Hong Kong International Airport (HKG)
Tel: 2181 8888 (general enquiries).
Website: www.hkairport.com

Hong Kong's airport is located 45km (28 miles) from central Hong Kong, at Chek Lap Kok on Lantau island. The expanse and quality of shopping, dining and relaxation facilities at Chep Lap Kok are a real eye-opener for any first-time visitor. SkyPlaza serves as a focal point for air, sea and surface traffic and forms part of the larger SkyCity development, including the AsiaWorld-Expo exhibition centre and concert venue, a hotel, golf course and cross-boundary ferry terminal.

Approximate flight times to Hong Kong: From London is 11 hours 45 minutes; from New York is 20 hours (due to non-stop New York-Hong Kong services); from Los Angeles is 14 hours 35 minutes; from Toronto is 15 hours 15 minutes and from Sydney is 9 hours.

Airport facilities: Hong Kong International Airport has a suite of facilities appropriate to its size and importance. Estimated baggage reclaim time is as low as 10 minutes. The Hong Kong SkyMart shopping centre (open 0600-2430) has more than 130 shops, including 40 food and beverage outlets. Three information centres (open 0600-2400) provide extensive services, including hotel reservation and touch-screen passenger information kiosks. Free multimedia and Internet access lounges are available in the passenger terminal; free Wi-Fi access is airport-wide. Bureaux de change are open daily 0600-2330. Located at Level 7 departures hall, near gate 60, the 24-hour Plaza Shower & Relaxation Lounge (tel: 2261 2068; website: www.plaza-ppl.com) offers showers and rooms for napping between flights. The passenger terminal building has special-needs facilities for passengers with disabilities. Car hire is available at the Ground Transport Centre from Avis, Hertz and other major operators.

Business facilities: Connect Zone (0800-2100) located in the Level 6 departures hall near Gate 24, provides free Wi-Fi, Internet access and local phone calls plus other business support services (printing, photocopying, fax service, mobile phone battery charging, and phone cards).

Transport to the city: Rail, bus and taxi links from the airport to central Hong Kong leave from the Ground Transportation Centre. The easiest connection is via the high-speed MTR Airport Express train (tel: 2881 8888), which runs daily 0550-0048 and leaves every 12 minutes, taking passengers from the airport to central Hong Kong in just 24 minutes, via stops at Tsing Yi and Kowloon stations. The Airport Express is operated by the Mass Transit Railway (MTR) (see Public Transport), which also connects districts through Kowloon and Hong Kong Island with the airport. There is a combined Airport Express Tourist Octopus three-day Hong Kong transport pass available, which allows for one or two single trips into Hong Kong, plus three days of unlimited rides on the MTR. It can be purchased online at www.mtr.com.hk/eng/oticketing/intro.html. Passengers can also take advantage of free shuttle buses linking MTR's Hong Kong and Kowloon stations with major hotels; there is also a free check-in service at both stations for up to a day before departure.

By bus, the quickest way to central Hong Kong is on the Airbus (tel: 2261 2791) and Cityflyer airport buses (tel: 2873 0818; www.nwstbus.com.hk), which depart every 15 minutes (journey time - 1 hour) for services to Central. About 30 franchised routes serve the airport, including night buses, with 17 pick-up bays. The earliest ‘A' route express bus services run from 0600 to 2400, the ‘N' night-bus service takes over between 0015 and 0500.

Taxis to Hong Kong are readily available. Red taxis serve Hong Kong Island and Kowloon, green taxis serve the New Territories and blue taxis serve Lantau Island (journey time to Hong Kong - 45 minutes and costs approximately HK$240-300).

Ferry links operate between the airport and Tuen Mun in the New Territories every 30 minutes, daily 0600-1000 (journey time - 9 minutes). Turbojet (tel: 2307 0880; website: www.turbojetseaexpress.com.hk) provides direct ferry services from Chep Lap Kok airport to/from Macau (daily 0945-2200; journey time - 45 minutes) and Shenzhen (daily 1045-1950; journey time - 40 minutes).