Hong Kong Airport to Kowloon Transportation

[dbsb3233]

I keep going back and forth on options for a late-night (11:25pm) arrival to Kong Kong airport to get us to our hotel in Kowloon (Hotel Panorama, near the Tsim Sha Tsui MTR station). I've looked at taxi (~US$35), Airport Express train ($9.50, but two annoying transfers along the way), private shuttles (which cost more than a taxi so no reason to do that), or the A21 Cityflyer Citybus (a mere US$4.25 pp).

 

At first I dismissed the Citybus, figuring it was like a regular city bus here in the US. But then I looked closer and they actually look really good - double-decker sightseeing type buses, with good luggage rack storage. Takes about 60 minutes vs 30 for a taxi, but what the heck - we're on vacation and it's kinda nice to get a tour down Nathan Rd.

 

The problem is the late-night flight. The last A21 bus leaves the airport at midnight, just 35 minutes after we're scheduled to land. We're coming from the US (via Tokyo connecting flight). I'm guessing there's no way we get through passport control and baggage claim and make it to the Ground Transportation Center to buy bus tickets and make the midnight bus. But if our plane lands early, maybe.

 

Anyone know how long it commonly takes to get from your gate, through passport control, to baggage claim, and get out to the Ground Transportation Center?

 

Airport Express train doesn't look much better. Last train that can connect to the last red line train leaves the airport at 12:16am (according to the MTR app).

 

So I'm guessing we'll have no choice but to take taxis. Doesn't look like there's any other options after midnight on a Fri night (technically Sat morning). Kind of annying since the airline originally had our flight arriving at 10pm, but they changed the schedule and pushed the arrival back to 11:25pm. :cool:

[Philob]

Anyone know how long it commonly takes to get from your gate, through passport control, to baggage claim, and get out to the Ground Transportation Center?

 

Looks like you'll be taking a taxi.

 

You'll spend your 35 minutes in baggage claim and passport control, longer if there's another jumbo being processed before you. Unless you have elite status baggage claim wait is like any other major airport. Immigration/Passport is just a formality, have your Arrival/Departure forms filled out BEFORE you get off the plane, its the pax that didn't will tie up an immigration officer for 10-15 minutes.

 

You'll need HK$, taxis don't take credit cards. (Some will take US$ for tips, but not for the fare ;)) ATMs & bathrooms are right outside the customs/immigration doors.

[dbsb3233]

I guess there is one more option I'd forgotten about -- taking the Airport Express train direct to Kowloon station. There's no transfers to that station, and the last train doesn't leave until 12:48am. Could probably make that one in time. But they stop running hotel shuttles prior to that, and it's too far of a walk to our hotel. Does anyone know if there's usually taxis sitting at that station at 1:15am?

 

Although when adding up the price, that's not really any cheaper. Airport Express to Kowloon station is about US$11.50 pp. We have 5 people. Taxi from Kowloon Station to our hotel looks about US$7. Add it all up and it's about $72.

 

Taxi direct from the airport to our hotel looks about $35. We'd need 2 taxis so that's $70. Really doesn't save anything to use the Airport Express, and it's easier to take a taxi straight through without any transfer. I wish the A21 bus ran later (since it's a lot cheaper), but oh well.

 

It does look like the A11 has a last bus at 12:30am that has a stop at near Kowloon Station (Western Harbor Crossing) for half the price of the train, but finding a taxi from there after 1am is probably a pain.

 

I guess a straight shot via taxi is looking better and better.

[chubbypiggy]

Citybus offers overnight buses to Tsim Sha Tsui. Check out this website:

 

http://www.nwstbus.com.hk/routes/airport-bus/route/index.aspx?intLangID=1

[dbsb3233]

Looks like you'll be taking a taxi.

 

You'll spend your 35 minutes in baggage claim and passport control, longer if there's another jumbo being processed before you. Unless you have elite status baggage claim wait is like any other major airport. Immigration/Passport is just a formality, have your Arrival/Departure forms filled out BEFORE you get off the plane, its the pax that didn't will tie up an immigration officer for 10-15 minutes.

 

You'll need HK$, taxis don't take credit cards. (Some will take US$ for tips, but not for the fare ;)) ATMs & bathrooms are right outside the customs/immigration doors.

Thanks. That's kinda what I figured. Fortunately taxis seem very cheap there compared to most places. Everything I read estimates it about HK$250 (figure HK$280 with luggage and round-up tip), which is about US$35 per taxi. Probably less in after-midnight traffic. Looks like it's the red (urban) we look for.

 

We are exchanging about US$150 for each country (we hit 5 on this cruise) at home first so we'll have some local currency with us. Probably not necessary in HK as the airport ATM should work fine, but in case we could just barely make the bus or train, I wanted to have enough local cash ready if time was tight.

[dbsb3233]

Citybus offers overnight buses to Tsim Sha Tsui. Check out this website:

 

http://www.nwstbus.com.hk/routes/airport-bus/route/index.aspx?intLangID=1

 

Oh, thank you. I totally missed the "N" routes. I was only looking at the "A" routes.

 

They do have an N21 at night similar to the A21, unfortunately it doesn't take the same turn at the end that comes within a block of our hotel. The closest stop along the N21 is on Nathan Rd a quarter of a mile a way. Still not too bad, but with 5 of us dragging our luggage through a longer route of twists and turns, I'm not sure. Have to think about that one.

 

The good news is it's even cheaper (I think). Says HK$23 (US$3 pp), but then it drops to 14 and 8 on later stops. I'm guessing that's the price for people getting on at stops later in the route. Does that sound right?

[Philob]

We have 5 people. Taxi from Kowloon Station to our hotel looks about US$7. Add it all up and it's about $72.

 

I guess a straight shot via taxi is looking better and better.

 

HK taxis are small, think Toyota Corolla.

[dbsb3233]

HK taxis are small, think Toyota Corolla.

We were figuring 3 people in one and 2 in another. But each with a large suitcase. Do you think 3 large (29") suitcases is too much for a taxi trunk there? I assume 3 people inside is OK (1 in front, 2 in the back) with a small carry-on in in our lap or between the back seats?

[Philob]

We were figuring 3 people in one and 2 in another. But each with a large suitcase. Do you think 3 large (29") suitcases is too much for a taxi trunk there? I assume 3 people inside is OK (1 in front, 2 in the back) with a small carry-on in in our lap or between the back seats?

 

The third suitcase should go with the 2 people.

 

BIL has a Mazda 3, he puts 2 of our suitcases in the trunk, 1 in the backseat. SWMBO with Kid on her lap (don't judge) and I'm in the front with the carry-ons.

[chubbypiggy]

Oh, thank you. I totally missed the "N" routes. I was only looking at the "A" routes.

 

They do have an N21 at night similar to the A21, unfortunately it doesn't take the same turn at the end that comes within a block of our hotel. The closest stop along the N21 is on Nathan Rd a quarter of a mile a way. Still not too bad, but with 5 of us dragging our luggage through a longer route of twists and turns, I'm not sure. Have to think about that one.

 

The good news is it's even cheaper (I think). Says HK$23 (US$3 pp), but then it drops to 14 and 8 on later stops. I'm guessing that's the price for people getting on at stops later in the route. Does that sound right?

 

Yes, the price is lower for people getting on at later stops as the bus gets closer to town.

[dbsb3233]

Oh, thank you. I totally missed the "N" routes. I was only looking at the "A" routes.

 

They do have an N21 at night similar to the A21, unfortunately it doesn't take the same turn at the end that comes within a block of our hotel. The closest stop along the N21 is on Nathan Rd a quarter of a mile a way. Still not too bad, but with 5 of us dragging our luggage through a longer route of twists and turns, I'm not sure. Have to think about that one.

 

The good news is it's even cheaper (I think). Says HK$23 (US$3 pp), but then it drops to 14 and 8 on later stops. I'm guessing that's the price for people getting on at stops later in the route. Does that sound right?

Hmmm. I just noticed the N21 route makes a ton of extra stops along the way as compared to the A21. Our stop would be #36 on the N21, as versus #16 on the A21. That makes the total trip 80 minutes, vs 60 on the A21 vs 30 minutes by taxi. I don't mind *some* extra time and stops but I think 36 stops would drive us batty. Especially after a 20 hour flight.

 

Looks like taxi.

[chubbypiggy]

We were figuring 3 people in one and 2 in another. But each with a large suitcase. Do you think 3 large (29") suitcases is too much for a taxi trunk there? I assume 3 people inside is OK (1 in front, 2 in the back) with a small carry-on in in our lap or between the back seats?

 

 

Trunks of taxis are always loaded with a lot of stuffs of the taxi driver. Last time two of us, each with one large suitcase, and the taxi driver insisted we take 2 taxis, because there was no way they could fit two large suitcases in the trunk.

[dbsb3233]

The third suitcase should go with the 2 people.

 

BIL has a Mazda 3, he puts 2 of our suitcases in the trunk, 1 in the backseat. SWMBO with Kid on her lap (don't judge) and I'm in the front with the carry-ons.

Ah, good idea if the 3 bags won't fit in the trunk. I'll make sure we get 2 taxis as a group so we can rearrange luggage as necessary.

 

Thanks!

[dbsb3233]

Trunks of taxis are always loaded with a lot of stuffs of the taxi driver. Last time two of us, each with one large suitcase, and the taxi driver insisted we take 2 taxis, because there was no way they could fit two large suitcases in the trunk.

Not even 2 large suitcases?? Wow, that is bad. Would they let you put one of them in the front seat (or in the back with a person in front), or did you try that?

 

Was this to/from the airport? I could maybe see the townies not expecting people to have luggage but airport pickups would surprise me if they aren't prepared for 2 suitcases in the trunk.

[Philob]

Not even 2 large suitcases?? Wow, that is bad. Would they let you put one of them in the front seat (or in the back with a person in front), or did you try that?

 

Was this to/from the airport? I could maybe see the townies not expecting people to have luggage but airport pickups would surprise me if they aren't prepared for 2 suitcases in the trunk.

 

Any combination should work. Last time for us with luggage in a taxi was from the Kowloon train station to our hotel on the island. Three of us in one taxi and SWBO's two friends from China in the other with our 3 suitcases. They were only in HK for a day trip.

 

Just don't let them bungee cord the trunk with your suitcases back there. It's very tempting for someone to, you know, while waiting for a traffic light or stuck in traffic (at that hour it shouldn't be any) :cool:

Edited February 25, 2014 by Philob

[chrispb]

Our bags are almost as big as bodybags but both fitted in the boot (trunk) of a taxi.

 

I'm pretty certain that public transport continues running to/from the airport for as long as flights are landing/leaving.

 

We've previously used the bus and the train for trips to/from the airport.

Both are great.

 

If you decide to take the train to Kowloon, you won't have long to wait for a taxi - they're constantly passing by.

[chubbypiggy]

Not even 2 large suitcases?? Wow, that is bad. Would they let you put one of them in the front seat (or in the back with a person in front), or did you try that?

 

Was this to/from the airport? I could maybe see the townies not expecting people to have luggage but airport pickups would surprise me if they aren't prepared for 2 suitcases in the trunk.

 

We had a big suitcase, so it wouldn't fit in the front seat or back seat with a person. We took the taxi from the hotel to the Kowloon station.

[dbsb3233]

We had a big suitcase, so it wouldn't fit in the front seat or back seat with a person. We took the taxi from the hotel to the Kowloon station.

Ah, sounds like an unusually large suitcase if it wouldn't even fit in a seat. Ours aren't anything that huge, just standard 29" hardshell spinners. So I think we should be OK then.

 

I find that the 50 lb weight limit is more restricting than the actual size of the suitcase, at least for the stuff we pack, so 29" is as big as we can really make use of anyway.

 

Still gonna be a challenge to fit everything we need for 16 nights + all other accessories/gadgets into one 29" spinner + one 21" duffel carry-on per person, but we'll manage.

[chubbypiggy]

We had a 31" luggage. Up to a few years ago, Cathay Pacific airline allowed 70 lbs per luggage. Now I use only 27"; to fill that up, it is already over the 50 lbs limit that is currently allowed on all the airlines.