Octopus Card

95% of Hong Kong residents own Octopus cards. As of today, Aaron and I each have our own. Why did we join the 14 million other card holders?

An Octopus card is a money smart-card. These cards are so versatile as a payment method that I might as well give up credit cards and quit carrying cash. Although the biggest allure is the touch-and-go system. It is common to see people drag their purse or bag over this. That yellow infinity symbol means “Hey…lucky you! Don’t worry about fiddling with small change. Just get your card near this thing and then you can pass through the metal gate, or buy groceries, or pump gas, or even get some salty dried fish out of this vending machine.”

It costs about 6 USD to own one and “add-value” machines are sprinkled all over Hong Kong. I feel so high-tech carrying one of these. And honestly it shaves off 10 minutes from my daily commute. Two days out of the week I have to take a ferry, subway, light rail, and then bus to the school I work at. It’s an hour and forty-five minute commute. Before my octopus card I had to have exact change for each of these transits. Now I just breeze on through like everyone else.

The octopus card is only 10 years old in Hong Kong. In the early years only the subway systems accepted them. Now every public transportation system in Hong Kong does. That’s not to mention the 7-Elevens, McDonald’s, and other shops. In fact, so many people now use Octopus cards that some stores no longer take small coins (the little shop down the street from us, for example!).

Despite culture shock and daily misadventures, Hong Kong is becoming our home. Joining the card swiping masses is just another sign.