Ranan Samanya Photography

If there is one thing that is very commendable about Hong Kong’s International Airport, it is its Airport Express trains. Running every 10 minutes, it is linking AsiaWorld Expo and the airport which is located in Lantau Island to Hong Kong’s centre of activities in Tsing Yi, Kowloon and Hong Kong MTR stations. It even has a city check in counters and free shuttle bus to major hotels in both Kowloon and Hong Kong stations.

From the airport it will take us a swift 20 minutes to reach the city. The staff at the ticketing counter is very helpful in answering tourist questions about the best shortest to take to our lodging. The train cabins are clean and modern. It is equipped with a television, and -most important- a free WiFi to accompany our short trip! And if you are worried as to when to go down, don’t, as on every door there is a LED indicator showing us where we are.

On the day when you return to the airport, don’t be so troubled in looking for Terminal 1 or Terminal 2. Unlike Singapore’s Changi trains, where you may have to jump to different trains before reaching your Terminal, Hong Kong’s airport express trains are designed such that whenever you are leaving the train at the airport, Terminal 1 will always be on your right exit, and Terminal 2 on your left. And out of the train, a row of neatly arranged trolleys are ready to carry all your excess luggage.

Here’s the route that we took to reach Mong Kok: jump out of the airport express at Tsing Yi station. Go down one level to level U1, take the Tung Chung line Concourse/Maritime Square MTR (yellow line), change MTR at Lai King (only 1 station), take the red line (direction Hong Kong station), and alight at Mong Kok, 6 stations away. There is an alternative route involving less train change, but you will need to walk quite a bit more between Hong Kong and Central stations through an underground. I would also recommend getting your Octopus card (electronic payment card for all MTR service in Hong Kong) when you purchase your airport express ticket.