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Public Transport Fare Subsidy Scheme

Non-means-tested Public Transport Fare Subsidy Scheme Introduced by the Government

The Government has been implemented the Public Transport Fare Subsidy Scheme ("the Scheme") on 1 January 2019. All commuters, regardless of their age and income levels, are not required to submit an application for the Scheme. Under the Scheme, commuters with monthly public transport expenses exceeding $400 are eligible for the public transport fare subsidy. The Government will provide a subsidy amounting to 25% of the actual monthly public transport expenses in excess of $400, subject to a maximum of $300 per month. The subsidy of each month will be calculated on the basis of the actual monthly public transport expenses recorded on each Octopus.

From 1 January 2020, the Government has enhanced the Public Transport Fare Subsidy Scheme by increasing the fare subsidy rate from one-fourth to one-third of public transport expenses in excess of $400 and raising the subsidy cap from $300 to $400 per month per Octopus.

To allow more commuters to benefit from the Scheme during the epidemic, the Government has implemented a special measure to temporarily relax the monthly threshold of the Scheme from $400 to $200 from 1 July 2020 to 30 June 2021.  The Government has decided to extend the aforementioned special measure for another six months till 31 December 2021, and temporarily increase the monthly subsidy cap of the Scheme from $400 to $500 from 1 April to 31 December 2021.  In other words, during the period from 1 April to 31 December 2021, the Government will provide a subsidy amounting to one-third of the actual public transport expenses in excess of $200, subject to a maximum of $500 per month for each Octopus.

For details about the Scheme, please click here or call the Scheme hotline (2969 5500) or 1823.

MTR Fares Covered by the Scheme

The Scheme covers all fares of MTR trips paid by Octopus (including Light Rail and MTR buses). In addition, the fares of Monthly Pass Extra, MTR City Saver, Tuen Mun – Nam Cheong Day Pass, Airport Express Round Trip Ticket and Airport Express Group Ticket can also be included in the monthly public transport expenses for calculation of subsidy under the Scheme. Monthly Pass Extra is encoded on Octopus and hence, the expenses on purchasing the ticket will be recorded under the Scheme automatically.

For MTR City Saver, Tuen Mun – Nam Cheong Day Pass, Airport Express Round Trip Ticket and Airport Express Group Ticket, passengers are required to go through a simple registration with the relevant tickets, the Octopus and sales receipts issued from Airport Express Customer Service Centre (only applicable to Airport Express Round Trip Ticket and Airport Express Group Ticket) at the "Designated Transport Ticket Self-registration Point" within 30 days from the date of purchase according to the registration instructions set out in the table below. Also, commuters can collect subsidy by tapping the Octopus at the "Subsidy Collection Point". Please click here for the MTR station list of the "Designated Transport Ticket Self-registration Point" and "Subsidy Collection Point".

Registration Instructions of Designated Tickets

MTR Tickets Covered by the Scheme

Registration Instructions

MTR City Saver Tuen Mun – Nam Cheong Day Pass*

Select "Other MTR Tickets" on the main menu at the Designated Transport Ticket Self-registration Point. Tap your ticket on the reader according to the instruction. When the ticket has been read successfully, tap the Octopus on the reader. After completing the registration process, the relevant information will be displayed on the screen. Passengers may check the registration status 2 days later at the Scheme website (click here), the Octopus App or call the Scheme hotline at 2969 5500.

* The free Tuen Mun – Nam Cheong Day Pass exchanged from ten expired Tuen Mun – Nam Cheong Day Passes is not covered by the Scheme.

Please click here for FAQ.