FAQ

You may add value to your Octopus with cash, up to HK$3,000 at designated Octopus service providers, including major transport service operators and retail outlets accepting Octopus. For Smart Octopus in Samsung Pay issued before 1 October 2019 or Octopus issued before 1 December 2019, the stored value limit of such Octopus will be upgraded to HK$3,000 when using designated services with effect from 29 April 2021, click here for details.

Alternatively, you can use the Automatic Add Value Service (AAVS) for all types of Octopus. When the stored value on an AAVS-linked Octopus reaches zero or a negative value, or when the remaining value plus the maximum negative value (HK$35 or HK$50 if your Octopus is an On-Loan Octopus issued on or after 1 October 2017 and HK$50 for Octopus on iPhone or Apple Watch, Huawei Pay Octopus or Smart Octopus in Samsung Pay) is insufficient to pay for a deduction,  the auto-reload amount pre-selected at the time of application (HK$150, HK$250, HK$500 or HK$1,000) will be automatically deducted from your designated credit card account and loaded to your Octopus. Each Octopus can be automatically reloaded only once per day.

AAVS can be linked with all types of Octopus.

To apply for AAVS, you must be aged 18 or above and have a designated credit card issued by a participating financial institution. If you are a credit card holder of below participating financial institutions*, you can link up AAVS to a maximum of three Octopus for yourself with your selected credit card under the same participating financial institution. Alternatively, you can maximum link up AAVS to three Octopus for yourself with different credit card issued by three different financial institutions. Each Octopus Holder can apply maximum 3 AAVS for his/her family members or friends. In total, each Octopus Holder can have maximum 6 AAVS accounts: 3 for Octopus Holder and 3 for family members or friends.

*Participating financial institutions:

• BOC Credit Card
• CCB(Asia) Credit Card
• Dah Sing Bank
• Hang Seng Bank
• HSBC

If you are a holder of BOC, CCB(Asia), Dah Sing, Hang Seng or HSBC Credit Card, you can link up AAVS to a maximum of three Octopus for yourself with the selected credit card. Alternatively, you can maximum link up AAVS to three Octopus for yourself with different credit card issued by three different financial institutions

There are two possible reasons.
 

1. The application has not yet been approved by the financial institution. A notification letter with instructions for activation will be issued upon approval of your AAVS application.
    
2. You have not activated AAVS for the Octopus yet. If you have received the notification letter, please click here and follow the suggested activation methods for different types of Octopus to activate your AAVS.

There can be several reasons:

1. The application form is not properly filled out, or the financial institution has rejected the application. Please enquire at the financial institution or contact us.
2. Some financial institutions may require that the primary credit cardholder also holds an AAVS account at the same bank.

Note: If the AAVS application was made through a supplementary credit card, please enquire with the financial institution for the specific terms and conditions.

For your protection, each Octopus linked with AAVS can only be automatically reloaded once a day. If there is not enough value on your Octopus, you can consider reloading your Octopus with cash.

If an instruction is received from the financial institution that the AAVS transaction cannot be carried out, or autopay is not allowed from the designated account, your Octopus linked with AAVS will be suspended from use. The outstanding amount should then be paid immediately at any MTR Customer Service Centre. MTR staff will reactivate the Octopus after the outstanding amount has been paid.

The transfer of an authorised debit account from one financial institution to another can be done without cancelling the AAVS. Simply complete and submit an application form to the newly designated financial institution. There is a handling fee of HK$20 for switching financial institution. The handling fee will be deducted by the newly designated financial institution once the application is approved.

Mobile Octopus customers can cancel the AAVS function instantly through the Octopus App. Please note that if your Mobile Octopus is not a personalised Octopus, there will be no Lost Octopus Reporting Service after cancellation.

Other Octopus customers can call the Octopus Customer Service Hotline at 2266 2222 (Press 3-2-7 after language selection) to cancel the AAVS function. Upon receipt of your request, we will send an authorisation SMS/letter for de-activating the AAVS function on your Octopus. Please bring the SMS/letter and the Octopus to any MTR Customer Service Centre within 10 calendar days to deactivate the AAVS function on your Octopus. You may continue to use the Octopus normally after cancellation.

Note: Cancellation of AAVS must be made by the Octopus user, not the credit card holder.

Cancelling AAVS is free of charge. A HK$20 handling fee will be charged only if you re-apply for AAVS. You may continue to use the Octopus normally after cancellation.

You (principal credit cardholder) or your mom (Octopus Holder) can call the Octopus Customer Service Hotline on 2266 2222 (Press 3-2-7 after language selection) to cancel the AAVS service. Upon receipt of the request, we will send a letter to your mom (Octopus Holder) to deactivate the AAVS function on her Octopus. Your mom (Octopus Holder) will have to bring the letter and her Octopus to any MTR Customer Service Centre within 10 calendar days from the issue date of the letter to deactivate the AAVS function on her Octopus.

The student must be aged between 12 and 25 for you to apply for a Personalised Octopus with student status through schools or at an MTR Customer Service Centre at designated stations. You can apply for AAVS for the Personalised Octopus with student status through a participating financial institution.

Note: If the applicant is below the age of 18, the application must be made by a parent or guardian.

You can click here to obtain the Automatic Add Value Agreement.

You can contact your bank or credit card issuing company to change the auto-reload amount if the desired auto reload option is currently offered. Upon approval of your application, the bank or credit card issuing company will then issue a notification letter, which you can use to activate the change at any MTR Customer Service Centre, or use compatible Near Field Communication (NFC)-enabled mobile device to activate the change of automatic add value amount in the Octopus App. Please click here for details.

Click here to check the auto-reload amount options available from participating bank or credit card issuing companies.

If you are a holder of BOC, CCB(Asia), Dah Sing, Hang Seng or HSBC Credit Card, you can link up AAVS to a maximum of three Octopus for yourself with your selected credit card. Alternatively, you can maximum link up AAVS to three Octopus for yourself with different credit card issued by three different financial institutions. Please check the available auto-reload option with participating financial institutions before applying for AAVS.

If you are currently using AAVS on your Octopus and would like to apply for AAVS to be linked to a second or third Octopus, there will be no fee for such application.

Note: This applies only if no prior application for AAVS has been made on the Octopus.

There is a handling fee of HK$20 for reactivation of AAVS following suspension or cancellation. Once you become an AAVS account holder, there will be no fee for linking AAVS to a second or third Octopus.

Note: Applications are free of charge only if no prior application for AAVS has been made on the Octopus.

The service is free for first-time applicants. There is a handling fee of HK$20 for switching financial institution or service re-activation. The handling fee will be deducted from the account by the newly designated financial institution.