Commuters in Hong Kong can use their Visa cards to make e-payments for MTR trips, starting December 23. The city’s railway corporation announced that passengers can tap their Visa debit and credit cards at MTR station entry and exit gates, and use their smartphones and smartwatches linked to these cards to pay for their journeys.
MTR officials said that travellers can use their Visa cards at light blue gates at all stations, except for the Airport Express, which will only allow passengers to use their bank cards by no later than 2026. The contactless bank card payment system at the stations will expand to include other bank cards by the end of 2024, and MTR will increase the number of gates that accept e-payments.
However, the Light Rail and the Hong Kong section of the High Speed Rail stations will not support contactless bank card payments. MTR bus and feeder bus passengers will also not be able to use their Visa cards for their trips. MTR officials say that the First Class Processors on East Rail Line trains will be upgraded to accept e-payments by the end of next year.
So far, commuters have been able to use Octopus cards, QR Codes, and Single Journey Smart Tickets to pay for their MTR train journeys. Passengers can also create virtual Octopus cards on their Apple and Android phones and watches via the Octopus app and use their devices for contactless travel.
Children and senior citizens will not get concessionary fares if they use Visa cards at the MTR, and any ride payments made using bank cards will not be included in a passenger’s Public Transport Fare Subsidy Scheme benefits, as only Octopus users are eligible for this initiative.
Earlier this year, Hong Kong Tramways also upgraded its systems to accept Visa card payments. In addition, passengers who use Visa to pay for their tram rides will pay HK$2, as opposed to the full fare of HK$3.
Image credits: MTR
