Taxis

Taxi Service Information

Like the rest of the world, Hong Kong taxis are a very convenient and inexpensive way of point-to-point travel throughout the city. And as in other major cities, they can be easily hailed on the street, booked by phone, ordered by a hotel concierge, or found at taxi stands. All taxis are able to carry four or five passengers. The number of seats is shown on a half moon shape plate in the front and rear of a taxi. A child under the age of 3 is not counted.

Currently, the taxi service counts over 18,000 vehicles: 15,250 of which are red taxis, 50 are blue taxis and others are green taxis. All taxis are metered and the drivers are required to display their driver IDs on the dashboard. Almost all drivers are able to understand or speak a little bit of English, and know all popular hotels and tourist attractions. But if you need to get to a specific place in the city, it is better to have a piece of paper with a destination name and address in both English and Chinese.

There are three types of taxis. Red taxis operate in urban areas. For those who prefer a taxi instead of the MTR, most of the rides will be on red taxis. They serve all destinations throughout the city (except the southern side of Lantau Island and Tung Chung Road). Green taxis operate in the New Territories. Blue taxis operate only on Lantau Island (except Discovery Bay).
All taxis serve Hong Kong International Airport and Hong Kong Disneyland.

Fares and Extra Charges

The taxi fare depends on the distance traveled, plus additional charges, if any. Also, it varies depending on the type of taxi.
The fare for red taxis starts from HK$20 and covers the first two kilometers. Every subsequent 200 meters or every minute of waiting cost HK$1.5. When the amount reaches HK$72.5, every subsequent 200 meters or 1 minute will cost HK$1.
The fare for green taxis starts from HK$16.5 and covers the first two kilometers. Every subsequent 200 meters or every minute of waiting cost HK$1.3. When the amount reaches HK$55.5, every subsequent 200 meters or 1 minute will cost HK$1.
The fare for blue taxis starts from HK$15 and covers the first two kilometers. Every subsequent 200 meters or every minute of waiting cost HK$1.3. When the amount reaches HK$132, every subsequent 200 meters or 1 minute will cost HK$1.2.

Red Taxi Urban Areas	Green Taxi The New Territories	Blue Taxi Lantau Island
Extra Charges: - Every luggage, except light luggage carried inside the passenger compartment - HK$5 (HK$4 for green taxis). - Booking a taxi by phone - HK$5 (HK$4 for green taxis). - Every animal or bird - HK$5 (HK$4 for green taxis) - Also, additional payment is taken if the ride passes through a harbour tunnel. Usually, toll fee + return toll.
First 2 kilometers or any part thereof:
HK$20	HK$16.5	HK$15
Every subsequent 0.2 kilometers or every minute of waiting (or any part thereof):
HK$1.5	HK$1.3	HK$1.3
Once the fare has reached the certain amount (see above), every subsequent 0.2 kilometers or every minute of waiting (or any part thereof):
HK$1	HK$1	HK$1.2

Additional Information

Hints & Tips

- Carry small money. Passengers are required to pay the exact amount recorded by a taximeter, plus extra charges, if any. However, taxi drivers are not obliged to give change from HK$500 and HK$1,000 bank notes.
- It is highly recommended to ask for a receipt before leaving the taxi. The receipt shows the taxi registration number, the start and end time of the journey, the total distance traveled, distance and time that were charged, surcharge and the total fare. If the driver says the receipt machine is not working, he is obligated to give a hand-written receipt. It will help to track the taxi in case of a complaint.

Important

- Hong Kong taxis are fitted with seat belts and all passengers are required by law to wear them.
- If you have a complaint about a taxi, please call one of the numbers below or fill out the taxi complaint form.

Useful Numbers