If your plane ticket lists HKG as your arrival or transit point, congratulations: you're flying to the best airport in the world! And this is not a poetic metaphor at all, but a well-deserved official title. Hong Kong International Airport is so stunning that even amateur videos about it collect tens of thousands of views on YouTube. This harbor, without exaggeration, is the main gate to East and South Asia, as well as to mainland China. The hub serves over sixty million passengers a year. According to this indicator, the airport is the seventh busiest in the world. And if we take into account the service of international flights, then the hub comes in third place on the planet. In this article you will find the most complete information about Hong Kong Airport: photos, descriptions of terminals, services and hotels, as well as tips on how to get to the city or in the opposite direction. But even without that, you won't get lost. Tourists in their reviews claim that, despite the huge size of the hub, everything in it is elementary and simple. The inscriptions are duplicated in English, and for those who do not understand "modern Latin", they are also accompanied by schematicdrawings.
Kai-Tak and Chek-Lap-Kok
First of all, let's figure out how many airports there are in Hong Kong. Among users, a video is still popular, which shows the landing approach of the liner at the Kai-Tak hub. This spectacle is truly mesmerizing. On the one hand, there is dense residential development, which is approaching almost the runway, and on the other, the waters of Victoria Bay. Pilots required virtuosity to land in such a narrow space, and passengers watching from the plane experienced such an adrenaline rush, as if they were riding a roller coaster. Demolition of residential areas to increase the Kai-Tak area was unprofitable. Therefore, the Hong Kong government decided to build a new international airport in a more favorable location. The tiny island of Chek Lap Kok was chosen as one. But from him the new airport got only the name. The area of the island was artificially increased many times over. In addition, a dam stretched from it to a neighboring piece of land - Lam Chau. It has also been expanded. Now both islands occupy only a quarter of the area of the new airport. It opened its doors for first flights in 1998. For some time, Kai-Tak still served as an airport for cargo flights. But now it is completely closed.
Construction history
To get a sense of the epic nature of the project, called the "Airport Core Program", here are a few numbers. The area of Hong Kong after the construction of the air harbor has increased by one percent. The builders needed not onlybuild terminals and runways, but also provide the entire transport infrastructure (roads and railways with bridges and tunnels). In fact, the landscape itself was changed. Therefore, the construction project alone was included in the Guinness Book of Records as the most expensive (at that time). The estimate provided for the implementation of twenty billion US dollars. Construction lasted for six years, until July 6, 1998, Hong Kong International Airport was inaugurated. The first scheduled flight to take over the new hub was CX292, which arrived from Rome. In the first six months, there were constant failures in the operation of the airport, which is why the closure of Kai-Tak was postponed. But little by little, operations returned to normal, and Chek Lap Kok began to win international awards for best service and shortest pre- and post-flight procedures.
Terminals
For a long time, Hong Kong Airport consisted of one, albeit very large-scale, building. Only in 2007 was the second terminal (T2) opened, which at first was intended purely for check-in for flights. The passengers were then taken by the Airport Express Line, a free shuttle, to the old building. But when the grandiose Sky Plaza shopping center was built near T2, the second terminal became full-fledged. In addition to fifty-six check-in counters, customs and border checkpoints, waiting rooms, cafes and other infrastructure appeared there. A free shuttle continues to run between the two buildings. The plans for expanding the airport include the construction of a third terminal by 2030 and moreone in addition to the existing two runways. But this project is very expensive, because it will be necessary to build a building and a road in deeper waters, and not on the shelf of the islands. So at the moment, the air harbor of Hong Kong has two terminals. Let's take a closer look at them.
Terminal 1
This is the largest building of Hong Kong International Airport. It is an eight-story building, on the roof of which there is an inexpensive restaurant and an observation deck. Arriving at the airport, passengers check in for a flight at the first, lower level. On the fourth floor, customs officers and immigration control await them. Visas are checked and stamped by border guards at the sixth level. And finally, on the top floor there are boarding gates. Passengers are taken down by express elevators separated from the building. All this is done in order to ensure maximum safety for travelers and aircraft crew. But terminal 1, in addition to direct functions, plays the role of a shopping and entertainment area. For a long time, it was the largest building in the airports of the world, until in 2006 Bangkok's Suvarnabhumi took over the palm. Then the authorities of Hong Kong, in order to regain the title of leader, completed the East Hall to the existing terminal with an area of 550 thousand square meters. It was there that the Sky Mart shopping center was located. But the hub of Hong Kong did not enjoy the glory of the largest terminal for long. Already in 2008, it was overtaken by the T3 of the Beijing Capital Airport, whose area is 986 thousandsquare meters. But even now, Hong Kong Air Harbor Terminal 1 ranks 19th in the list of the largest structures in the world.
Terminal 2
As we have already mentioned, T2 has become fully functional. Now there is carried out not only the registration of passengers for the flight, but also other pre-takeoff procedures. The second terminal of the Hong Kong airport has its own shopping and entertainment center - Sky Plaza. In addition, many types of public transport arrive there. Terminal 2 has a whole bus station, from which both regular and tourist cars depart. It is popular with business travelers arriving on business in the cities of the Pearl River Delta Special Economic Zone. In 2003, the Sky Pier ferry pier was opened to complement the bus connection to mainland China. Right in the building of the Hong Kong air harbor is the lower station of the Ngong Ping cable car, which leads to Po Lin Monastery and the Big Buddha statue.
Scoreboard
Many travelers are not interested in the area of the terminals and not the services in them, but the schedule of the Hong Kong airport. Well, let's satisfy their curiosity. The air harbor operates seven days a week and 24 hours a day. It is home to many companies. The flagship of Hong Kong's civil aviation, the Cathay Pacific, is based here. This carrier has a wide-body fleet of 115 Airbus and Boeing aircraft. They fly to South Africa, Australia and New Zealand, Asia, the Middle East, Europe and North America. Also, Chek-Lap-Kok International Airport is the base for the Dragon Air airline, in the flotilla of which there are 39 liners. This carrier delivers passengers to cities in Japan and mainland China. Small planes and Hong Kong Express helicopters make regular flights to Macau and Shenzhen. Thailand, South Korea and cities in China can be reached with the passenger carrier Hong Kong Airlines. Finally, air cargo is operated by Air Hong Kong Limited. You can fly to Chek-Lap-Kok by a direct regular flight from Moscow, which is operated by Aeroflot. Literally every minute, liners start or land from the flight paths of Hong Kong airport. The hub scoreboard is a long list. You can get acquainted with it not only in the halls of the air harbor, but also online, on its official website.
Airport hotels
Hong Kong Air Harbor is a whole town, with its shops, entertainment centers, cafes and restaurants. Several tens of thousands of people visit here every day. Many travelers arriving at the hub in transit or at night wonder if there is any hotel at the Hong Kong airport. As befits a city, there is a hotel, and not just one. True, they are not all cheap. The most budget hotel in the list is the Regal Airport Hotel. Standard room rate is $170. The famous Marriott network has its own representative office in the air harbor of Hong Kong - Sky City. Prices there start at $300 per room per night. A little cheaperanother chain hotel is Novotel Citygate Hong Kong. There, accommodation in a standard room will cost 200 Hong Kong dollars (1,500 rubles) per day. Experienced travelers recommend not leaving the terminals, but going to the Plaza Premium Lounge VIP lounge. There you can rent a full-fledged room, which is listed as a “lounge room”. A night in it will cost $119.
What to do for passengers arriving in the country
Hong Kong airport terminals are not just big - they are huge. So, an internal train delivers passengers to some gates! But getting lost in them is almost impossible. And all post-flight procedures are very fast. First, newcomers are met by border control. For Hong Kong citizens, there are turnstiles through which they can pass using their electronic cards. For citizens of China, Taiwan and Macau, there are specially allocated windows. Russian passengers should stand in the back of a long queue. But she moves very fast. After going through passport control, you will find yourself in the baggage claim area. There will be a board in front of you indicating which conveyor the suitcases of your flight are delivered to. Go catch your bags from the moving belt. If you have nothing to declare, follow the "green corridor" of customs. This is how you get to the arrivals hall.
How to get from Hong Kong Airport to the city: Airport Express
The air harbor construction project was the most expensive in the world, not only because huge terminals and long runways were built from scratch. In the estimatea very extensive transport link between the airport and the city and mainland China was also laid. But if the traveler is purely interested in Hong Kong, then he should know that the fastest mode of transport to get there is the Airport Express. This high-speed train will take you to the city center in 24 minutes. The Airport Express station is located exactly between the two terminals of Hong Kong Airport. The fare depends on the distance you travel. Would you like to get off at the Asia World Expo Station (one minute ride)? Then pay 5 Hong Kong dollars (38 rubles). Everything else is more expensive. A trip from the airport to Qin Yi will cost 60 (448 rubles), to Kowloon - 90 (670 rubles), and to the final station of the route, the railway station - 100 Hong Kong dollars (744 rubles). Electric trains run from 5:54 am to 1 am with an interval of 10-12 minutes. Despite the fact that the train is moving at a speed of 135 km/h, you can admire the sights of Hong Kong from the window: the Tsim Sha Tsui tourist area, the Lantau rocks, the world's largest cargo port. In addition, the train rides through an underwater tunnel through the harbor.
Octopus Kart
Changing money at all airports in the world is not very profitable. The rate is quite low, there are queues to the windows of bank branches … Therefore, experienced travelers advise buying Octopus Kart immediately upon arrival in Hong Kong. This piece of plastic costs 150 local dollars (1116 rubles), while the account contains 100 NK $ (744 rubles), and the rest is a deposit. It will be returned to you, as well as unused money, when you return the card. And you can buy it by bank transfer, in the machine. Such a card can be paid not only in museums and tourist places, but even in some shops. Not to mention travel by bus, high-speed train, ferry or metro. At Hong Kong Airport, an Octopus Card can be purchased at the Customs Desk by following the signs for Airport Express Station. You can drop it off and get your cash there. And you can top up your account at any metro station and in Seven/Eleven stores.
We are considering other ways to get to the city. Metro
Airport Express is a fast, but somewhat expensive way. And the train makes too few stops along the way. Therefore, experienced travelers have found a more cunning way to get to any point in the city: bus + metro. Hong Kong Airport is served by four free shuttle routes. They are distinguished from other buses by the letter "S" in the name. We are interested in route "S1". This shuttle bus will take you to the nearest metro station - "Tung Chung". Then you can move in any direction you want. The Hong Kong Metro is quite extensive and covers the entire city. The inconvenience in this method is the need for a transplant. You will also have to walk long enough to get to the metro train. But the savings are significant. The subway is the cheapest way to get to Hong Kong airport.
Bus
This mode of transport is cheaper than "AirportExpress". Although more expensive than the subway. But the traveler has a great opportunity to drive over a long bridge and see the main sights of the city. In order to take the bus, we go down to the lowest floor of the Hong Kong airport terminals. We have already explained how to get to the city by metro. But now we need routes that start with the letters "A", "E" and "N". Passenger transportation is carried out by several companies. Buses differ in color and inscriptions on the sides. But all the cars are very comfortable, two-story. Passengers with a lot of luggage should choose orange buses. Suitcases must be left in a special compartment on the ground floor. The most popular routes for tourists are A11 (the bus goes to Wan Chai) and A21, which goes to Kowloon. The fare depends on the carrier company and ranges from 33 to 40 Hong Kong dollars (from 246 to 298 Russian rubles). Buses are good because they make frequent stops in the city. So you don't have to walk far to the hotel.
Transportation to the Pearl River Delta
Many tourists are interested in how to get from Hong Kong airport to Shenzhen, Macau and other cities of free economic zones. There are two options. If you consider Hong Kong only as a transit point, then you don’t even have to go through passport and customs controls. Directly from the neutral zone of the airport there is an exit to the ferry pier, which will take you to the Pearl River Delta. Several directions have been launched: to Shenzhen, Shekou, Macau,Donggun, Zhongshan, Guangzhou and Zhuhai. Attention: if you are thinking about how to get to Hong Kong airport from the Pearl River Delta, then the ferry will suit you only if you have an air ticket for a flight from this hub. Another option is the bus. But in this case, you need to go through all immigration procedures. The bus station is located on the lowest level of Terminal 2.
How to get to Hong Kong Airport from the city
If a taxi ride (250-360 local dollars, or 1860-2680 rubles) seems expensive to you, use public transport. Free shuttles run to Hong Kong Railway Station from various areas. But then you have to spend money on a high-speed train. The cheapest way to get to the airport is by metro with a transfer to the shuttle. "Golden mean" is a bus to the airport. Literally all routes starting with the letters "A", and most with "E" are suitable for us. The buses have a scoreboard indicating all the stops, so it is simply impossible to confuse and call in the wrong place. Hong Kong is an open and tourist-friendly city. The intense rhythm of his life at first frightens the unprepared traveler. But all the infrastructure and transport links are built "wisely", so getting around the city is easy and simple.
