In this guide
💡 The Short Version: If you have an iPhone X or later, or an Apple Watch Series 3 or later, put Octopus on it with the Octopus App for Tourists: the deposit is HK$50, refunded through the app, and you can top up with a non-Hong Kong Mastercard, UnionPay or Visa card (Octopus). Otherwise buy a Tourist Octopus for HK$39, with no deposit and no stored value on it, and top it up with cash (Octopus). The Octopus fare is lower than a single ticket: HK$10.60 against HK$12.50 from Central to Tsim Sha Tsui on the MTR. The Hong Kong Tourism Board calls an Octopus an essential purchase.
The Octopus options compared
Octopus Cards Limited lists these choices for visitors on its choice of Octopus page:
| Option | Cost | Deposit | Stored value to start | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Octopus on iPhone or Apple Watch | You choose the amount | HK$50, refundable through the app | Your chosen amount | iPhone X or later, or Apple Watch Series 3 or later; no card to carry or return |
| Huawei Wallet Octopus | You choose the amount | Refundable through the app | Your chosen amount | Only for Huawei Account holders registered in the Chinese Mainland, Macao or Singapore |
| Tourist Octopus (sold version) | HK$39 | None | None | You keep the card; remaining value can be refunded but the card is then deactivated |
| Tourist Octopus, China T-Union Card (sold version) | HK$42 | None | None | Also pays for public transport in 336 cities in the Chinese Mainland and Macao |
| On-Loan Octopus, adult | HK$200 at the counter | HK$50 | HK$150 | You return it for the deposit and the remaining value |
| On-Loan Octopus, child (3 to 11) or elder (65+) | HK$100 at the counter | HK$50 | HK$50 | Carries the fare concession for that age group |
Octopus on iPhone or Apple Watch
Octopus selling machines at West Kowloon station. Photo: LN9267, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0.
On Octopus’s iPhone and Apple Watch page:
- Setting up: download the Octopus App for Tourists, sign in with your Apple ID and choose “Add a New Octopus (Adult)”. You can also add one in the Wallet app (Travel Card, then Octopus). An existing On-Loan adult or elder physical card can be transferred to the phone.
- Using it: hold the top of the iPhone or the Apple Watch to the reader. You do not need to open an app or wake the device.
- Topping up: in the Octopus App for Tourists or Apple Wallet, with a non-Hong Kong-issued Mastercard, UnionPay or Visa card, or with the e-CNY App or Weixin Pay.
- Limits: the stored value limit is HK$3,000.
- Refund: apply in the Octopus App for Tourists under Card Setting, then Refund Card. The deposit and remaining value go back to the card or wallet you topped up with, which Octopus says can take 6 to 8 weeks. A handling fee of HK$11 applies to any Octopus cancelled within 90 days of issue.
Huawei Wallet Octopus works in a similar way for Huawei phones with a Chinese Mainland, Macao or Singapore Huawei Account, through the Octopus App for Tourists in AppGallery.
Physical cards
An Octopus reader on a KMB bus, with the adult and half fare on its screen. Photo: Ka890, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0.
- Tourist Octopus (sold version): HK$39 for an adult or child card, with no initial stored value and no deposit (Octopus). Octopus lists a Hung Fook Tong shop in the Departures Check-in Hall on Level 7 of Terminal 1 as the airport outlet, and the Hong Kong Tourism Board says you can also buy one at its Kowloon Visitor Centre in the Star Ferry concourse in Tsim Sha Tsui. A Tourist Octopus that has not been used for some time becomes inactive and can be reactivated.
- Tourist Octopus, China T-Union Card (sold version): HK$42, sold at the 7-Eleven in the Arrivals Meeters and Greeters Hall (unit 5T058) and at the MTR Customer Service Centre in Airport Station (Octopus).
- On-Loan Octopus: the adult card costs HK$200: a HK$50 deposit and HK$150 of stored value. It is sold at MTR Customer Service Centres at most stations, though not at Airport Station, and you take it back to a counter to get the deposit back (Octopus). A handling fee of HK$11 applies within 90 days of issue. After three years without a top-up or payment an On-Loan adult card becomes inactive and an administrative fee may apply.
- Topping up a physical card: with cash at thousands of locations, from transport operators to shops. Android users can top up a Tourist Octopus through the Octopus Reloading Weixin Mini Program, using Weixin Pay in RMB.
Octopus enquiry and add-value machines at Whampoa station. Photo: LAW minga Whaiso, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0.
The Tourist Octopus on Klookad{rel=“sponsored nofollow noopener”} is another way to get a card.
What an Octopus pays for
- Transport: the MTR, the Airport Express, buses, green minibuses, trams and the Star Ferry. The public transport guide has the fares. The airport guide shows the Airport Express Octopus fare, HK$120 to Hong Kong Station against HK$130 for a single ticket.
- Shops, dining and entertainment: Octopus says it is accepted at nearly 190,000 points across public transport, dining, entertainment and shopping, and the Hong Kong Tourism Board lists convenience stores and restaurants.
- Negative balance: an On-Loan Octopus issued on or after 1 October 2017 allows a negative balance of up to HK$50 on a single occasion, so a trip can finish with an almost empty card. The balance must be topped up before the next one.
Before you leave
Refund the deposit and remaining value on an iPhone, Apple Watch or On-Loan Octopus before you fly. The Tourist Octopus is the one you keep.
For the rest of your money plans, see money in Hong Kong, and for a phone connection, eSIM for Hong Kong.
Common questions
What is an Octopus card in Hong Kong?
A contactless stored-value card accepted on the MTR, buses, trams, the Star Ferry and green minibuses, and in shops, restaurants and vending machines. Octopus says it is accepted at nearly 190,000 points. Visitors can also carry it on an iPhone or Apple Watch.
How much is a Tourist Octopus?
HK$39 for the adult or child version of the Tourist Octopus (sold version), with no deposit and no stored value on the card, so you load it with cash or another top-up method after you buy it. The remaining value can be refunded, but the card is deactivated. (Octopus Cards Limited)
Does Octopus on an iPhone need a deposit?
Yes. Octopus on iPhone or Apple Watch carries a HK$50 deposit, refunded with the remaining value through the Octopus App for Tourists. It needs an iPhone X or later or an Apple Watch Series 3 or later. The stored value limit is HK$3,000, and an Octopus cancelled within 90 days of issue costs a HK$11 handling fee.
What is the difference between an On-Loan Octopus and a Tourist Octopus?
The adult On-Loan Octopus has a HK$50 deposit and HK$150 of stored value, so HK$200 at the counter, and you return it to get the deposit back (a HK$11 handling fee applies within 90 days of issue). The Tourist Octopus costs HK$39 with no deposit and no stored value, and you keep it.
Can I top up an Octopus with a foreign credit card?
Octopus on iPhone or Apple Watch can be topped up with a non-Hong Kong-issued Mastercard, UnionPay or Visa card, in the Octopus App for Tourists or in Apple Wallet. A physical card is topped up with cash at thousands of locations, including MTR stations.
