Can you get a refund on your Octopus Card deposit at Hong Kong airport?

Question

While in Hong Kong, I'm planning to get an Octopus card to use on public transport to get about the city. As with a lot of these stored value, contactless public transport cards around the world, there's a refundable deposit that you pay when you get the card.

When I come to leave Hong Kong, I'll likely want to use the Octopus card to get to the airport. Once at the airport, the card'll have a little bit of money on it, along with the deposit, less the $9 admin fee for short duration returns.

Is it possible to get a refund of the deposit and un-used balance on an Octopus card at the airport? And if so, where?

Answer 1

You can do so at the MTR service counters, but you will get the money back immediately only if there is less than 500 HKD on the card and the card is not damaged.

There are several such service counters at the airport:

At the airport, the Customer Service Centres can be found in the "buffer halls", after baggage reclaim and before entering the arrival hall, also in the arrival hall areas A & B and on the Airport Express departure platform (Terminal 1) and arrival platform (Terminal 2 side).

The first one mentioned is when you arrive and likely the best to get a new card on arrival by airplane in HKG. There are some counters after the customs control where you can book hotels before you meet people waiting for you outside.

The second one mentioned are in the huge arrival hall where you will find tons of restaurants, people waiting etc. I do not recommend this one since the hall is really too big to find something here, specially if you are carrying luggage around with you.

The last one are located where you will need them when you leave HKG, you will see them just when you step out of the train.

Answer 2

Since the Hong Kong MTR connects to the airport on the Express line, there's an MTR office at the airport, before you head to security check / departure. You can get your card refunded there.