← Part of the Hong Kong money guide
Hong Kongchecked Jul 2026StraightforwardTaxis in Hong Kong, and the color zones
Hong Kong taxis are cheap, honest and everywhere, but two things trip up visitors: they come in colors by area, and many still take only cash. Here is how it works.
At a glance
Apps
Uber, HKTaxi (or just hail one)
Taxis
Red, green, blue by area, metered
From the airport
The Airport Express train
Tipping
Round up the small change
You can just hail a taxi on the street (they are plentiful and cheap), or use Uber or HKTaxi. The quirk is the colors: red taxis serve urban Hong Kong Island and Kowloon, green the New Territories, and blue Lantau. They are metered and honest, but many take only cash, so carry HK dollars. From the airport, the Airport Express train is fast. You tip only by rounding up the change.
Which app, or just hail one
Taxis are plentiful and cheap in Hong Kong, so street-hailing is genuinely easy. If you prefer, Uber works (in a legal gray area but widely used) and HKTaxi books a regular cab.
An app helps with the language (many drivers speak limited English) and lets you pay by card, which matters because many street taxis are cash-only. Have your destination in Chinese as a backup.
From the airport
From Hong Kong International (HKG), the Airport Express train reaches Central in about 24 minutes, with free porter and in-town check-in perks, and airport buses are a cheaper option.
A taxi is metered (roughly HK$250 to HK$350 to Central) and adds tunnel tolls for cross-harbour trips. Note the color: take a red taxi for the city, and be aware a driver may prefer trips that avoid the return toll.
The colors, and carry cash
Hong Kong taxis are color-coded by area: red for urban Hong Kong Island and Kowloon (what you will use most), green for the New Territories, and blue for Lantau Island. A red taxi covers the main tourist areas.
They are metered and honest, but the practical catch is that many take only cash (though Octopus and e-payments are spreading), so always carry enough HK dollars for a taxi rather than assuming a card will work.
Fares, paying and tipping
Fares are metered and cheap, with legitimate extras for tunnel tolls and a small per-bag luggage fee. Pay in cash unless the taxi clearly takes cards or Octopus. To tip, just round up the change, which is all locals do.
For more, see tipping in Hong Kong, cash or card in Hong Kong, and the Hong Kong money guide.
Common questions
Quick answers.
Is Uber in Hong Kong?
Yes, Uber works in Hong Kong (in a legal gray area but widely used), and HKTaxi books a regular cab. But taxis are so plentiful and cheap that street-hailing is easy too.
What do the taxi colors mean in Hong Kong?
They mark the area a taxi serves: red for urban Hong Kong Island and Kowloon, green for the New Territories, and blue for Lantau Island. A red taxi covers the main tourist areas.
Do Hong Kong taxis take cards?
Many still take only cash, though Octopus and e-payments are spreading. Always carry enough HK dollars for a taxi rather than assuming a card will work, or use an app to pay by card.
Do you tip taxi drivers in Hong Kong?
Only by rounding up the change, which is what locals do. Fares are metered and cheap, with legitimate extras for tunnel tolls and luggage.
More on Hong Kong
The little money things nobody warns you about.
- Tipping in Hong KongHong Kong has a light tipping culture. Most sit-down restaurants add a 10% service charge, so a tip is largely built in, and casual spots and taxis expect little or nothing. Here is what you actually owe.
- Do I need cash in Hong Kong, or can I use cards?Short answer: a card for most things, an Octopus card for the rest, and a little cash for markets. The Octopus card is the real key to Hong Kong. Here is how to handle it.
- Bringing your dog or cat to Hong Kong.Hong Kong is stricter on paperwork than on waiting. The US sits in its middle risk tier, which means no quarantine by default, no rabies titer, and no long biology clock. The whole game is the AFCD Special Permit, which you must hold before you book a flight, and getting every document exactly right, because a single gap can turn a no-quarantine move into months of it. Here is the route.
- Staying connected in Hong Kong.Hong Kong has excellent coverage, cheap prepaid data and free wifi almost everywhere, so this is an easy one. The wrinkle worth knowing is the border: Hong Kong is not behind the mainland firewall, and that changes what to buy if you are crossing.
- What does getting sick in Hong Kong cost a visitor?Hong Kong is unusually honest about this: the Hospital Authority publishes a price list for people who are not Hong Kong residents, and you are on it. The rates went up in January 2026.
Sources, and how this was checked
Last checkedJul 2026
- Hong Kong Tourism Boardofficial travel information
- US State DepartmentHong Kong information
Our own readHong Kong taxis are cheap, metered and honest, with color zones by area and a cash habit that catches visitors out. Fares, tolls and payment options shift over time, so this is our practical read. Checked July 2026.
How we checkHow every guide is researched, checked and dated