What you should know about Hong Kong's trains

Hong Kong's railway system is called MTR - opposite initials to Singapore's MRT. Having learned MRT first, it's quite easy for me to remember MTR.

The names are easy if you can remember Kennedy is on the west and Admiralty and Causeway Bay are in the middle.

Confusingly there are two stations with similar names, Wan Chai and Chai Wan.

Oyster Travel Card Cost
The bad news is that to buy an Oyster travel card will cost you about £75 just for a card with no trip value (plus whatever fare money you add).

Reductions For Seniors
The good news is that two English speaking British foreign visitors who were over 65 were told by the cashiers at different stations that pension age people were entitled to a discount reducing the fee to about £50. I'm a bit hazy about costs and exchange rate. As far as I'm concerned anything is a con and over £5 is a swindle.

In theory you are supposed to show photo ID such as a passport to prove your age. In practise, if your face is so old and lined and sagging and your visage is so lined that they have bothered to tell you that are likely to be eligible, they are likely to believe you without insisting on proof if you don't have it handy.

The alternative is to stop and guess the fare and buy a ticket every time. It's good to know that pension age people get a reduction and staff are likely go to the trouble of telling you.

Angela Lansbury, travel writer and photographer, author and speaker.