HK$2 fare abuse in MTR passengers dives from 158 to 8 weekly cases under real-name system

Hong Kong’s HK$2 public transport concessionary fare scheme, which transitioned to a real-name registration system last August, has seen 280 cases of misuse flagged by the MTR, with one individual convicted of theft for fraudulent use of the benefit.

Under the revamped scheme, only Hong Kong residents aged 60 or above with a personalized JoyYou Card are eligible for the subsidized fares.

Secretary for Labour and Welfare Chris Sun Yuk-han revealed in a written response to legislators that as of April this year, the MTR had imposed surcharges in 280 cases of improper use. Among these, 14 cases were referred to the police, resulting in five arrests.

One offender was convicted of theft and fined HK$400, while another faces prosecution with a court hearing set for May 9.

Two cases remain under police investigation, and one was referred back to the MTR as cases of violation of the Mass Transit Railway By-laws since no arrestable offences were identified after investigation by the police. The remaining nine referred cases were similarly returned to the MTR for administrative follow-up.

Sun, meanwhile, noted a dramatic drop in violations since real-name registration took effect. 

Pre-implementation (June 25, 2023 to August 24, 2024) saw 9,624 cases (avg. 158 weekly), plummeting to an average of just 8 weekly cases after the real-name registration went into effect.

The scheme, introduced in 2012 to support elderly mobility, now covers over 1.5 million JoyYou Card holders. Authorities continue to monitor compliance, with the MTR conducting random inspections alongside penalty mechanisms.

(Marco Lam)