Getting around Hong Kong, Macau, and Mainland China will soon become more hassle-free for globetrotters with a new Octopus card to simplify travel across the region. Hong Kong’s tap-and-go payment system will launch a new tourist pass by this September that can be used on public transport in the two SARs and over 300 cities in Mainland China. Sightseers who buy the card can top it up in Hong Kong dollars, and the balance will be deducted in local currency. The company will also add a new function to its app that will allow users to hail rides online in China.
Easier Cross-Border Travel with Octopus’ New Tourist Card
According to media reports, the new Octopus tourist card will make it easier for visitors to use mass transit within Hong Kong, Macau, and 336 Mainland cities. It will tie in with the China T-union card — a contactless payment system used for bus, ferry, and subway rides in the Mainland. All users need to do is buy the pass and recharge it in Hong Kong dollars, after which it will instantly convert to the local currency when tapped on readers. Octopus officials have said the card will be available within the third quarter of 2025.
Last year, Octopus launched a Mainland travel pass for Hong Kong residents to use on mass transit during their travels north of the border. The card covers public transit systems in 336 cities and 1,759 counties in Mainland China, and can be picked up at all Circle K and 7-Eleven stores in Hong Kong, as well as at specific MTR Customer Service Centres in the city. It can store up to HK$3,000, with fares deducted in Renminbi based on the prevailing foreign exchange rate.
App Updates for Mainland Ride-Hailing and Money Transfers
Hong Kong visitors to the Mainland who prefer to take taxis will soon be able to book cabs there using their Octopus apps. The company recently revealed that they will soon add a new feature to allow users to call online-ride hailing vehicles in China . This development comes along with the news that Hong Kong tourists can use the Octopus app to make payments in Japan, possibly by the end of 2025.
In addition to the slew of travel-related updates, Octopus officials also said they will introduce a new person-to-person payment avenue in the second half of the year by which Octopus app users will be able to tap to transfer money to each other’s accounts through their mobile phones.
Image credits: Aleksandr Buynitskiy via Unsplash
