ALL seniors 65+ can get an Elder Octopus card...even tourists. They certainly don't advertise this info to tourists..but they are entitled to it...and it is big savings.

I agree. This is what I got for my parents and MrMin's Mum when they came. My Dad was so chuffed at riding free on the star ferry he went back and forth a few times...

[closedcasket]

I agree. This is what I got for my parents and MrMin's Mum when they came. My Dad was so chuffed at riding free on the star ferry he went back and forth a few times...

Did they make him disembark, and board each time..or did he just stay seated?

[MovingIn07]

Did they make him disembark, and board each time..or did he just stay seated?

He got on and off.

[dossier]

Just get yourself a Citibank visa card that has an inbuilt Octopus card combined into the same card, that automatically tops your octopus credit up, so it never runs out.

When you have a Citibank Octopus VISA credit card, and then replace the card through a new issue card, is it like swapping Octopus cards entirely? I.e. do you have to manually transfer over any Octopus credit and re-activate AAVS etc on the New Citibank Octopus VISA card from the old Citibank Octopus VISA card?

[Skyhook]

Are you saying when the card is replaced, like when the previous card expires etc ?

I haven't had to do anything, apart from, the usual security phone call to activate the newly issued card. What octopus credit you had before on the expired card is attached to the new one.

[Azuremain]

So traveling about with my young daughter when I realize I left her octopus card at home. I also had no cash on me.

So I go to the customer service counter and try to purchase my daughter a one way ticket from Hung Hom to Tai Po and pay for it using my Octopus Card. No Go...the only way to purchase a train ticket is with cash

So I guess you can use an Octopus card to buy almost anything in this city except a train pass?

Why? They obviously have card readers at the customer service counter.


On a separate note I did notice a sign indicating a monthly train pass for the East rail line....I think it was $420. Never knew that existed.

If you bought that monthly pass every month since the year 200x, the price now would still be HK$300.