Octopus is a common electronic toll collection system in Hong Kong. The chip is embedded in a plastic card the size of a credit card, which can be recharged and placed on the receiver to complete the payment process. Octopus began to be used on September 1, 1997. At first, it was only used in public transportation such as buses and railways, and later it was extended to other industries, including shops, restaurants, parking lots, etc., and it was also used as a pass card for schools, offices and residences. The recharge method has also been extended from the initial recharge machine to the store payment office and automatic transfer by credit card and bank account.
Octopus is one of the earliest and most successful electronic money in the world, and its popularity is also the highest in the world, and it has become an important case of developing electronic money systems in many countries around the world. By 25, there were 12.4 million Octopus cards in circulation in Hong Kong, and the number of daily transactions exceeded 8 million. Based on this experience, Octopus Card Company obtained the contracts for developing electronic toll collection systems in the Netherlands and Changsha, China, and plans to interoperate with shenzhen tong of Shenzhen Metro in the future. At the beginning of 27, Octopus was exposed that it had wrongly deducted deposits from citizens' bank accounts for many times, which aroused widespread concern in the society, caused the HKMA to intervene in the investigation, and found that there were more cases of wrong deduction than that announced by Octopus, and instructed Octopus Company to refund the citizens.
Name and logo:
The Chinese name of Octopus literally means "you can extend in all directions with your card". Chinese "eight" can represent "many", and it is regarded as a lucky number because it is homophonic with "fat" and also homophonic with "developed". Octopus's "Bada" is taken from the idiom "extending in all directions", which means that one card can pass everywhere in one hand. This name was selected by Jack So, the former chairman of the MTR Corporation, as the winner in the nomination contest in 1996. Octopus (Octopus), the English name of Octopus, echoes the Chinese name "eight". Octopus's wrist can grab many things at the same time, which means Octopus can be used in different kinds of transactions at the same time.
The symbol of Octopus is an oblique Mobius belt, which is like an Arabic numeral 8 and an infinite symbol ∞. The former is to echo the name of Octopus, while the latter means to represent the "infinite" function of Octopus.
Logo pattern:
History:
Hong Kong Metro has been using a recycled magnetic plastic card as a ticket since it was opened to traffic in 1979. Such tickets can be divided into one-way tickets and stored-value tickets. In 1984, the Kowloon-Canton Railway also began to use this card as a ticket, and it was named General Stored Value Ticket.
By 1989, the Hong Kong Universal Stored Value Ticket had been extended to the services of KMB, Citybus connecting with MTR and KCR, and it was also applied to some non-transportation services, such as paying in fast food restaurants or self-service ID cameras.
The subway finally decided to adopt more advanced technology. In 1993, they announced that they would adopt a smart card that can pay without touching the operator. In order to attract more people's acceptance, the MTR and KCRC invited Citybus, Kowloon Motor Bus and Yaumati Ferry to form a joint company in 1994, and named it Luen Junta Limited (renamed Octopus Card Limited in January 22). However, CMB, the main public transport operator on Hong Kong Island at that time, refused to participate. In 1996, this electronic money system was officially named Octopus.
After a three-year probation period, the Octopus system was finally officially launched on September 1st, 1997. By the end of the same year, Octopus had issued 3 million cards in just three months. At first, Octopus could only be used on the operating routes of five companies of Lianjunda Co., Ltd., but in 1999, Octopus expanded to retail services for non-public transportation, and introduced automatic recharge service and Octopus watches in the same year. In 2, the Hong Kong Monetary Authority issued licenses to operators and removed the restriction that Octopus's non-traffic business should not exceed 15%. In January 21, the Yaumati Ferry Company, which just announced that it would give up its ferry business, signed a new shareholder's consent form and agreed to transfer its shares to New World First Bus and New World First Ferry. In the same year, Octopus Card Co., Ltd. turned from a loss to a profit.
On June 29th, 23, another new function of Octopus was launched-the Hong Kong government decided to replace 18, parking payment devices in Hong Kong with Octopus system. This operation was finally completed on November 21, 24. At about the same time, many government public facilities, including public swimming pools and gymnasiums, began to use the Octopus system. In November, 23, Octopus Company won a contract worth 12 million euros to provide the technology of payment without touching the operator to the Dutch public transportation system and merge the toll collection system of the public transportation in the country (these companies include NS, RET, GVB and HTM).
In November p>25, Octopus launched a preferential plan called "Octopus Daily Reward". Octopus users can pay with Octopus or cash when shopping in designated stores (including Wellcome Supermarket, UA Cinema, Watsons Personal Care Store and McDonald's), and then use the Octopus card that has applied for the Octopus Daily Reward Scheme to store the points.
Application technology:
The Octopus system uses Sony's 13.56MHz FeliCa RFID chip and other related technologies. Hong Kong is the first region in the world to use this technology in the public transport toll collection system. The contactless smart card design of Octopus enables users to conduct transactions only by approaching the Octopus card reader without direct physical contact (for example, inserting the whole card into the card reader). In terms of data transmission speed, 212 kbit messages are transmitted every second. Mondex and Visa Cash, the electronic money systems that have been eliminated from the Hong Kong market, are both contact smart cards, which can only transmit 9.6 kbit messages per second, so they are inevitably replaced by Octopus.
the whole octopus system is designed by ERG Transit Systems headquartered in Perth, Australia. ERG is responsible for the design, construction, operation and maintenance of the whole system.
Usage:
Octopus is a contactless smart card, which is very convenient to use in electronic money. Whether trading or recharging, the operation is very simple.
Transaction process:
When using Octopus to pay, the user only needs to put the Octopus card near the reader, and the payment will be automatically deducted. The average transaction time is only .3 seconds. After the transaction is completed, the card reader will beep, and the display will show the deducted amount and the balance of the card. Usually, when paying concessionary fares (such as bus fares for children and the elderly), the tone of "beep" will be higher. A higher-pitched, longer-lasting beep indicates that the transaction has not been completed, and the reader's red light will light up. Common reasons are that the card is not aimed at the reader, the balance at the time of transaction is equal to or lower than HK$, or the balance after transaction will be lower than HK$-35.
The reader can automatically judge the appropriate preferential charges, such as points plan, transfer discount and "subway concession station". Because Octopus is a contactless smart card, even ordinary materials (such as plastic and leather) separated by a few millimeters can be sensed by the reader, so it is only necessary to pick up wallets, handbags and even put clothes bags near the reader to conduct Octopus transactions.
Value-added:
Almost all stores with Octopus readers can recharge Octopus, including "July 11th" convenience store, OK convenience store, Baijia supermarket, Wellcome supermarket, McDonald's, Maxim's fast food, Cafe de coral, Happy Life and other fast food restaurants. Recharge services are also provided by the recharge machines and ticketing offices in all stations of the MTR, Kowloon Canton Railway and Kowloon Guangxi Railway, the recharge machines and customer service centers in some stations of Kowloon Canton Light Rail, and the customer service centers of KMB, First Bus and First Ferry (outlying island routes).
each octopus card can store up to HK$ 1 yuan. In addition, even if the transaction amount is greater than the remaining amount in the card, as long as the difference is not greater than HK$35, the transaction can still be conducted without recharging. In other words, the maximum negative stored value of Octopus card is 35 yuan dollars. This allows the card owner to take most of Hong Kong's means of transport or buy goods even if the stored value is insufficient.
Application location:
Octopus is applicable to almost all public transport vehicles and some large chain stores in Hong Kong, such as convenience stores, fast food restaurants and supermarkets. Many new vending machines in Hong Kong also accept Octopus payment, including pay phone booths and self-service cameras. In addition, some self-service photocopiers also support the use of Octopus, including most libraries of Hong Kong tertiary institutions and branch libraries of Hong Kong Public Library. Even travel insurance for Chinese mainland can be purchased by Octopus at some stations of Kowloon Canton Railway. From August 14, 26, Octopus can be used in Shenzhen retail merchants (only Happy Life for the time being), and Macao will also accept Hong Kong Octopus payment from December 1, 26.
Discount:
When Octopus is used, Hong Kong MTR and Kowloon-Canton Railway will charge fares cheaper than one-way tickets. For example, when taking the Hong Kong subway from the east to Chai Wan, the charge for using Octopus is HK$23.1, and the charge for using one-way ticket is HK$26, which is HK$2.9 cheaper.
Some modes of transport also offer fare concessions to Octopus users, but these concessions are not applicable to cash payment. For example, KMB, New World First Bus and Citybus offer octopus exclusive discounts of 1% or 15% for the same-day return journey for routes with a fare higher than HK$15 or HK$1. In addition, Octopus interchange concessions for connecting railways with other modes of transport, Octopus same-day return pass concessions for First Bus and Citybus, and Octopus short-distance two-way segmented charges for some routes of First Bus and Citybus are also some examples of Octopus concessions.
different octopus card readers are designed with different discounts. The card reader on the bus has four buttons, one is the same-day round-trip pass discount, one is reserved for the proposed day ticket discount, and there is a cancel button, and there is also a reserved position to add the third discount. For minibuses and new Lantau buses, the card reader has a button for two-way section charging. On some routes, passengers can press the button to choose the appropriate section charging.
Return of Octopus:
As Octopus is one of Hong Kong's characteristics, it attracts a large number of tourists, including free travellers from Chinese mainland, to buy it as a souvenir. However, many tourists will return their Octopus cards before leaving Hong Kong. In order to cope with the huge administrative expenses returned by tourists in a short time, from November 1, 24, Octopus Company will charge HK$7 as a handling fee for users who return their cards within three months after purchasing them (compared with HK$1 for individual Octopus returned within five years). The company also provides a "collector's edition" Octopus card, which is mainly aimed at tourists and other people who want to buy it as a commemorative collection.
Type and form:
Octopus is sold at stations and airports of Hong Kong Metro and Kowloon-Canton Railway. When purchasing, you need to pay a deposit of HK$ 5 yuan and a prepaid ticket value of 2 to 1 yuan. The deposit will be returned when the Octopus card is returned. Generally, Octopus is anonymous and can be purchased without showing identification documents. If the user loses this Octopus card, he will only lose the stored value in the card and will not lose any other personal data. In addition to three kinds of general Octopus cards for people with different identities, Octopus Company also issues individual Octopus cards.
Different kinds of Octopus:
Octopus for children: price HK$7, face value HK$2 is suitable for children between 3 and 11 years old. Children's Octopus can enjoy a half-price discount on public transport (except minibuses and some village buses).
Children's Octopus image:
Student Octopus (discontinued): price HK$1 face value HK$ 5. Students aged 12 to 25 can enjoy discounts when taking the subway with this Octopus. It has been replaced by personal Octopus, and this card can now be used as an ordinary adult Octopus card.
Octopus image for students:
Octopus for adults: price HK$15, face value HK$1, suitable for people of any age.
Adult Octopus image:
Octopus for the elderly: price HK$7 face value HK$2 Applicable age depends on the regulations of different merchants (the applicable age of Citybus is over 6, and that of KMB is 65). Adult fees will be charged when the senior citizen discount is not applicable.
Octopus image for the elderly:
Personal Octopus: Personal Octopus needs to be registered, and the user's photo can be printed on it. It is mostly used to enter buildings and other facilities, or to replace student Octopus.
Personal Octopus image:
Personal Octopus:
Personal Octopus is a non-anonymous Octopus card issued by Octopus Company. The name of the cardholder is printed on the card, and the photo of the cardholder can also be printed. The age of the cardholder is also stored to determine the age group (children, adults or the elderly). However, student status needs to be applied separately. Eligible full-time students in Hong Kong between the ages of 12 and 25 can apply. At present, the personal Octopus has replaced the general version of the student Octopus that has been discontinued. As of March, 25, there are 38, people holding personal Octopus.
In addition to the basic functions of the general Octopus, the personal Octopus can also be used as a key card to enter facilities such as houses and commercial buildings. When the personal Octopus is lost, the cardholder can report the loss immediately, and the operation of the card will be frozen after six hours from the time of reporting the loss to prevent the card from being stolen. The City University of Hong Kong and more than 5 secondary schools also use personal Octopus to record attendance and borrow books from school libraries.
Personal Octopus can also enjoy the automatic recharge service. Octopus cardholders can register to use local bank accounts or credit cards to automatically recharge Octopus. When the remaining stored value of Octopus is less than HK$, it will be automatically recharged with HK$25 or HK$5, and can only be recharged automatically once every 24 hours. As of 25, 2 local banks, including HSBC and Bank of China (HK), have provided this service.
Commemorative Octopus:
Octopus Company will issue some special commemorative Octopus from time to time, usually on special festivals or events. They are usually worth HK$1, with HK$1 denominations in them. Although it cannot be returned, it can be used as an ordinary Octopus.
Octopus for Special Purpose:
The Hong Kong Metro has launched a set of "Airport Express Visitor Octopus-Three-Day Hong Kong Traffic Pass", which has two versions:
Three-day unlimited rides on the Hong Kong Metro, a free one-way ticket on the Airport Express, and a charge of HK$22
Three-day unlimited rides on the Hong Kong Metro, and two free one-way tickets on the Airport Express.
There is also an "Octopus for Airport Employees", which is specially designed for airport employees and offers preferential prices for the Airport Express.
Non-card Octopus:
Octopus Company has been producing integrated Octopus since 1999.