The MTR is Hong Kong's subway system, or if you're European the Metro. It is universally referred to as the MTR. Subway in Hong Kong connotes the British meaning of an underground passageway.
The MTR has won a slew of awards and is one of the best subway systems in the world. It covers anywhere you might want to go in Kowloon and on Hong Kong Island and also extends into the New Territories.
Trains on all lines start between 06:00am - 06:10am and stop again between 00:50am - 02:00am. During this period trains run at a gobsmacking frequency, with trains generally every two - three minutes, less later at night.
Train stations are universally safe and spotlessly clean, however they don't contain toilets.
Tickets can be bought from either automated, English language machines inside the station or from a manned desk. You feed the ticket into the turnstile to enter the platform and retain it, before entering it again at the destination stop.
As of 2008, the KCR, which formerly served the New Territories has been merged with the MTR and all routes and stations are now known as the MTR.
