Next Station → Hong Kong
“Let’s count the beeps!”
“14”
“No, there were 20”
“I got 18 though.”
With the new MTR door-closing alert system, counting the beeps seems impossible. Slowly, “count the beeps” becomes a stupid game that I love to play with my friends after the MTR announces “Please mind the gap”. If you are from Hong Kong, you have to admit that you once held the MTR handrail like a gymnast or tried to climb down the hand-pole like a firefighter. MTR is crucial to Hong Kong people. There are many memories associated with the transport system and its stations. Mong Kok is where you hang out with your friends and gossip for hours. Central station is where you pick up your drunk friend from LKF (or got picked up). Kowloon Tong station is where I had my first kiss. Disneyland is my favourite place on earth. The MTR train could be where you finish your homework last minute or where you finish your favourite book. Each station represents a different side of Hong Kong. Each train represents Hong Kong people’s collective memory.
And now, HKSN’s welcome party is bringing the Hong Kong experience to YOU! This Friday, you can relive your favourite MTR memories. Or have a taste of this lovely culture. Let’s take the express train — Sept 21, 6pm, McGill Gym —and we’re going in for the ride! LEARN MORE HERE :)
And if you are planning your first trip to Hong Kong and want to have the best experience out of it while using the MTR system, we are here to give you our best knowledge about the system as well as tips on how to travel around smoothly.
[TIPS] As you may know, Hong Kong is one of the most populated places on earth and it can be quite hectic when traveling around. During peak times, you could even find yourself squeezing into an already non-existing space, like sardines in a can. So, here are some tips to enjoy your riding experience.
1) Avoid peak times as much as possible Weekdays morning (Before 9 am) and afternoon rush hours (From 5–8pm). One of the Time Out readers commented that Admiralty is “[d]efinitely not Admiralty! That stop during peak hour = hell…” Let me visualize it for you. Imagine how crammed it is at New City Gas when Zedd is performing or Cafe Campus during Frosh. Now, Admiralty is ten times worse than that during peak hours. But instead of having a crowd full of drunk people, you will have a mob of angry, exhausted, impatient white-collar workers.
2) Make sure you use the right MTR exit. The entire system consists of 11 color-coded lines. It can definitely be overwhelming when you first look at it, but generally, the metro maps are ‘zoomed-in’ as to concentrate on the lines connected to the station you are in. Also, most stations have multiple exits which leads you to different attraction points (For example, Tsim Sha Tsui station has more than 15 exits. Good luck finding your exit. I get lost every single time), so make sure you know which exit to go to!
3) Avoid bringing on luggage that is too large or bulky. If you end up traveling with 8 big luggage, like our exec Nathasha, you should consider other modes of transport such as taxi or Uber. There is no chance of survival, if you hold on to the luggage when you are at a zombie apocalypse. (I wish I am exaggerating but you are fighting against 7 Million people)
4) Learn where you can get a seat. Travelling around Hong Kong requires a lot of walking. Everyone wants a seat on the train but there are only limited seating and you are fighting against a group of testy employees. Here are some tips to how to get seats on the MTR.
- Avoid doors/ entrances that are close to the elevator or the escalator. Try to head to the front of the train or the back of the train for a higher chance to get a seat.
- MTR has priority seats. As a healthy youngster who is not expecting, you are FORBIDDEN to sit on those seats. It is better if you avoid the entrances that indicate priority seats because, sorry honey, they are not for you.
5) Plan your trip ahead. You can pay your MTR ticket by buying single passes or charging an Octopus Card, which is a preloaded touch card. While traveling in HK, you will most likely see people using the Octopus Card and what’s cool about it is that not only can you use it for commuting around the city but also use it for vending machines, retail and food outlets. All you need to do is add money into your card and you are good to go. It will be your passport in Hong Kong.
- MTR Kowloon Tong: famous lion rock (literally looks like a lion). Rumor has it, that this station has the cutest Hong Kongers. Hmmmm….
- MTR Mong Kok: Transfer station between Island (Blue) and Tsuen Wan (Red) lines. This station is the shopping area where youngsters and hipsters head to.
- MTR Tsim Sha Tsui: This shopping area is where you would find all the high-end brands and attraction points such as the avenue of stars Victoria Harbour, clock tower and Kowloon Park.
- MTR Central station: Important transfer station between Island (Blue), Tsuen Wan (Red), Tung Chung (Yellow) and Airport Express line. You can find all the best pubs, restaurants, shops. Basically, everything you will be looking for.
What’s your stop?
Some of our favourite comments from Time Out readers…
Mong Kok:
“The true hustle and bustle of Hong Kong. Plus all the conveniences but all the shortcomings…”
- Stephen Duddridge
Tsim Sha Tsui:
“Tsim Sha Tsui! It makes you marvel at the great engineering of the MTR. A subway is underneath a body of water.”
- Josel Orbeta Recio
Kennedy Town:
“KTown — nice toilet.”
- Rene Guillen
Causeway Bay:
“Causeway Bay is nice — but it does take more time to reach the train from the entrance than the journey itself!”
-Thibaut Jaubert
To make it to the end, you must really enjoy learning about Hong Kong and its culture. Come out to our Welcome Party this Friday at 6pm to the McGill Gym for a taste (literally) of all HK has to offer. See you there!
