eSIM data plans for Hong Kong

There are two separate ways to get data in Hong Kong: a fixed amount on csl, or an unlimited-by-day plan on Hong Kong Telecom or Three.

Fixed data plans

These plans give a set amount of data for a set number of days, from 1GB over a week up to 50GB over a month. Choose by how much data the trip needs rather than by how many days it runs. A short city break of messaging, maps and social media fits into the 1GB or 3GB sizes; a month spent working from Hong Kong, or a trip with daily streaming and photo uploads, sits better in the 10GB, 20GB or 50GB range. If the data on a plan runs out, the plan stops and a top-up restores it on the same eSIM, so a size that turns out too small doesn't mean starting over on a new one. Hotspot and tethering are included, so a phone on one of these plans can share its connection with a laptop or tablet.

Unlimited plans, priced by the day

The unlimited plans are priced by the day rather than by the gigabyte, from a single day up to thirty. This suits a traveller who would rather not track data use at all, or whose day involves a lot of video calls, navigation or uploading. These run on Hong Kong Telecom or Three and carry a fair use policy: past a daily amount, speed is reduced for the rest of that day. Hotspot and tethering are included here too.

Buying before the trip

Validity begins at the first connection to a network in Hong Kong, not at the moment of purchase or installation. The eSIM can be installed and set up well ahead of departure with nothing lost by doing so early, since nothing starts running until it's actually needed on arrival.

Getting around on the MTR

Hong Kong's MTR trains can be ridden using tickets bought in the official MTR Mobile app, which stores them as QR codes to scan at the gates. Having a data connection means the app and its tickets are ready whenever they're needed.