Getting Your Bearings in Tung Chung
Tung Chung sits on the northwestern coast of Lantau Island and is one of Hong Kong's most recent new towns. It grew out of a rural fishing village beside Tung Chung Bay, and was developed as part of the Airport Core Programme — the package of infrastructure projects built around the relocation of Hong Kong's international airport from Kai Tak to Chek Lap Kok, right next to Tung Chung. The town was designed to serve as a supporting community for the airport, and it is the first new town on an outlying island of Hong Kong. For a visitor, that history matters: Tung Chung is a compact, purpose-built town with an excellent transport interchange at its heart, and it doubles as a gateway both to the airport and to the rest of Lantau.
How Tourists Get Around Hong Kong
Hong Kong's public transport is dense, frequent and easy to use without a car. Visitors typically move around on the metro network, on buses, and by taxi, with ferries filling in the gaps between islands. Fares are commonly paid with a stored-value smart card tapped on entry (and sometimes on exit), which works across most operators and is the simplest way to travel. Single-journey tickets are also available on the metro. Because the networks are integrated, you can usually plan a trip as a chain of short hops rather than one long journey.
Rail and Metro
Tung Chung is served by the MTR Tung Chung line, which links the town directly to the urban core. The station anchors the town centre and is surrounded by the main private and public housing developments, so most of Tung Chung's shops, hotels and residential blocks are within easy reach of it. The line also connects onward to Sunny Bay, where you can interchange for the Disneyland Resort line.
Beyond the metro, Hong Kong also has a tram network on Hong Kong Island and heavier rail links to the mainland, but for a visitor based in Tung Chung the MTR is the backbone of day-to-day travel. Buy a single ticket from the machines or, better, use a stored-value card so you can move between metro, buses and other operators without queueing each time.
Buses and Other Public Transport
Buses complement the metro and are often the only way to reach parts of Lantau. Several franchised operators run routes in and around Tung Chung, including Citybus, Long Win Bus and New Lantao Bus, alongside green minibuses.
- Connections to the metro: Citybus route B5 links Sunny Bay with Hong Kong Disneyland during specified time periods and connects to the MTR Tung Chung line at Sunny Bay. New Lantao Bus routes B6 and B6S serve Tung Chung (Mun Tung Estate and Tung Chung Town Centre) and connect to MTR Tung Chung Station; B6S runs Hong Kong Port-bound only, Mondays to Fridays except public holidays.
- Airport and SkyCity: New Lantao Bus B4 runs to the Airport and the SKYCITY Transport Terminal. Green minibus 901 serves Tung Chung North, the CAD Headquarters and Cathay City.
- Airport "A" routes: These run between the airport area and urban districts and the New Territories, with destinations including Ap Lei Chau, North Point, Siu Sai Wan, Hung Hom, Lam Tin, Tsz Wan Shan, Kai Tak, Yau Tong, Tseung Kwan O, Tsuen Wan, Kwai Chung, Tuen Mun, Hung Shui Kiu, Yuen Long, Sha Tin, Wu Kai Sha, Fanling, Fo Tan and Tai Po. Some also call at the Hong Kong Port.
- Lantau destinations: New Lantao Bus A35 runs to Mui Wo via Tung Chung, Tong Fuk, Cheung Sha and Pui O — useful if you want to explore the island's beaches and villages.
- Interchanges and fares: You can switch between Citybus or Long Win "E" routes at the Lantau Link Bus-bus Interchange or the Tuen Mun–Chek Lap Kok Tunnel Bus-bus Interchange. Concessionary fares apply for interchanges within the same franchised bus company when you tap the same Octopus card or electronic payment.
- Overnight services: Overnight airport "NA" routes and New Lantao Bus N35 serve the Hong Kong Port in the small hours, so late arrivals are not stranded.
- Non-franchised buses: Pre-booked tour, hotel and contract-hire services also operate between the Hong Kong Port and urban areas and the New Territories.
Taxis and Ride-Hailing
Taxis are available at the Hong Kong Port and around Tung Chung. Hong Kong's taxis are colour-coded by operating area: Urban (red), New Territories (green) and Lantau (blue), plus fleet taxis. If you are heading somewhere on Lantau, a blue Lantau taxi is the natural choice; for cross-harbour or urban trips, look for a red one. Taxis are metered, and it helps to have your destination written in Chinese. Ride-hailing apps operate in Hong Kong as an alternative, though the licensed taxi ranks remain the most predictable option at the airport and the port.
Walking Around Tung Chung
Tung Chung is a compact new town built largely on reclaimed land to the north, east and northeast of the original village, with the metro station and town centre at its core. Most of the housing estates, the shopping and commercial buildings, and the transport interchanges sit close together, so walking between the station, your hotel and the shops is usually straightforward. The town is primarily residential, with an office block and hotel already completed and further commercial development envisaged to support the growing population.
Some attractions are a short walk from the station — Hau Wong Temple, for example, is about twenty minutes on foot from the train station. If you want to see the older side of Tung Chung, the surviving fishing villages near Tung Chung Bay offer a glimpse of the area before the airport and new town arrived.
Getting from the Airport into the City
Hong Kong International Airport sits at Chek Lap Kok, immediately adjacent to Tung Chung, which makes the town an unusually convenient base for arrivals and departures. From the airport area you have several practical options:
- Metro: The MTR Tung Chung line connects Tung Chung Station to the urban core, so you can reach the city by rail after a short transfer from the airport.
- Airport "A" buses: These run from the airport to a wide spread of urban and New Territories destinations, including Hong Kong Island, Kowloon and the New Territories. Fares vary by destination and are paid with a stored-value card or electronic payment.
- Local feeder buses: New Lantao Bus B4 links the airport and SKYCITY Transport Terminal, and routes B6/B6S connect the Tung Chung area to MTR Tung Chung Station.
- Taxis: Urban, New Territories, Lantau and fleet taxis are all available, so you can pick the colour that matches your destination.
- Overnight: If you land in the small hours, overnight "NA" airport routes and New Lantao Bus N35 keep the port connected.
Because the airport, the Hong Kong Port and Tung Chung's bus and rail interchanges are all clustered together, you can treat the area as a single transport hub: land, clear immigration, and then choose rail, bus or taxi for the onward leg into the city.
Practical Tips
- Use a stored-value smart card for buses and the metro; it also unlocks concessionary interchange fares within the same franchised bus company.
- Check whether your bus route runs only at certain times or on certain days — some, like B5 and B6S, have restricted operating periods.
- For Lantau destinations such as Mui Wo, Tong Fuk, Cheung Sha and Pui O, the A35 bus is a direct option via Tung Chung.
- Keep the operator enquiry hotlines handy: New Lantao Bus (2984 9848), Long Win Bus (2261 2791) and Citybus (2873 0818).
- If you are arriving or departing via the Hong Kong Port, note that cross-boundary coach and hire-car services are also available, with their own enquiry lines.