Hong Kong Taxi & Ride-Hailing Survival Guide
(Fast and Furious Edition)
The Holy Trinity of Taxi Colors:
- Red taxis: The workhorses that go everywhere important (15,250 vehicles of varying cleanliness)
- Green taxis: New Territories specialists who act like they’ve never heard of Central (2,838 vehicles)
- Blue taxis: Lantau Island’s exclusive club of 75 taxis (probably all related)
What It’ll Cost You (Your Wallet’s Worst Nightmare):
- Red: HK$29 (First 2 KM), then HK$2.10 per 200m up to HK$102.50, then HK$1.4 per 200m.
- Green: HK$25.50 (First 2 KM), then HK$1.90 per 200m up to HK$82.50, then HK$1.4 per 200m.
- Blue: HK$24 (First 2 KM), then HK$1.90 per 200m up to HK$195, then HK$1.6 per 200m.
- Bonus charges: HK$6 for that suitcase you definitely packed too much into, HK$5 for your emotional support dog
Payment Methods (AKA “The Great Confusion”):
- Cash: Still king, despite it being 2025 and your wallet being full of useless coins
- Octopus card: Not widely accepted, but look out for the Octopus Card logo – in which case there is a 50/50 chance it works.
- Digital payments: Same as Octopus, you have to look out for the logos plastered on the windows.
- Premium fleets: Where your contactless payment dreams finally come true
How to Actually Get One:
- Street hailing: Master the art of looking desperate while maintaining dignity
- Look for the lit “Taxi” hat and Flag (on the dashboard).
- If you see the dashboard Flag covered it is either “Booked” or looking for cross-harbour trips only. (Even drivers want to go home eventually).
- Taxi Stands: There are 2 distinct types of stands. The “Regular” and the “Cross Harbour” stands. Make sure to take taxi from the right rank or be prepared to get rejected.
- Phone booking: (852) 8109-2222 (they’ll definitely put you on hold during a typhoon)
- Apps: For when you want technology to solve your transportation prayers (see below for details)
- The 3:30 – 4:15 PM Bermuda Triangle: Avoid this mystical hour when all taxis vanish into the shift-change dimension
- 4,5 and 6 Seaters: All cabs carry a green lable on the bumper that tell you if it can take a max of 4,5 or 6 passangers. Be mindful, they stopped producing 5 seaters since the mid 80’s so some of those cars are older than Journey’s “Don’t Stop Believin'” – Which happens to be the driver’s mantra for keeping that vehicle going.
The New Kids on the Block: 3,500 shiny new taxis that actually have working A/C and drivers who know what GPS is:
- SynCab, Joie, Amigo, Big Boss, Big Bee (names chosen by a committee of optimists)
- Come with WiFi strong enough to stream your complaints about traffic
Ride-Hailing Roulette:
- Uber: Playing legal limbo since forever, but hey, it works
- TADA: The new kid trying really hard to be relevant (+HK$8 because confidence costs extra)
- DiDi: Your gateway to mainland China (passport and patience required)
- Legal status: “It’s complicated” (like every relationship in Hong Kong)
Survival Etiquette:
- Sit in back (front seat is for people who enjoy awkward conversations)
- Enter from left (unless you enjoy becoming street pizza)
- Use the meter (haggling went out with the British)
- Master the art of patient suffering during 30-minute trips to go 2km
Essential Cantonese:
- Hello: 你好 (nei hou) – Start strong
- Please/Thanks: 唔該 (mm goi) – Your Swiss Army knife phrase
- Stop here: 停車 (ting che) – Before you end up in Shenzhen
- Use the meter: 打錶 (da biu) – Your anti-scam superpower
Airport Reality Check:
- Taxi stands work 24/7
- Lines are divided by Taxi Color. Red for Kowloon and Hong Kong Island, Green for the New Territories and Blue for Lantau.
- Cost to Central: ~HK$330-380 (cheaper than therapy for your jet lag)
Safety Tips for Paranoid Travelers:
- Check the meter is running
- Get receipts (evidence for your “Hong Kong broke me” story, or it also helps with “Lost & Found” adventures.)
- Complaint hotline: (852) 2889-9999 (they love hearing from tourists)
- Some drivers fancy themselves tap dancers – they tap the accelerator and the brake to the tune of Uptown Funk so strap in for a wild ride.
The Bottom Line: Hong Kong taxis are like dim sum – sometimes amazing, sometimes you question your life choices, but ultimately they get the job done. Pack patience, download three backup apps, learn to love the MTR, and remember: if all else fails, there’s always walking. (Just kidding, nobody walks in this humidity.)
Pro Tip: Keep calm, carry Octopus.
