Hong Kong taxi drivers began offering electronic payment options on Wednesday (Apr 1) under a new requirement, but the rollout was quickly overshadowed by controversy over a reported 3 percent surcharge. ADVERTISEMENT SCROLL TO CONTINUE WITH CONTENTA photo circulating online showed a notice inside a taxi stating that passengers would be charged a 3 percent “handling fee” for using electronic payment platforms. Some industry insiders said the charge is imposed by certain payment platforms rather than drivers, adding that drivers still receive the full metered fare. Some also compared taxis with other public transport, noting that electronic payments on trains and buses do not incur extra fees. It added that since the fee is collected by the payment platform rather than the driver, it does not amount to overcharging.

Source: The Standard April 02, 2026 20:42 UTC