The easiest, quickest and cheapest ways to reach Hong Kong from the airport

Central Hong Kong | **EarnestTse / Shutterstock**

Hong Kong’s sprawling and recently-expanded international airport, Chep Lap Kok, sits about 35km away from central Hong Kong on an artificial island in the Zhujang River Estuary. However, a network of bridges and tunnels offer a variety of connections between Chep Lap Kok’s terminals and Hong Kong’s glittering skyscrapers and busy neighbourhoods.

We’ve collected all the ways you can get between the city centre and the island airport, so you can save time, cash or effort when planning your Hong Kong adventure.

First Things First: Finding the Transportation Centre

Thanks to Chep Lap Kok being built on reclaimed land, the airport actually feels pretty compact, so walking distances don’t tend to be too challenging. Plus, to save space, the airport designers went underground, rather than reclaiming more land from the sea.

Every onward journey begins in the cavernous Ground Transportation Centre, beneath Terminal 1. From here, you’ll find clear signage pointing you to the various modes of onward transport.

Before You Go Anywhere: Grab an Octopus Card

Hong Kong’s Octopus Card is used for cash-free transport purchases | **BPimages / Shutterstock**

If you live in a big city, you may be used to using prepaid cards, for example Suica in Tokyo or Oyster Cards in London. Hong Kong’s version, the Octopus Card, is your best friend if you plan on using any form of public transport in the city, or grabbing snacks from kiosks / participating stores.

Head straight to the MTR customer service centre next to the Airport Express gates and pick up a pre-loaded card. This means you can tap in and out of almost any transport in Hong Kong and grab drinks without having to fumble with your purse or wallet.

Chep Lap Kok Airport Transport Options

The Fast Option: The Airport Express

Airport Express carriages are wide, the seats are comfortable and there’s air conditioning | **ssray / Shutterstock**

Hong Kong has no shortage of public mass transport and the Airport Express is a superb example of it in action. Fast, clean and extremely comfortable air-conditioned trains depart Chep Lap Kok every 10 minutes between 05:54am and 00:48am (accurate June 2025, subject to change).

The Airport Express takes around 24 minutes and connects you directly to central stations in Central, Kowloon and Tsing Yi. This makes it super-easy to then transfer to the MTR (Hong Kong’s metro system), or take a bus or taxi from those stations.

One of the big draws of using the Airport Express is the ability to use the in-town luggage check-in facility. If you’re flying with Cathay Pacific, Hong Kong Airlines, Qantas or Singapore Airlines, then you can drop your bags at Airport Express stations in the city from 24 hours before your flight and up to 90 minutes before departure.

This means your bags will make their own way to the hold, and you can spend your last few hours shopping or exploring before hopping on the Airport Express without having to dragg your suitcases with you!

The Budget Option: Citybus A11

You can’t miss the huge yellow buses at Chek Lap Kok | **The Villa Studio / Shutterstock**

If you’re a little more budget conscious, then the dedicated Citybus is also a great option. Located upstairs in the ‘Cityflyer’ zone just above the Transportation Centre, these large double-decker buses depart every 20 minutes and take about an hour, or less if there’s less traffic and fewer passenger stops.

A top tip is to drop your bags in the bays downstairs and grab the seats at the front on the top deck, with great views across the bridges and bays as you wind your way into central Hong Kong.

The Late Night Option: N11 Night Bus

As the Airport Express and CityBus both end regular services just before 1am, travellers who land in Hong Kong in the middle of the night have to use the N11 night bus if they want to avoid grabbing a taxi.

Luckily the night bus is quick and easy to navigate, with fewer passengers and much less traffic making for a quick connection with the city centre. Take the N11 from the usual Cityflyer stand and again, use your Octopus Card to pay. Buses depart on the hour from 01:50am until the A11 picks back up at 06:10am.

The Comfortable but Pricey Option: Taxis and Ride Hailing

Hong Kong’s taxis are convenient, but can be expensive | **Sorbis / Shutterstock**

If you’ve spent an ungodly amount of time on a plane or don’t fancy lugging your bags across platforms, then you’ll be pleased to hear that Hong Kong has all the ride-hailing apps you’re used to, plus local taxis.

Your Uber app will work just fine when you land, but consider using DiDi, Amap or FlyTaxi to compare the best rates.

The red taxis you’ll see flying all over the city charge about HK$375 each way, including any bridge and tunnel tolls, but this can creep up if the traffic is particularly bad.

Whatever you do, ignore any touts that approach you offering a ride into the city – they aren’t licensed and will likely charge a ridiculous amount or lead you on a wild goose chase that results in extra charges to get you where you actually need to be.

The Best Option for Groups: Private Transfer

If you are travelling in a group, or have a large family, then it may make more sense to book a private transfer from Chek Lap Kok to Hong Kong. Instead of trying to coordinate several humans and a dozen pieces of luggage, pre-book a meet and greet service and let your friendly driver load your bags while you get everyone strapped in.

Check out this return private transfer option for a truly hassle-free Hong Kong airport transfer.

The Super-Cheap Option: Local Bus and MTR

A bus and MTR combo can save money | **Walter Eric Sy / Shutterstock**

If you’re really on a shoestring budget, or would rather spend your money on Dim Sum, then the absolute rock-bottom cheapest way of getting into Hong Kong from the airport is to use two forms of transport.

Step one is to hop on local bus S1 from the Transport Centre and ride to Tung Chung MTR station. Then, switch onto the MTR and take the Tung Chung Line directly to Hong Kong Station. This requires a little extra effort, but the whole journey will cost you barely HK$30!

Final Thoughts

Although it’s easy to fall into the trap of treating the airport transfer just like another dull step in the journey, you can actually turn this transfer into an exciting part of your trip! Pretty much every route passes some amazing scenery as the roads and rails wind around islands in the South China Sea, before hitting the wall of skyscrapers in the city.

All options are comfy and usually air-conditioned too, so you don’t need to arrive with the mindset of getting through a stuffy hour or so before arriving at the hotel. So sit back, relax and focus on the window – you’ll be there in no time!