RELAY

Near Gate 13 in T1, this is the default last‑minute stop

RELAY sits on Departures Level 5 in T1, around Gates 13–21, and functions as the standard newsstand once you’re past security. It runs daily from 07:00 to 22:30, so it catches the morning departures bank and most late‑evening flights. Think magazines, paperback fiction, bottled drinks and small travel accessories rather than a full supermarket or electronics store.

Pricing sits above Central or Kowloon street level; expect to pay airport markup on soft drinks and bottled water. The trade‑off is speed: it’s far quicker to duck into RELAY near Gate 13 than to walk back to the main T1 food court, especially if you’re boarding from the high‑teens gates. Figure on grabbing what you need in under five minutes if there’s no queue.

Regulars treat these RELAY outlets as a “gate‑area pit stop” at HKG: one quick bottle of water, one magazine, maybe a snack, then straight to boarding. Stock usually covers major English titles plus some Chinese and regional magazines, so you can still find something to read on a late Cathay or HK Express departure out of T1. For snacks, think packaged chips and chocolate, not hot food.

Watch out for drink prices that run several HKD higher than 7‑Eleven in town, and avoid doing a whole-family snack shop here if you’re price‑sensitive. Use RELAY for single‑item top‑ups. Practical move: buy your cheaper bulk drinks or candy in the city, then use RELAY near Gate 13–21 only to fill gaps, like a last‑minute novel or an extra 500 ml water for the flight.