Airlines + Aviation
Many airlines offer free in-town check-in services at Hong Kong and Kowloon stations on the Airport Express MTR line, allowing passengers to check in and check their bags at least 90 minutes and up to one day before their flight departs.
In This Post
Overview
Passengers flying out of Hong Kong International Airport don’t need to wait until they get to the airport to check in or check their bags.
The Hong Kong and Kowloon stations on the Airport Express MTR line have in-town check-in counters, allowing passengers to check in no later than 90 minutes before departure on the day of their flight or any time on the day before their flight departs.
Passengers must use an Octopus card or an Airport Express ticket to enter the check-in area.
Free Shuttle Service
A free shuttle bus takes passengers to and from the two Hong Kong Airport In-town Check-in stations to most major hotels and transport interchanges on both sides of Victoria Harbour.
Passengers wanting to visit Hong Kong Disneyland on their ways to the airport can change to the Tung Chung line at Tsing Yi Station, getting off at the Sunny Bay Station.
The total size of baggage should not exceed 145 centimeters in length, 100 centimeters in width, and 85 centimeters in height. The weight should not exceed 70 kilograms.
Hong Kong International Airport is served by more than 100 airlines flying to more than 180 travel destinations around the world, including 44 in China. Around 60 of these airlines offer in-town check-in services.
Check-in times and baggage allowances might vary from airline to airline. So make sure to check with your airline before heading to the closest in-town check-in terminal.
Getting to the Airport from In-town Check-in Stations
After checking in and checking your bags, you can either take the Airport Express directly to the airport or you can leave the check-in and take another form of transport to the airport such a taxi, bus, or private car.
Many travelers, however, take advantage of the service to free up their hands while they do something else, not traveling immediately to the airport.
Some travelers take their bags to the in-town check-in counters on the same day their flight departs. Other travelers prefer checking in the day before their departure to de-stress their trip to the airport the following day.
Either way, checking in and checking bags in advance can de-stress your to trip to the airport.
With the advent of on-line check-in, the in-town check-in service is not as valuable as it used to be, but it still has consider able value in terms of freeing up your hands.
The advantage of arriving at the airport without any bags to check cannot be over-estimated.
Schedules and Fares
The Airport Express operates between 5.54 am to 11.28 pm. Trains departs at approximate 10 or 12 minutes intervals. The trip from Hong Kong Station to the airport takes about 24 minutes.
| Smart Ticket | Octopus | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| From Airport to | Adult | Child | Adult | Child |
| Hong Kong Station | $115 | $57.5 | $110 | $55 |
| Kowloon Station | $105 | $52.5 | $100 | $50 |
| Tsing Yi Station | $70 | $35 | $65 | $32.5 |
| AsiaWorld-Expo Station | $6 | $3 | $5.5 | $2.7 |
Hong Kong Airport In-town Check-in Counters is the second post in a series on my epic journey, 70 Days Across America.