Definitive guide on how to plan stopover time efficiently in Hong Kong

“How to plan stopover time in Hong Kong” is the first question for these who have only limited time (hours or days) in Hong Kong. Especially for visitors who need to transfer the connecting flight and have only several hours layover time, you may wonder whether/how you can use your limited stopover time wisely while in Hong Kong. If you don’t want to just waste the time in the airport, then make sure that you have sufficient time for sightseeing apart from time for Immigration and Security Check as well as time for traveling between airport and attractions.

You man wonder
– whether it is worthwhile to go out of the airport and take a look of the city;
– how much time you need to enjoy a stopover tour;
– how much time you will need for clearing Immigration and Security Check;

Here is a general overview on what you must consider and some ideas about what you can do when doing a stopover visit in Hong Kong.

How to plan stopover time / layover time – Minimum time required for stopover visit

No matter you come to Hong Kong from international flights, cruise ships, ferries, bus or car from Mainland China or Macau, there are lots of ways to spend the time more meaningful instead of wasting in the airport.

For stopover tour, the most critical part is time management if you don’t want to miss your flight. Depending where you come from, which flight carrier you fly with as well as how your connecting flight is scheduled, the layover time can range from just a few hours (3-4 hours) to half a day (12 hours) or even complete days (24 hours or more).

The options of how to spend the layover time mainly depends on how much time you have. Naturally, the longer, the more you can see and explore.

How much time you will have left for sightseeing?
– In general, you will need 30 to 45 minutes clearing Immigration and Customs.
– If you would like to step out of the airport for sightseeing, calculate another 20 to 30 minutes to drop baggages to the Airport Baggage Service.
– Don’t forget plan extra time for Immigration and Security Check again (roughly 20 minutes) on the way back to the connecting flight.
Now you can easily calculate how much you have left for other things.

Generally speaking, it’s better to have at least 6 – 8 hours layover time to do some stress-free sightseeing outside the airport or in downtown. For those who have layover time less than 6 hours, the options are very limited.

Depending how much time you will have, you can decide whether you should stay in the airport, travel to the attractions nearby airport or go further to downtown areas where the major attractions are.

Too exhausted after long-haul flight? Then how about rest in one of the airport hotels, which are only walking distance or 2-minute away from airport. Some hotels offer “Day Use Room Stays” package for those who just want to have a short rest.

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Time required for necessary procedures

No matter how long your stopover time will be, don’t forget to reserve some time for the standard procedures after getting off the plane.

Brief about Hong Kong International Airport (HKIA):
Hong Kong International Airport has won many times “Skytrax World’s Best Airport” awards. It’s highly efficient, well-organized as well as clear-signed. No matter the immigration clearance, airport services or the security check are very fast compared with many other cities.

Here lists the steps that you need to pay attention:

• Pass immigration with valid passport and visa (how much time needed)
• Check in hand-luggage (if any) for a burden-free visit (how much time needed)
• Get boarding pass of connecting flight
  (if you travel with two different airlines)
• Exchange some cash (if needed)
• Travel from airport to attractions (how much time needed)
• Security check for connecting flight (returning back after sightseeing) (how much time needed?)
• Clear immigration again and back to your connecting flight

All of the steps need time. Don’t want to miss your connecting flight? Then remember to plan sufficient time.

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How much time needed for Immigration and Customs

– Normally 30 – 45 minutes

Unless you are in transit and stay inside the airport, every passenger wishing to exit the airport needs to pass Immigration and Customs. Procedures in Hong Kong airport are simple, easy and efficient.

Arriving in Hong Kong is actually very convenient. Immigration, Airport facilities as well as Customs are very well organized and optimized. Having this efficient environment plus the opportunity of stopover options from different airline companies make it easy to opt for a stopover in Hong Kong.

Keep in mind that there are certain Visa Requirements depending which passport you hold. So double-check if you need a Visa to enter Hong Kong. European, US, UK, NZ and AUS passport holders don’t need a Visa. Simply present passport and get an e-entry ticket.

Clearing Immigration and Customs can take 30 – 45 minutes (depending on time and day). This estimate can be considered as an average “best-case scenario”. Sometimes it can be as fast as only 20 minutes or as long as 90 minutes when it’s busy holidays.

Luggage belts are right behind the Immigration. Most of you don’t need to worry about that since your main luggage is kept by the airline company and already checked through to your final destination. For those whose connecting flight is different air company, you will have to wait and pick your luggages after clearing immigration. Averagely it will take another 15 – 20 min until the luggages show up on the luggage belt.

If you need more information, check out details about “How to clear Hong Kong Immigration”.

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How much time needed for dropping hand baggage

– Approximately 20 – 30 minutes

If you prefer to enjoy your sightseeing relaxed without heavy hand baggages, you may want to drop them to the Airport Baggage Service.

There is a secure short-term baggage storage facility located on Level 5 of Terminal 1 (non-restricted area). It is about 10 min walk from the Arrival Hall of Hong Kong Airport. Storing your bags is available on an hourly charge for HK$ 14/piece. The daily fee is HK$ 165.

The luggage facility is open from 5:30am – 1:30am (Monday to Sunday). For enquiries you can reach them under + (852) 2261 0110 or check their official site ““Baggage Storage”.

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How much time needed for travelling to downtown areas

– Averagely 30 – 90 minutes depending on the transport means

Hong Kong Airport is located outside the town, it takes around 30-60min by different means of airport transport. There are mainly 8 Hong Kong Airport transport options.

READ MORE ABOUT:
How to travel from Hong Kong Airport to city center and hotels

Taking Airport Express is the fastest and most direct way to downtown areas, no matter you decide to go to Hong Kong Island or Kowloon. Airport Express will not be affected by the road traffic and will guarantee you a direct ride within 30 min. Besides, it has a special ticket promotion for the stopover guests that you only need to pay for one ride but enjoy the round trip if you return within the same day.

You also can consider taking taxi or airbus to downtown, which takes about 45 – 90 min depending on your destination. Don’t forget to calculate the possible traffic jam.

Plus another 30 min travelling back to the airport and 1-1.5 hour before boarding the connecting flight, it is only possible to make a visit to downtown Hong Kong if you have over 6-8 hours in-between. An ideal stopover time would be above 8+ hours. This would leave you enough time to enjoy some sightseeing places without worrying too much about catching the outbound flight as well as being too much in a rush.

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How much time needed for Immigration and Security Check (outbound flight)

– Normally 20 minutes

After short time sightseeing, you will have to get back to the airport. Besides Immigration and Customs, you will also need to go through Security Check. Once again, Hong Kong airport has very high efficiency. It takes only 20 min for getting through all of these.

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How to arrange the limited time and see the most of Hong Kong?

The arrangement of itinerary is mainly depends on how long your stopover time is and what your interests are. Obviously, after calculating time needed for the necessary procedures, no need to consider getting outside the airport unless you have more than 5-6 hour stopover time. For taking a look of downtown Hong Kong, it is only do-able if you have more than 7-8 hours.

In addition, budget is always a constraint. With only a few hours, sometimes you probably need to depend on taxis, which are faster but also more expensive than the average public transportation. Taxi is not always the best option especially when it’s the high traffic areas or period.

Here are some advices for your reference to plan your time wisely while you wait for your connecting flight.

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If you have only 2-3 hour layover time

In case you have only 2 – 3 hours layover in Hong Kong, you will not have sufficient time to travel outside airport. Actually, you will merely even have some time to look around in the airport.

If you don’t want to just sit at the gate waiting for your flight, the best option is to take a look around in the airport of the restricted area. You then don’t need to go through the Immigration and Security Check again.

Hong Kong is known as “Shopping Heaven” with tax-free. So as the airport. In Hong Kong International Airport there are numerous shops , stores and restaurants with a large variety of choices. There are several options you can consider including shopping, dining, taking a spa treatment or simply sit down in a lounge and relax.

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If you have 4-5 hour layover time

With only 4 to 5 hours layover time, you also don’t have many options.

Deducting the time for passing immigration, security check and waiting for boarding, you will have merely 1.5 – 2.5 hours left to look around. Unfortunately, there are no attraction nearby the airport that you can manage within such short time.

The nearest shopping mall “Citygate Outlets” is 5-10 minute away by bus. Another shopping mall “Maritime Square” is 14-minute away by Airport Express. Both are possible to pay a visit but will be a bit stressed.

Whether it is possible to visit Big Buddha when stopover time is less than 6 hours?

Some may ask that since Ngong Ping Cable Car is only 10-15 min bus ride away from the airport, is it possible to cover the cable car and Big Buddha within the time frame? Although Ngong Ping 360 and Big Buddha is nearby the airport, considering the possible waiting time for the Cable Car and the cable car ride takes 30 min (one way), unless you want to risk missing the connecting flight, visiting the Big Buddha within such short time is not recommended.

However, if you would like to do some shopping, besides the SkyMart mall in the airport, there are two shopping malls very close: Maritime Square and Citygate Outlets. Citygate Outlets is a 4-floor outlet mall and carries many popular international brands, such as Amani, Kate Spade, Adidas, Nike, Swarovski etc, while Maritime Square is a four-storey shopping centre located on Tsing Yi with a total of 140 shops with a wide variety of restaurants, bookstores, fashion stores, electrical appliances stores, supermarket, cinema and banks, etc.

The shopping malls in Hong Kong usually open around 10:30am – 11:00am daily and close around 10:00pm – 10:30pm.

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For 6-7 hour stopover time

Besides all the things for stopover time less than 6 hours, when you have 6-7 hours, you may have chances to get out of the airport.

– travel to city center: not recommended
With limited 3 – 4 hours free time, if you would like to visit the downtown, only 2 – 2.5 hours time is left for sightseeing apart from time needed for traveling back and forth. It will be too much in a hurry and stressed.

– visit Lantau Island
Alternatively, it is possible to pay a quick visit to the Lantau Island near the airport (e.g. Big Buddha, Po Lin Monastery) or do some shopping in the Citygate Outlets, which are only 10 min bus drive away from the airport. Bus S1 can take you directly from the airport to Tung Chung Citygate Outlets and terminal of Ngong Ping Cable Car.

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When you have 8 hours or more stopover time

When you have move than 7 – 8 hour time before your connecting flight, you have a good chance (over 4 hours) to enjoy your time in the downtown areas and do some sightseeing.

Worry about time management and missing your connecting flight? A Private Walking Tour with the local experts may be the best way to use the time efficiently. You will have chances to get to know not only famous attractions but also Hong Kong’s own stories and secrets.

If you are the first time visitor, you should visit at least one of Hong Kong’s most famous and iconic attractions Victoria Harbour and Victoria Peak (The Peak).

• To save time, the best option to travel to downtown is by Airport Express. It takes less than 30 minutes to Central district. Ticket discount is available online.

Besides, the following attractions/routes are on the recommended list. Basically you only can plan to do two or maximum three suggested sightseeing routes. Remember to check the individual articles for fast pass, discount tickets as well as insider tips.

West Kowloon:

• sky100 Observation Deck and shopping at Elements Mall;

Hong Kong Island:

• Visit The Peak, Peak Tram and Sky Terrace 428 and shop at IFC Mall;
• Ride the historical and iconic Ding Ding Tram;

Tsim Sha Tsui:

• Take the Star Ferry;
• Enjoy skyline along Tsim Sha Tsui Waterfront promenade of Victoria Harbour;
• Do some shopping at Harbour City shopping mall in Tsim Sha Tsui (the largest mall in Hong Kong);
• Take an afternoon tea-time at the famous Peninsula Hotel (Book high tea combo) in Tsim Sha Tsui;

Other options:

• Enjoying some of Hong Kong’s most famous dishes e.g. Dim Sum (this can be done in the airport);
• Experience the local life style among Street Markets;

Reminder: For sky100 Observation Deck, Peak Tram and Ngong Ping 360 Cable Car, don’t forget to calculate the time that you need to standing in line. To save time, you can consider to get entry pass in advance online.

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If you have more than 12-hour stopover time in Hong Kong

For those who have more than 12 hours in Hong Kong or plan to stay Hong Kong longer, you can consider stay in one of the airport hotels nearby. There are many hotels in the close vicinity to the airport. Staying in one of the Hong Kong airport hotels or near the airport is a great option for those who have an early departure or plan a stopover.

If you have one-full day or more days in Hong Kong, check out how to “Arrange Your Stay in Hong Kong” and get more details on how to plan the stopover time (1-day Stay, 2-day Stay, 3-day Stay, 4-day Stay and 5-day Stay).

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Here are some brief suggestions on how to get to all these attractions efficiently. For more details, you can check the full reviews.