Buses started taking AliPayHK as a payment choice earlier this year, with traditional Octopus readers due for replacement

New QR payment systems have seen low uptake across the city, with an average of around 1,700 QR scans per day on buses and just 40 QR scans per day across the whole ferry network since their installation.

Transport Secretary Frank Chan Fan revealed the numbers in response to a LegCo question from Chan Hak-kan, who queried why new QR payments systems did not offer fare concessions to students and the elderly.

Chan’s figures showed QR payments on rail, bus and minibus accounted for around 0.5% of trips in the first half of the year, while ferry usage accounted for just 0.2% of total ferry payments. MTR saw the most use, with around 20,000 daily scans.

QR codes are already accepted on 91 green minibus routes, Chan said, reporting that the government had no figures on the number of taxis offering QR payment services.

Chan said MTR was already upgrading its payment options, with new choices on top of AliPay QR available by 2022, and direct credit card fare payment expected from 2023. He also said the government was urging payment providers to formulate plans to incorporate alternative payment schemes into the Public Transport Fare Subsidy Scheme.

Outlying island ferry firm HKKF rolled out AlipayHK EasyGo scanners at four of its outlying island piers in March this year, including those serving Lamma Island and Peng Chau.