What is the best way to get around Macau? Is there a metro or public buses in Macau?
What are the best fares? Where to buy them? And where to look for official information? Read in this chapter.
On foot
The best way to get around the Se Peninsula, where the historic centre is located, is on foot. Some streets are very narrow and you would think they were one-way, but you can fit two-way traffic and even a sidewalk.
In Macau you drive on the left and you always have to be careful where cars are coming from.
The peninsula is quite hilly, the streets in the old town are winding and it is quite easy to get lost.
Unlike other Asian cities, however, Macau is pedestrian-friendly. Sidewalks are everywhere and pedestrian crossings or overpasses are also ubiquitous.
Public transport buses
Buses are the main means of transport in Macau.
Public bus services are operated by 2 companies: Transmac,TCM. In practice, however, it doesn't matter which company you go with and you won't even notice it in real life except for the differently coloured buses.
The ticket prices and fare system is the same for both companies and both companies stop at the same stops.
You will be oriented mainly by line number.
Ticket prices and Macau Pass
The fare system in Macau is very simple if you pay in cash, and a little mysterious if you pay through the convenient Macau Pass card.
Paying in cash
Each ride on all lines costs 6 mop.
It doesn't matter if you take 1 stop or drive across Macau from north to south. You pay for every single ride and because you don't get a physical ticket, you have to pay again even if you just change buses.
You only pay the exact amount (or more, but the driver doesn't have the option to give you change) into the cash box located at the first door.
It is also common to pay in Hong Kong dollars at a 1:1 exchange rate.
Macau Pass - price and where to buy
The Macau Pass is a very convenient way to pay for tickets. Another big advantage is that, as long as you don't spend the money loaded on it on tickets, you can also use the Macau Pass to pay in almost all shops like a regular credit card.
Fares with the Macau Pass are cheaper than paying with cash.
Although you will read on various online forums that Macau Pass fares are just as expensive and cost 6 mop, in fact the Macau government subsidises fares if you use the Macau Pass.
So in practice you will pay the following amounts:
- 3 mop - regular lines
- 4 mop - Express lines (all lines that have an X after the line number)
If you take more than 3 buses within 90 minutes, the 3rd ride will always be free when you pay with the Macau Pass.
When boarding the bus, attach the Macau Pass to the blue reader at the driver's seat. The card is no longer attached to the reader when getting off. This is why the so-called "passport card" is used here. tap-on only system.
Macau Pass costs 130 mop, while 30 mop is a refundable deposit 100 mop can already be used for regular payment. However, you can already load more money on the card at the time of purchase and reload at will over time.
The card can be purchased or reloaded at all minimarkets or supermarkets like 7-Eleven or Circle K. You can also purchase the Macau Pass at the airport (on the departure level) or at the mini-market in the arrivals hall of the HZMB border crossing (after you pass through passport control).
You can always pay for the Macau Pass in cash only. Payment can be made in Macau Pataca or Hong Kong dollars.
Official website: macaupass.com.
Timetables and frequencies
Most bus routes run at a frequency of 10 to 20 minutes and exact departure times are only listed from the final stops.
There are electronic signs at bus stops that show the current arrival times. They are not displayed in minutes, but the information tells you how many stops away the bus is.
For a listing of stops along each of the two companies' routes and tentative schedules, visit: dsat.gov.mo/bus_route. There are no comprehensive maps of all the bus routes in Macau together.
Operating hours for regular routes are from approximately 5:45am to 11:30pm. At night, however, several special night lines marked with the letter "N" ply the streets of Macau with an interval of 20-30 minutes. You can therefore reach the main areas of Macau by public transport 24/7.
Stops and information
All bus stops have information on the numbers of the lines that pass through and a listing of the stops on each route.
The information is always in Chinese and Portuguese and in most cases also in English.
All stops in Macau are on a sign. If you are standing at a bus stop, wave to the arriving bus. To get off, press the red "Stop" button well in advance of the stop.
Taxi
Well-known mobile apps like Uber, Lyft or Grab don't work in Macau.
However, this is not a major problem as Macau's streets are lined with thousands of official black and white taxis that are available literally at all locations at all hours of the night or day.
Payment for taxis can be made in cash (Macau Pataca or Hong Kong dollars can be used) or with the city's Macau Pass card, which can be purchased at a 7-Eleven newsagent. Regular credit cards cannot be used in the taxi.
Taxi fares are as follows:
- Boarding fee at the airport - 5 mop
- First 1,600 metres - 19 mop
- Every additional 240 metres - 2 mop
- Extra charge for the journey to Coloane - 2 mop,
Fraud and unfair practices by taxi drivers in Macau are rare. However, be prepared for the fact that taxi drivers often only speak Chinese, so it's a good idea to have your destination ready on a map or written on a piece of paper in Chinese.
Monorail
There is an automated monorail from the Barra area in the southwest of the Macau Peninsula to Taipa Island to the central Cotai Strip and a detour also to the airport and Taipa Pier.
This is also known as the "light metro".
The automated train is not much used as it runs through areas outside the tourist attractions except for the casinos on the Cotai Strip. However, the stations are significantly farther from the casinos than the bus stops.
In addition, the Macau Pass is not valid on the monorail and you must pay the fare separately for each ride.
You can pay at the machines or at the ticket office at each station. You will be given a token to attach to the reader at the turnstile when you board. You insert the token into the turnstile when you get off.
Official website: mlm.com.mo.
