MTR fair hike could discourage Octopus Card Users

Caroline Dobson
Epoch Times Staff
Hong Kong』s rapid transit railway system, otherwise known as the MTR (Mass Transit Railway) will be raising its fares by 2.05 percent. This price increase begs the question of whether it will make a difference buying bulk trip fares versus single journey tickets.

The Octopus card, a rechargeable stored value smart card which stores funds electronically rather than rely on cash transactions has been an efficient form of payment. Hong Kong residents and even travelers have opted for the Octopus card primarily due to streamlined method of payment and ease of use at supermarkets, fast-food outlets, parking meters, service stations and the public transport.

However with the revised fare rates to be altered on June 13, Octopus cards may not be the preferred option in terms of paying for public transport. Commuters will likely prefer to purchase single journeys tickets as opposed to using the Octopus card which charges HKD 7 (USD 0.09) service fee from value deposit of cards used within three months or less. Traditionally the incentive of using the smart card in Hong Kong would be the discounted single journey tickets per ride and convenience. So in terms of single journey costs, the MTR system would round the ticket to the nearest 50 cents. When it comes to multiple shorter and less expensive routes, the current system did not impose such calculation to commuters with Octopus carts. With the price hikes, the Octopus card user would result in paying more than the pay per journey technique.