Hong Kong Octopus Card

Octopus Card, like the MetroCard in New York City and the Oyster Card in London, is a multi-usage smart card charging for the public transportation in Hong Kong. First used on 1st September, 1997, when it was only used on buses and MTR. Later the range expanded to many places such as stores, restaurants, parking lots and as the entrance card to schools, office buildings and residential buildings. Octopus is one of the earliest and most successful electronic currencies in the world. At present, there are three types of Octopus Card for residents and visitors, Electronic Octopus Card (Octopus on iphone or Apple Watch),  the physical On-Loan Octopus Tourist Octopus Card.
 

Users of iphone X or later and or Apple Watch Series 3 or later can download the Octopus App for Tourists to get an Octopus account. You can check the balance, top up and apply for refund. If you already have a physical card, you can also transfer it to your phone and Apple Watch.
 It is lent by Octopus Card Limited to you. You are required to pay a refundable deposit that covers the card cost and possible negative value. There are two kinds of on-loan Octopus Card: Standard and Personalized.

	Standard			Personalized
Card Type	Child	Adult	Elder	--
Deposit	HK$50	HK$50	HK$50	HK$50
Initial Stored Value	HK$50	HK$150	HK$50	HK$130
Handling Charge	--	--	--	HK$20
Fare Concession Eligibility	Age 3-11	No Concession	(above 65)	Automatic

 Special for tourists, this card can be used for transporting, dining, entertainment and more.  The price is HKD39 and no deposit is needed. Users can recharge it at all 7-Eleven stores, Kowloon Visitor Centre, MTR Airport station and Hong Kong West Kowloon Railway Station. Tourists can keep it as a souvenir, and the remaining value can be refunded. 
  If you want a physical card as a souvenir, you can get the on-loan card or buy the sold card or tourist card easily by following the guide below.You can go to any MTR Customer Center (except Racecourse Station) to get a card with a deposit of HKD50.
 Tourists can buy one in the following places:
1. MTR Ticket & Octopus Selling Machine at Airport Station (Hong Kong International Airport) and Hong Kong West Kowloon Station
2. All 7-Eleven stores
3. All Circle K stores
4. All stores of China Travel Service Hong Kong
5. Kowloon Visitor Centre, Star Ferry Concourse, Tsim Sha Tsui, Kowloon
6. Relay, Arrivals Pre-Immigration, L5, Terminal 1, Hong Kong International Airport (Restricted Area)
 

If you take a bus by Octopus Card, you need to swipe it both when getting on and getting off the bus. And when entering and exiting the metro, you are supposed to swipe the card. If you wanna buy something by the card, just swipe it when you check out.
 

Octopus can be used in Hong Kong as well as some stores in Macau and Shenzhen. In Hong Kong, it can be used on transportation, retailing stores, parking, self-service, leisure facilities and access control and other places like some hospitals and schools displaying the Octopus logo ('∞', like a number 8 on its side). In Macau, it can be used in the KFC in Rua do Campo and Sands Casino. In Shenzhen, it can be used in Fairwood Fast Food, Café de Coral Shenzhen Duty-free Group Stores displaying the Octopus Logo.
Tips:
1. The exchange rate for Renminbi (RMB) transactions in Shenzhen is set by the individual merchant.
2. The exchange rate for Pataca transactions in Macau is 1 MOP to HK$1.
 

Balance appears whenever you make a purchase. Users can also check their last 10 transactions at the following places:
 At Octopus Enquiry Machines at MTR stations 
 By requesting a printout at an MTR Customer Service Centre and 7-Eleven or Circle-K outlet (a HK$3 fee will be charged by these service providers.) 
 Using a PCCW eye device 
 Using an Octopus PC Reader
 

Your Octopus can be reloaded up to HK$3,000 in total value at thousands of locations throughout Hong Kong by cash. You can reload at the following places: 
 Transportation Service Centers
1. Selected Add Value Machines at MTR or Light Rail stations
2. Stations of Airport Express Line
3. Sun Ferry Customer and Octopus Service Centres (Cheung Chau Pier, Mui Wo Pier, Central Pier 5 & Central Pier 6)
4. Airport Ground Transportation Centre
 Other Authorised Service Providers
759 Store, 7-Eleven, AEON, Arome, Café de Coral, Circle K, Vanguard, Fairwood, Mannings, Maxim's Cakes, Maxim's MX, McDonald's, Park'n Shop, Saint Honore Cake Shop, Starbucks, VanGO, Watsons, Wellcome Supermarket.
 

For On-Loan Octopus (both Standard and Personalized), you can go to any MTR Customer Service Centre to apply for a refund of your remaining value.

If the card is returned within 90 days or the remaining value is more than HKD1,000, you will be charged HKD 11 or 1% of the remaining value as the handling fee, whichever is higher.  

If the remaining value is less than HK$500, you will receive an on-the-spot refund of your deposit (applicable to Standard On-Loan Octopus only) and the remaining value, if any. If the value is more than HKD500, you need to go to a MTR Customer Center and fill a chart to choose the refund methods, either refund to Octopus Wallet or bank account. 

To refund the remaining value in Sold Tourist Octopus, you can go to the MTR Service Center and get on-the-spot refund if the value is no more than HKD500. If over HKD500, you need to fill a chart to choose your refund methods like On-Loan Octopus.

 Tips:
1. If the Octopus Card has been damaged or altered, you need to pay HK$30 to get back your remaining value and the deposit (including damage or alteration through delaminating, bending, cutting, breaking, graffiti or attachment of stickers or photos).
2. You need to pay HK$10 for Personalized Octopus Card refunding.
 

If you arrive Hong Kong by air, you can buy a Tourist Octopus Card at 7-Eleven stores or on MTR Ticket & Octopus Selling Machine at Hong Kong International Airport. It costs HKD39 for adults.

Or you can get an On-Loan Octopus Card at the MTR Customer Service. As for refunds, all the customer service centers in metro stations can refund the card. Also, you can choose to return it at the airport.