if we are travelling in hongkong, can we use 1 octopus card for 6 persons?

Answered by Reuben Dillon , Guangzhou, China

No each person will need an individual card

Answered by Terence Parker , Peking, China

To be more precise - the reason is that on the MTR system you pay a distance fare, so once you enter the gates your card is locked (for MTR purposes) until you 'exit'. That way the correct fare can be calculated and deducted. For that reason, only once person can use it. On the bus network, although you only pay once (when boarding), your card is also locked for a period of time to prevent repeated use.

There's a small fee for refunding Octopus cards in a short period of time if you depart Hong Kong, but considering that travel is slightly cheaper using the Octopus (vs. cash), you won't be losing that much, and it's still worth it for the convenience.