General Travel

Hong Kong Airport Express, Free Hotel Shuttles & Kowloon Check-In

October 4, 2016

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Before I even arrived in Hong Kong I had decided that I was going to take the Airport Express from the airport into Kowloon (where I was going to be staying at the Hyatt Regency). I didn’t want to take a taxi because they can be expensive (especially if you get caught up in traffic) and I didn’t want to use Über because I don’t have a great roaming plan on my phone and that’s a bit of an issue when you’re reliant on your phone to call and find your car.

I’d done a bit of research in advance and discovered that the Airport Express costs HK$90 (US$12) one way to Kowloon….

….and I knew that it ran regularly and didn’t take too long to get from the airport to Kowloon (around 20 minutes).

If you take a look at the Hong Kong subway map it soon becomes obvious why the Airport Express is so quick – there’s only one stop between the airport and Kowloon and just two stops to Hong Kong Island.

Click image to enlarge in new window.

Hong Kong MTR Map

The Hong Kong Airport Express departs from a platform almost directly above the Cathay Pacific Arrivals lounge but, if you’re in the arrivals hall, just follow the signs that show a symbol of a train and say “to the city”:

Hong Kong Airport Express

My walk from the Cathay Arrivals Lounge to the ticket desk took no more than a minute and I found out that a return ticket to Kowloon would be cheaper than two one ways – HK$160 ($20) total – so that’s what I bought.

I also discovered something very cool indeed – the Hong Kong Airport Express has partnered with a lot of the better known hotels in Kowloon and on Hong Kong Island to offer a free Bus Shuttle from Kowloon Station or Hong Kong Station.

Here are the routes the shuttles follow (click to enlarge):

Hong Kong Airport Express Shuttle Bus Routes

And here are the hotels served:

Hong Kong Airport Express Shuttle – Hotels served

There was no line at the ticket desk so I was on the platform and waiting for the train within a couple of minutes of getting to the station.

Hong Kong Airport Express platform

Hong Kong Airport Express – not exactly the longest train line I’ve seen!

The Airport Express runs every ten minutes for most of the day so, although I just missed a train, I didn’t exactly have long to wait.

The train that arrived was completely empty…..

Hong Kong Airport Express

…and with only a handful of people on the platform it wasn’t exactly a scrum to get a seat.

The inside of the train looked reasonably new and was well maintained.

Hong Kong Airport Express

Each carriage had a few racks for larger luggage items so there’s a decent amount of space if you have larger bags with you.

Hong Kong Airport Express

I was impressed. For $10 each way this was looking pretty good….and it got better when I discovered that the train offers free WiFi.

After 15 – 20 minutes on the train (I forgot to check exactly how long it took) we pulled in to Kowloon station and, as soon I got out of the carriage, I could see the signs for the courtesy shuttle:

Hong Kong Airport Express

The hotel shuttles are a level above where the train arrives in so I had to take an elevator to the correct floor (I didn’t see an escalator option).

Hong Kong Airport Express

And once I stepped out of the elevator the signage led to the shuttle bays:

Hong Kong Airport Express

There was a welcome desk on hand to guide visitors who were unsure of where to go next and each shuttle has a clearly numbered door together with an estimated wait time for the next bus:

Hong Kong Airport Express

While the Airport Express train was modern and light the hotel shuttles are neither of those things…..

Hong Kong Airport Express Hotel Shuttle

…but they’re functional and serve a good purpose.

On the inside they’re not exactly luxurious….

Hong Kong Airport Express Hotel Shuttle

…but it’s free and there’s space for luggage:

Hong Kong Airport Express Hotel Shuttle

I checked to see if the shuttle would leave at the indicated time (7 minutes after I arrived) and it did…so the service is free and punctual. I like that combination 🙂

For reasons I didn’t look into, the first listed stop on the K3 route (Holiday Inn Golden Mile) wasn’t operational so the Hyatt Regency was the first place we stopped – the journey from Kowloon station to the Hyatt took almost exactly 15 minutes and, as I discovered on the return journey, that was very good indeed.

The Return Journey and Kowloon Check-In

I wasn’t in Hong Kong for very long so, around 30 hours later, I was back on the shuttle heading back to Kowloon station.

As luck would have it the shuttle bus was already there when I exited the hotel (the pick up point is in the parking garage of the Hyatt Regency) so I don’t know how long the standard wait for the shuttle is…but I was told by hotel staff that it was “10 to 15 minutes”.

On this trip the traffic was horrendous – it took 10 minutes just to get out of the Hyatt Regency’s parking garage and then a further 30 minutes to get to Kowloon station so, if you plan on using this service, leave plenty of time.

I had done absolutely no research on Kowloon station so what I saw when I walked in to the station caught me completely by surprise – there’s a full check-in service just inside the doors.

Kowloon Station check-in

You need to have an Airport Express ticket to pass through the barriers to access the check-in desks and, to my great surprise, the check-in desks weren’t just for Cathay Pacific.

I noticed the Qatar Airways check-in desk….

Kowloon Station check-in

…before I then noticed the big sign listing out all the airlines that offer a check-in service at Kowloon Station:

Kowloon Station check-in

This wasn’t just a check-in area for those with hand luggage only – the airlines take any checked luggage items you have and deliver them to the airport for you – this is like a proper airport check-in. How cool is that?!

Cathay Pacific even had regular priority lines….

Kowloon Station check-in

…..not that I needed one as I was the only person there!

I took no more than 5 minutes for me to check-in, get my boarding pass and be on my way – it’s a great service to offer and I only wish more places offered it.

The return train to Hong Kong Airport was much the same as the one I had taken the day before – clean, spacious and quick – and I was soon back at the airport and heading for the security lines.

Bottom Line

Between the cleanliness and efficiency of the train, the free shuttle bus service to the hotels and the check-in option on the way back I loved the Hong Kong Airport Express – I can’t imagine why I would use any other mode of transport to/from Hong Kong airport.

For HK$160 I got from the airport to my hotel and back again and I had the option to check in at the station – an Uber X would have cost more than that for one-way and, having seen Hong Kong traffic, may well have been slower.

Uber Fare Estimate

If you’re traveling as a couple the Airport Express still works out as being cheaper and, although if there’s 3 or more of you Uber may save you a little bit of cash, the Airport Express would probably be more comfortable and, if you have checked bags, would probably be able to handle your baggage better.

I’m heading back to Hong Kong for another super-quick stay next year and I’ll definitely use the Airport Express again.