Hong Kong-based smart-card service provider Octopus has partnered with Guangdong Lingnan Pass Company to offer co-named products – the Octopus Lingnan Pass and the Lingnan Pass Octopus cards – that can be used in Hong Kong and 16 other cities in the Chinese province of Guangdong, making it easy for travellers to make small payments on the road.
The two-in-one cards, equipped with Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) technology, store both Hong Kong Dollars and Reminbi and can be used for public transport and at selected retail and fastfood outlets in cities such as Guangzhou, Foshan, Zhuhai and Zhongshan.
Starting from 18 July, adult Octopus Lingnan Pass cards can be purchased from all MTR and Light Rail customer service centres in Hong Kong for HK$98 (US$12) each and adult Lingnan Pass Octopus cards can be bought at corresponding facilities in each of the 16 cities in Guangdong for RMB80 (US$12) each. All cards are sold anonymously and no personal information is stored on them. Cardholders can add value at authorised kiosks or service points.
To launch the joint initiative, 3,000 sets of commemorative cards, specially designed in white instead of blue, will be available in Hong Kong at HK$298 (US$38) each through the customer service centres at 26 designated MTR stations while another 1,500 sets will be sold at Lingnan Pass sales outlets in Guangdong for RMB238 (US$37) each.
General manager of Guangdong Lingnan Pass Company Xie Zhendong said he believed the new products would facilitate cross-border travel and promote economic integration and cultural exchange between the southern Chinese province and the Special Administrative Region.
For a special report on the Octopus Card and other multi-purpose, RFID-powered cards, click here.
For more information, visit www.octopus.com.hk
Michelle Fong
