Traveling around Hong Kong is incredibly quick and easy. Just about every excerpt we read in my Mandarin class boils down to "香港的地铁站又方便又便宜!" (Xiānggǎng de dìtiě zhàn yòu fāngbiàn yòu piányí!), which means "Hong Kong's subway station system is convenient and cheap!" Anywhere you would like to go to in Hong Kong is interconnected by the rail system, as well as by minibuses, doubledeckers ferries and taxis. The process is made even easier by the Octopus card, which can be swiped at the tills in stations as well as on buses and taxis, and in stores, too. Similarly, it costs pocket change to get on the subway and travel across the island. The most I've had to pay is about 24 HKD, or three USD, one way! Coming from Massachusetts or any other state in New England, you know that is a great price.
It is estimated that around 5.5 million people ride Hong Kong's M.T.R. daily. This is the main form of transportation, especially if you'd like to travel further distances than inside the city or district. From the furthest stations, taxis and buses can bring you further out from the cities, whether you want to go to a beach, a village or maybe on a hike. Most people use public transportation rather than a personal car, so having a car here is a bit of a status symbol.
