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Using Public Transportation in Taiwan with a Toddler

Jan 16 2015

Home for the Holidays: Public Transportation in Hong Kong with a Toddler

Like any metropolitan city, Hong Kong has a very extensive public transportation system. The thing I find unique about Hong Kong is that it’s system is efficient AND over-crowded at the same time (usually it’s just one or the other).

At times the crowds can be panic inducing – this makes traveling with a toddler tough at times. I just wanted to relay my experience on this trip (mostly on the MTR) and offer some suggestions for how to make things more manageable.

Airport Express – A Convenient Airport Transfer

The Airport Express is probably the easiest way to get from the airport (which is far out on Lantau Island) to Kowloon or Central. It only costs 90-100 HKD ($11-$13) and is a 24 minute ride. Trains depart at 10 or 12 minute intervals depending on the time of day.

Finding the Airport Express at the airport couldn’t be easier. Follow the signs, buy a ticket at one of the kiosks (its electronic and you use it to tap out when you exit), then wait for the train. If you have an Octopus card, which we did, it’s even easier.

The Airport Express is less than 25 minutes into the city - fast and inexpensive — The Airport Express is less than 25 minutes into the city – fast and inexpensive

The ride itself is very comfortable and we didn’t have trouble finding seats either to or from the airport. There is plenty of room for luggage as well, and luggage carts are waiting for you at the station as soon as you arrive.

My only issue with the Airport Express is the free shuttle to the hotels. Obviously I have no issue with it being free, but the shuttle can be a little…crazy. At least our trip was.

We took the K3 shuttle which services the Holiday Inn Golden Mile, Hyatt Regency Hong Kong, Regal Kowloon Hotel, Hotel ICON, Hotel Nikko, InterContinental Grand Stanford, and Kowloon Shangri-La Hotel. Normally this wouldn’t be a problem, but our shuttle was pretty full leaving Kowloon Station.

This turned into a big problem at the Holiday Inn – a huge family wanted to get on to get to the airport (we’re talking six adults, four teenagers, some little ones) – but nobody had gotten off yet. I’ll just let the picture do the talking:

The shuttle was quite possibly over capacity... — The shuttle was quite possibly over capacity…

Needless to say, I was happy to get off at the next stop, between flying luggage and an exhausted sleeping toddler it just was pretty overwhelming. So I think the free shuttle to and from Kowloon Station can be a little bit luck of the draw, just be aware.

On our return trip to go home, we decided to take a taxi to Kowloon station to avoid all of that. One neat thing about the Airport Express is that you can check in for your flights at the train station, so you don’t even need to lug your bags with you all the way to the airport.

There was no line at the in-town check in, and while I was a little worried about our bags getting there, I still preferred checking our bags at the train station instead of taking them all the way to the airport. It all worked out great our bags were happily waiting for us in Chicago. I didn’t even see them loading luggage onto our train so they must teleport them to the airport or something. Pretty cool.

The MTR – Well Run, Crowded, Not Super Toddler Friendly

Full disclosure: I lived in Hong Kong for a couple of years and it was the first public transportation system I was introduced to so I love the MTR (subway system). I think it is clean, well run, and efficient.

If you're lucky the public throughways look like this (elevated walkway to Star Ferry Terminal in Central) — If you’re lucky the public throughways look like this (elevated walkway to Star Ferry Terminal in Central)

It also is incredibly overcrowded and downright scary in rush hour. It feels crowded during off peak times. A lot of the central areas in Hong Kong feel like this, so it’s something you need to prepare yourself for.

Since we have Octopus cards I never actually bought a fare at a MTR station. If you’re going to do any type of traveling, I’d recommend getting the card – you can get it at any MTR station for a $50HKD refundable deposit (plus whatever money you load). You can use your Octopus card to pay at a lot of stores, which won’t earn you any points on your credit card but I generally choose convenience and speed in Hong Kong over a couple of points.

You really want to avoid rush hour (pretty standard times though a bit later than most of the States) on the MTR, especially the interchange at Admiralty between the Tsuen Wan and Island lines. You will literally get out of the train and stand in a mass of people that gradually moves across the platform until you reach the train on the other side. Not fun as an adult, definitely not fun with a little kid.

The Tsim Sha Tsui station has a huge footprint underground (pink)

I won’t lie, traveling with a toddler on the MTR can be tough. It’s tough to figure out where the handicap accessible elevators are – there are so many exits that it’s tough to find the right one. The Tsim Sha Tsui/East Tsim Sha Tsui underground complex alone has like a billion exits (okay, 25+).

With the crowds, you kind of want to figure out what entrance/exit you’re going to use beforehand so you don’t have to be fighting crowds and figuring out where you are going at the same time. Once you get in, it’s not always easy to find your way down to the platform either – there are some elevators that are actually gated with turnstiles, while other times you go through the turnstile first and then find the elevator.

M leveled up in escalator riding on this trip

Our solution? We did a lot of stroller carrying, stroller breaking down, etc. etc. At some point it’s not worth it to find an elevator. Obviously this doesn’t work for wheelchairs, but it works just fine for toddlers. What we didn’t do was let M wander around the station herself – it’s just too crazy in there.

The MTR is definitely doable if you avoid peak times, just be prepared to deal with crowds. Thankfully there is another great option for parents of toddlers to get between Tsim Sha Tsui and Central (two of the main areas most tourists visit) – the Star Ferry.

The Star Ferry – Slightly Less Crowded and Fun For All

The Star Ferry is a great option between TST and Central. You have to walk to the Star Ferry pier (near Ocean Terminal), but once you get there everything is pretty straightforward. You can take a ferry to either Wan Chai or Central, and it costs less than $3HKD per journey – that’s less than 50 cents!

The Star Ferry is iconic Hong Kong — The Star Ferry is a Hong Kong icon

I think I read on the Star Ferry website or something that there is something “romantic” about the Star Ferry. While I can’t say I agree, I’d definitely say that the Star Ferry just screams iconic Hong Kong. Better yet, it is a less crowded, cheaper, and for a toddler, more convenient way to get between TST and Central.

M was thrilled every time we road the ferry

The reason I think its more convenient is because it’s less crowded, which is huge. No crush of people, no worrying if your toddler can get lost, we let M walk on and off the ferry when she wanted to. Another big point to consider is the ferry terminal on the Central side is right by the IFC – a huge mall with tons of eating options that is one of the main draws on that side of the harbor. Finally, I find the ride across the harbor to be much more peaceful than taking the MTR – with much better views!

This wasn't from the ferry, but it's tough to beat the view of the HK skyline at night (or dusk) — This wasn’t from the ferry, but it’s tough to beat the view of the HK skyline at night (or dusk)

One drawback of riding the Star Ferry is to get to the upper deck you’re going to have to do some stroller carrying, there is absolutely no elevator access. You could always ride on the lower deck if you’d like. When you are walking down to access the ferry, stay to the right with your stroller where the going is smooth and not bumpy.

Right is right if you're taking a stroller — Right is right if you’re taking a stroller

In the end, M loved the Star Ferry. In fact, we rode back and forth a few times just for fun – during off peak hours too so we had a ton of space to spread out. So not only is it a great transportation option, it can entertain toddlers like mine for almost an hour – no small feat!

Summary of Things to Consider if You’re Trying to Get Around Hong Kong with a Toddler

Here are some quick thoughts I have about traveling with a toddler in Hong Kong.

– Off peak hours are your friend

– Walking can be a better option, but the streets get super crowded as well so be prepared for some slow going with a stroller (I went out once on my own and cut my travel time in half!)

– A lot of times, walking underground is a good option. You can avoid waiting at crowded intersections and generally get to where you want to go – Tsim Sha Tsui station in particular is very extensive

– There aren’t any hard and fast car seat rules and most (not all) taxi drivers will be impatient with you if you try to put one in (this from my relatives). As a result, be prepared to hold your child in taxis

– There’s no way getting around carrying a stroller from time to time unless you want to take very long detours

– The Star Ferry is a more relaxing option and sometimes can be more convenient

– The Airport Express is a great way to get to the airport – check your bags at the train station to reduce stress further

– Since everything is so crowded, be careful if your child is walking on their own, it’s quite easy to get run over

Final Thoughts

Bringing a toddler to Hong Kong totally changed the way I look at the public transportation system. It’s great, but the crowds mean you need to plan a little more carefully. The MTR and Star Ferry are great for getting you where you want to go and you can hold your child in your lap in a taxi in a pinch, but it’s definitely more difficult to navigate the city and less family friendly than Taipei. My one hard and fast rule? Don’t transfer from the Tsuen Wan line to the Island line during rush hour under any circumstances! That goes for you even if you don’t have kids!

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Using Public Transportation in Taiwan with a Toddler

Jan 15 2015

Home for the Holidays: A Tough Flight with a Toddler

There are some nice touches in TPE airport

Never take a 23 month year old as a lap infant. That’s what we learned on our flight from Taipei to Hong Kong, quite possibly the worst flight we’ve ever taken with M! In the light of day, it wasn’t that bad but at the time it was a lot of stress.

First, a note. I’ve read on many baby-oriented travel websites some version of the argument: “You should always book your child a seat it’s safer etc. etc. etc.” Now I definitely agree that it is safer and it is always better to have an extra seat for your child.

On the other hand, I am cheap, and I have a lot of…um…frugal friends who never bought a seat for their child until they had to, and all of them said it was fine. So I decided to take it on a case by case basis. I really only ever considered buying M her own seat on economy flights, I figured there was enough room in the longroom premium cabins we fly in (and those flights indeed worked out). I’m not the only one who struggles with shelling out the dough for a lap infant.

It can get pretty tight with a toddler on your lap

Our Previous Decisions about Taking a Lap Infant

Here are the economy flights I had to decide for M in her 2 years as an eligible lap infant.

Roundtrip flight to Washington, D.C., 3 months old: This was an easy decision, all she wanted to do was burrow into us all the time so I saw no need to buy her a seat – this flight was no problem whatsoever.

A lap infant at 3 months is much easier than 23 months, in my opinion!

Roundtrip flight to Charlotte, NC, 9 months old: Again, this decision was fairly easy. She still wasn’t mobile, still wanted to sleep all the time, and was still easily satisfied when drinking milk. Not buying her a seat was an easy decision and again it worked out fine.

Roundtrip flight to Charlotte, NC, 15 months old: Still had no problem taking her on our laps at this age. She actually took her first steps on this trip, but before then she hadn’t walked and was okay hanging out on our laps for hours at a time. She also was still a big fan of milk, so I made the decision to take her as a lap infant. This flight was a little rougher than her previous flights, though still manageable.

Oneway flight from Taipei to Hong Kong, 23 months old: I actually changed the flights I had booked while we were still in Taipei. At this point I had seen how curious and excited M had been on our flights to Taiwan, so I knew what I was in for. I was deciding between spending 4500 Avios (technically 4050) and keeping her on our lap – I chose the latter. MISTAKE. And the subject of the rest of this post.

Oneway flight from Chicago O’Hare to Boston, 23 months old: I bought her a seat since I figured we’d be tired from a long flight from Hong Kong, we’d need the space, and there was zero probability there’d be empty seats on the plane on the Saturday after New Year’s. Good choice.

A Few Quick Thoughts on Taipei Taoyuan Airport

We ended up using the Grand Hyatt transfer to get to the airport. We couldn’t get any relatives to drive us so we couldn’t use our rented car seat and I wasn’t comfortable taking a 45 minute drive on the highway without one. Though it cost twice as much as a taxi (2400 NT or $80), using the transfer service was the safest and most efficient way to get to the airport. The hotel took care of getting a car seat (it was a nice and comfortable one too, Cosco) and the car even had complimentary Wi-Fi.

When we got to TPE, it dawned on me that it is a really nice airport. I mean, the duty free store has a restaurant and a computer with free internet. Lovely. Beyond that, it’s well designed and very aesthetically pleasing. And I didn’t even get to visit the Hello Kitty check in section!

Go to the right for family security (no queue!)

But what really impressed me about the airport was its family friendliness. There is a separate line for families that was completely empty which really made security a lot less stressful. The airport also didn’t feel overcrowded and was very stroller accessible.

Most importantly, they had these super sweet recliners at the gate!

From check in to boarding, I just found TPE to be a very well run airport. Maybe we got lucky, but that was my experience!

Starting the Flight Off Right

So I’ve noticed something ever since we started taking M traveling with us. Even though we are always among the first to board, it feels like time flies before we start pushing back. To be honest, for awhile I thought it was because we were in premium cabins – drinking champagne, playing with in flight entertainment, and testing seat recline controls takes a lot of time!

But I’ve come to realize that it now seems like such a short time from boarding to pushback because we are parents. You have to settle all your bags. You have to pull out all your toys. You have to get all your books ready. You have to disinfect the chair if you are feeling clean. Make a diaper change if you need to. All this while trying to keep a toddler from getting their head bashed in by a roller suitcase lumbering down the aisle.

Things deteriorated pretty quickly on the plane... — Things deteriorated pretty quickly on the plane…

Well, for some reason, on this flight we were even slower getting settled than usual. I was still fumbling in the overhead bin when a nice flight attendant kindly asked me to fasten my seatbelt. I sat down and did so, but M was getting fussy.

“Where are her toys?”

“Oh, they’re in the diaper bag.”

I got up and went back to the overhead bin, and my search started getting more and more frantic as I realized the diaper bag wasn’t there. As my panic was reaching its peak, the flight attendant asked me again, this time more firmly, to take my seat. I took my seat, sweaty and stressed, thinking, “we’re not even pushing back yet!”

Except we were! Honestly I was floored the time had flown by so quickly. I had actually been standing while the plane had started its pushback. Parenthood, I tell you, is like a time machine – you arrive in the future way sooner than expected.

Stickers only go so far (these are awesome though you can restick them multiple times!)

Well, at this point I was in full blown panic, M was on the border of a major meltdown (she hates the lap infant belt), and Jess was like, “You left it in the terminal!? You lost it!??!”

Anyway…a terrible start to the flight. Let’s just say that I ended up finding the diaper bag (I had put it into another overhead bin) – I just didn’t find it until AFTER they had called back to TPE to ask them to look for it. As terms of embarrassment goes, this wasn’t as bad as running across the tarmac, but it was pretty close.

A Crazy Lap Toddler

In my defense, when we booked the flight it wasn’t even 2/3 full. And the flight was on an A340 so there are over 250 economy seats! There were also 8 seats available on miles so I figured the flight was empty. I also had this brilliant idea about seat selection. I picked two seats across the aisle from one another. The seat in the middle section had an empty seat next to it but the two other seats full – I figured nobody would pick that middle seat unless they had to. Which they did, because the plane ended up being full! BACKFIRE.

I chose the circled seats but it didn’t work out as I had hoped

We decided to stay in our seats across the aisle so she could walk back and forth. That ended up being okay, because when M was squirming only one of us would have to deal with her at a time. It honestly was very tough to entertain her – we used stickers, her headphones, books, everything we could think of, but she was just super bored. And it was only a two hour flight!

We did get served a meal which helped to break up the flight. I was pretty impressed, it was just a rice box but a) it was pretty tasty and b) they managed to service the entire flight in such a short period of time. Cathay is a great airline with great service no matter what class you’re flying in.

This lunch was a nice surprise on our flight

Overall, I think the stress of “losing” the diaper bag was the worst aspect of the flight, but I still would probably never take a child over the age of 20 months as a lap child again, at least during peak travel season. The worst part is the fact that the kid is just too big, no matter how hard she tried and we tried it was impossible for M not to kick the person in front of her. I felt so bad and so embarrassed and so stupid for not buying that extra seat. But alas, what was done was done.

But this flight overall just felt like we were counting down the minutes until we landed. No inflight entertainment (okay I snuck in one episode of Silicon Valley) and no rest whatsoever. Thank goodness for the duty free magazine – M kept wanting to search it for Hello Kitty products!

Final Thoughts

If you fly enough with your kids, you’re going to end up having a rough flight. This one wasn’t even that bad, but definitely the worst we’ve ever taken with M. I should never have cheaped out and skipped out on a seat for her – she’s just too big to sit in our laps in economy. Lesson learned!

Once again, toddler headphones saved the day. But she's way too big for our laps in coach! — Once again, toddler headphones saved the day. But she’s way too big for our laps in coach!

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Using Public Transportation in Taiwan with a Toddler

Jan 12 2015

Home for the Holidays: Grand Hyatt Taipei King Suite Review

We spent our five nights in Taipei at the Grand Hyatt Taipei which is conveniently located outside of Taipei 101. I used a Diamond suite upgrade to confirm into a King Suite that I had booked with cash and points (6000 points + $75 USD), which was great for us as a family. Not only did we get more space but it gave us club access. Overall we had an amazing stay at the Grand Hyatt Taipei (which has just completed renovations and has moved up one category, 3 => 4, in 2015).

King Suite Review

We got to the hotel after midnight so check-in was a breeze. The king suite is probably the second nicest room we stayed in this year after the overwater villa in Bora Bora.

The best part of this suite for us as a family was all the space. As soon as we got into the room M immediately started running around, exploring, playing – a process that wouldn’t stop until the day we checked out.

At that point we were all pretty wired (it was lunchtime back home) so we ordered some room service as we were waiting for our bags to be delivered.

We ordered the shrimp and wonton noodle soup. It was delicious and a perfect late night snack after over 24 hours of travel.

This was quite good - we actually ordered it twice during our stay — This was quite good – we actually ordered it twice during our stay

Overall we were very happy with the room, we were able to put M to bed but still hang out in the living room which really beats hiding in the dark or in the bathroom after 8 PM (which we’ve had to do elsewhere). I think our room is one of the newly renovated ones – they’ve done a great job!

Kid-friendliness of the hotel

It bears noting that I thought the Grand Hyatt did a great job preparing the room for our toddler. The crib was a little bit more advanced than a pack and play (but maybe older?)

The little pillow was super cute and M got yet another stuffed animal

The bathroom was also stocked with kid-friendly toiletries: body wash, shampoo, and body lotion. The latter especially came in handy.

It kind of backfired for a little while when M started insisting we only used the “bear” lotion, but eventually she got over it.

The minibar had enough space for us to keep milk for M, we never needed to buy milk because we just filled her thermos at breakfast every morning. Another nice touch was our welcome fruit was refilled every day – extra snacks.

Our welcome fruit was faithfully replenished

Breakfast and Eating Options in the Hotel

I already went over room service, which was fairly priced (for room service).

The first few days we were there the executive club was still under renovation so we were offered the option to take breakfast in the restaurant. This was a great option.

There were four stations like this at breakfast

The restaurant breakfast was a veritable smorgasbord. Chinese breakfast, western breakfast, pastries, croissants, cereals, tons of fruit – there was a ton of food. There was honey ham sliced fresh off of a ham, wonton noodles made to order, and pancakes/waffles made to order.

The food was so good it actually made me think about paying for hotel breakfast next time I stay there (though I probably won’t it’s > $30USD).

The last two days we took breakfast in the club lounge which wasn’t too shabby. There was still hot food, cereal, and a noodle making station. Obviously it wasn’t as great as the restaurant but it’s a great Diamond/club level benefit.

Still a few hot food options at the club lounge

Club Lounge and Overall Feel of the Hotel

If I have one complaint about the club lounge it’s that it was super crowded during breakfast and cocktail hour. I’m talking people needed to wait for a seat crowded. So they should either limit access more or expand their lounge. To be fair, it could have been because of the renovation although it looks finished.

What doesn’t help things is the narrow-ness of the lounge. It doesn’t feel big because it’s essentially one long hallway. Still, there are partitions everywhere which creates the feel of semi-private rooms.

The lounge is broken up into seven or eight sections like this

This worked out well for us at breakfast and other times because M wouldn’t bother others, but it still feels like there’s not enough space.

There is a decent view from the lounge of Taipei 101.

In terms of overall atmosphere, I thought the hotel was great. Despite the construction there was a real festive feel to the holidays, starting with the huge Christmas tree and down to little details like a temporary holiday shop they set up.

They even had an octet from the Taipei Symphony come to play some music on Christmas day.

The hotel staff was wonderful and everyone was super helpful and friendly. Despite the over-crowdedness at the club lounge, it never felt understaffed and the entire hotel followed suit. Someone even remembered it was my birthday (read: looked it up).

The picture doesn't accurately convey how large the cake is, definitely more than a single serving — The picture doesn’t accurately convey how large the cake is, definitely more than a single serving

Final Thoughts

All in all, we had a great experience at the Grand Hyatt Taipei. It’s centrally located, the staff is wonderful, and the king suite is great. I peeked into the other rooms, they’re not massive but they’re not Europe-sized either. All in all a great place to stay in Taipei, and at Category 4 it’s still a great deal in my opinion!

Other Posts in this Series

Using Public Transportation in Taiwan with a Toddler