How to Travel From Hong Kong to Shenzhen ?
2017-09-23 15:56:30
How to Travel From Hong Kong to Shenzhen ?
How to Get to Shenzhen from Hong Kong by Train ?
Where: From Hung Hom MTR station on Kowloon side you need to take the East Rail Line to Lo Wu or Lok Ma Chau stations, which are both on the Hong Kong/Chinese border. Whether you get off in Lo Wu or Lok Ma Chau depends on where you want to go in Shenzhen. Lo Wu is the most popular crossing point. It has the huge Luo Ho shopping centre right on the border and offers quick connections to downtown Shenzhen. The Lok Ma Chau crossing is better for some Shenzhen hotels. Both crossing points are connected to the Shenzhen metro.
When: The first train leaves Hung Hom at 5:30 am and the last train at 23:43 - connections to Lok Ma Chau are less frequent. These times are subject to occasional changes; however, the general hours are correct.
How Long: The journey to Lo Wu takes just under an hour, after which you can expect 30-40 minutes of border formalities before entering Shenzhen.
You will need to exit the subway on the Hong Kong side of the border, cross the full international border and then join the Shenzhen metro for onward journey. At both crossings, the subway stations and international border are contained within the same complex.
Prices: A single ticket using an Octopus Card costs HK$38.10
How to Get to Shenzhen by Ferry ?
When: The first train leaves Hung Hom at 5:30 am and the last train at 23:43 - connections to Lok Ma Chau are less frequent. These times are subject to occasional changes; however, the general hours are correct.
How Long: The journey to Lo Wu takes just under an hour, after which you can expect 30-40 minutes of border formalities before entering Shenzhen.
You will need to exit the subway on the Hong Kong side of the border, cross the full international border and then join the Shenzhen metro for onward journey. At both crossings, the subway stations and international border are contained within the same complex.
Prices: A single ticket using an Octopus Card costs HK$38.10
How to Get to Shenzhen by Ferry ?
The ferry route from Hong Kong to Shenzhen is a more leisurely way into the city. The ferry terminal in Shenzhen is at Shekou, which is a popular resort area filled with bars and restaurants. You can catch the Hong Kong to Shenzhen ferry from the Hong Kong-Macau ferry terminal building in Sheung Wan. There are six ferries each day and they take around an hour. It costs 120 rembini for a one-way ticket.
How to Get to Shenzhen by Coaches ?
Summary: There are a number of private cross-border coach options conveniently located in Terminal 2. Destinations are not limited to Shenzhen, but another 109 cities in the Pearl River Delta Region. From Terminal 1 follow the directions to “Terminal 2” and “Transport to Mainland China”.
Once at the coach ticket purchase windows, finding a ticket won’t be a problem. You will quickly be approached by a keen sales representative from any of the 4 coach companies at desks c10 – c13. The main bus routes are detailed below:
Huanggang
(Coach service hours: 0700 – 2400)
Huanggang border, locaated at the foot of Shenzhen’s CBD in Futian District, is usually the most expedient route to China, especially if traveling to hotels in Futian or Luohu Districts. Travelers will need to disembark the coach at the Hong Kong side of the border, remove their luggage, pass through immigration and clear customs, and then board another coach that takes you to the Mainland China side of the border where the process is repeated on the China side of the border.
Shenzhen Bay Port
(Coach service hours: 0700 – 2220)
For travelers heading to the Shekou, Nanshan or Baoan Districts Shenzhen Bay, located in Shekou’s Dongjiaotou area, is the most convenient route to China. Fortunately, travelers do not need to disembark at the Hong Kong side in this case as both customs checkpoints are in the same building.
Shataukok (Shatoujiao)
(Coach service hours: 1045 – 1730)
The lesser known Shataukou, or Shatoujiao in Mandarin, may be an option for those heading directly to the Yantiangang Free Trade Zone.
Once the coaches reach the Hong Kong border, passengers will need to disembark, gather luggage, pass through Hong Kong immigration, re-board the coach, travel to the Shenzhen border, disembark the coach, pass through the Shenzhen immigration, make your way to the taxi stand and wait for a taxi.
Once at the coach ticket purchase windows, finding a ticket won’t be a problem. You will quickly be approached by a keen sales representative from any of the 4 coach companies at desks c10 – c13. The main bus routes are detailed below:
Huanggang
(Coach service hours: 0700 – 2400)
Huanggang border, locaated at the foot of Shenzhen’s CBD in Futian District, is usually the most expedient route to China, especially if traveling to hotels in Futian or Luohu Districts. Travelers will need to disembark the coach at the Hong Kong side of the border, remove their luggage, pass through immigration and clear customs, and then board another coach that takes you to the Mainland China side of the border where the process is repeated on the China side of the border.
Shenzhen Bay Port
(Coach service hours: 0700 – 2220)
For travelers heading to the Shekou, Nanshan or Baoan Districts Shenzhen Bay, located in Shekou’s Dongjiaotou area, is the most convenient route to China. Fortunately, travelers do not need to disembark at the Hong Kong side in this case as both customs checkpoints are in the same building.
Shataukok (Shatoujiao)
(Coach service hours: 1045 – 1730)
The lesser known Shataukou, or Shatoujiao in Mandarin, may be an option for those heading directly to the Yantiangang Free Trade Zone.
Once the coaches reach the Hong Kong border, passengers will need to disembark, gather luggage, pass through Hong Kong immigration, re-board the coach, travel to the Shenzhen border, disembark the coach, pass through the Shenzhen immigration, make your way to the taxi stand and wait for a taxi.
Visa Requirements
Do I Need a Chinese Visa ? : Yes and no. Confused? You will be. Shenzhen is a special economic zone and there are five-day visas available on the spot at the Lo Wu and Lok Ma Chau border crossing (this is not available on ferry crossings). These are only valid for the Shenzhen area.
These visas are only available to certain nationalities and this list seems to be in an almost constant flux. US nationals absolutely cannot obtain a Shenzhen special economic zone visa, and, at least at the time of writing, visas are also unavailable to UK citizens. Both these nationalities have been barred for some time. Most other EU nationalities can obtain a visa, as can citizens of Australia and New Zealand, although suspensions occur often and it’s wise to check ahead.
On top of all this, you can no longer get a Chinese visa in Hong Kong and you’ll need to apply at the Chinese Embassy in your home country or at a specialist travel agent in Hong Kong.
Remember: You can’t use Hong Kong Dollars or the Octopus Card in Shenzhen.
Do I Need a Chinese Visa ? : Yes and no. Confused? You will be. Shenzhen is a special economic zone and there are five-day visas available on the spot at the Lo Wu and Lok Ma Chau border crossing (this is not available on ferry crossings). These are only valid for the Shenzhen area.
These visas are only available to certain nationalities and this list seems to be in an almost constant flux. US nationals absolutely cannot obtain a Shenzhen special economic zone visa, and, at least at the time of writing, visas are also unavailable to UK citizens. Both these nationalities have been barred for some time. Most other EU nationalities can obtain a visa, as can citizens of Australia and New Zealand, although suspensions occur often and it’s wise to check ahead.
On top of all this, you can no longer get a Chinese visa in Hong Kong and you’ll need to apply at the Chinese Embassy in your home country or at a specialist travel agent in Hong Kong.
Remember: You can’t use Hong Kong Dollars or the Octopus Card in Shenzhen.