How to go to Shenzhen from Hong Kong? Your Essential Travel Guide

Need to travel from Hong Kong to Shenzhen? These two cities are just a border away, making the trip not only quick and easy, but also an experience you shouldn’t miss! But how can you embark on this journey and border-cross from Hong Kong to Shenzhen?

Travel restrictions from Hong Kong to Shenzhen have been changed a lot after COVID-19 — both Hong Kong and mainland China have fully reopened their borders, including major road and rail crossings like Man Kam To. However, there are still certain travel requirements that you need to follow, especially if you are not Hong Kong permanent citizens. You will find everything you might need to know about travelling to Shenzhen from Hong Kong!

Hong Kong to Shenzhen travel restrictions

Since 2022, China has lifted all travel restrictions about COVID-19 for travelers going from Hong Kong to Shenzhen. This means you can now travel to mainland China from Hong Kong without many major limitations. 

It’s still important to carefully review the visa requirements before your trip. A visa for Hong Kong does not automatically grant you entry into mainland China, especially if you're not a permanent resident of Hong Kong. Be sure to check whether you need a separate China visa before you travel.

Hong Kong to Shenzhen travel requirements: Can I go to Shenzhen from Hong Kong without a visa?

The answer to the question can I go to Shenzhen from Hong Kong without a visa is it depends on your citizenship. 

All permanent residents only need a travel permit to travel to China cities, including Shenzhen. So if you are a Hong Kong permanent resident, you are eligible to stay in China for a maximum of 90 days with this travel permit. 

Plus, if you are a passport holder of a certain country, you might be eligible for the China Visa waiver program when coming to Shenzhen from Hong Kong. You might also want to consider getting a visa on arrival (VOA) when you arrive in Shenzhen if you have some emergency travel which you can prove. 

There is also a Shenzhen Special Economic Zone Tourist Visa (VOA) that allows you to stay in Shenzhen for five days, but you cannot leave to another China city. You can get Shenzhen VOA at designated border ports including Luohu Port, Huanggang Port, and Shekou Port after your arrival from Hong Kong. We’ve also covered the detailed China visa requirement in another article which you can use to research for your own case. In general, you will need to bring:

• A passport with at least 6 months of validity remaining and 2 blank pages 
• China Arrival Card 
• None of China prohibited items 

Another important point to note is to make sure you’re not accidentally carrying any prohibited items into China, like:

• Weapons or explosive materials.
• Forged currency
• Illegal drugs
• Animal and plant products
• Toxic and infectious substance
• Radioactive material
• Miscellaneous dangerous substances or materials.

Border rules can change from time to time, always double check all the new rules before you embark on your journey to Shenzhen and stay on the good side of the law.

Key options for travel to Shenzhen from Hong Kong

By now, you probably have all the documents you need for the border crossing from Hong Kong to Shenzhen. So let’s go over the main ways to get there. Since the two cities are close geographically, there are plenty of options. You can drive, take the high-speed train, hop on a bus, or even ride the MTR, which is super popular because it’s cheap and convenient.

Now, let’s check out a couple of ways you can get from Hong Kong to Shenzhen!

Travel to Shenzhen from Hong Kong from the airport

You probably can’t find any direct commercial flights to Shenzhen from Hong Kong because these two cities are geographically next to each other. Still, you can travel directly from the Hong Kong airport with other alternative transportation methods like ferry or the high speed train. You will find how to use these alternatives in the next few sections!

Travel to Shenzhen from Hong Kong by high-speed train

If you want a fast and modern choice for the border crossing, you should go with the high-speed train. The high speed train in Hong Kong will take you to Shenzhen in just around 20 minutes.

The high speed train in Hong Kong and mainland China is advanced with 130 pairs of high speed trains running between two cities daily, including Short-haul Train,  Long-haul trail, and the Sleeper Train. All you need to do is go to Hong Kong West Kowloon railway station and hop on the next high speed train to the Shenzhen North or Futian Railway Station. 

Ticket prices range from around HKD 82 to HKD 246 per adult, depending on the class you choose. You can buy the ticket online. 

Travel to Shenzhen from Hong Kong by MTR

You might have already known there is a metro connecting Hong Kong to mainland China. And in fact, the MTR is one of the most popular choices to travel from Hong Kong to Shenzhen because it is both fast and relatively cheap. The whole trip is around an hour, depending on where in Hong Kong your departure station is.

You can cross the border to Shenzhen via Lo Wu and **Lok Ma Chau Station **with the East Rail Line. 

• From the Lo Wu Station: connects to Luohu control points in Shenzhen
• From Lok Ma Chau Station: connects to Futian control points in Shenzhen

You will need to go through either one of these two Immigration Control Points. So please check the operation hours of the Immigration Control Point between:

• Lo Wu: 6:30 am – midnight daily
• Lok Ma Chau: 6:30 am – 10:30 pm daily

How much your journey to Shenzhen from Hong Kong cost with the MRT will depend on where in Hong Kong you start your journey. For example, the ticket costs about 50 HKD (one way) from Admiralty to Lo Wu.

Travel to Shenzhen from Hong Kong by bus

Traveling to Shenzhen by bus is also a popular choice since buses are flexible and cheap — in fact, they might be the cheapest option, with fares as low as 11 HKD. There are a few types of buses that can take you from Hong Kong to Shenzhen: the cross-boundary coach, the franchised bus service and the green minibus.

The only downside is that the journey might take the longest compared to other options — but honestly, it won’t be that bad, especially if you’re in no rush and want to enjoy the view along the way.

Travel to Shenzhen from Hong Kong by taxi or car

Some passengers might prefer to take a private taxi or rent their own car to drive to Shenzhen from Hong Kong. Traveling by taxi or car gives you the best flexibility — you can travel whenever or wherever you want to. It might not be the most cost-saving option because it can cost up to** 400 HKD** for the total trip. If you decide that taxi or car is a way to go still, make sure to apply for a Closed Road Permit beforehand.

Travel to Shenzhen from Hong Kong by ferry

You can travel to Shenzhen from Hong Kong by ferry after leaving the airport (SkyPier Terminal) or at the Hong Kong Macau Ferry Terminal. You will arrive at Shekou Ferry Terminal in Shenzhen in approximately 50 minutes. The ticket is around 150 HKD for one way — which makes this trip both affordable and enjoyable as you can also take in the view along the way.

So that’s everything you need to know before heading to Shenzhen. Hopefully, after reading this article, you’ll be able to pick the best way to get there and enjoy a smooth, comfortable trip. 

There is another way to enjoy your trip even more: don’t forget to use Wise for your trip! With Wise, you can send 40+ currencies (including HKD and CNY), lock in the real mid-market exchange rate with a low and transparent fee and stretch your cash further during your trip from Hong Kong to Shenzhen. Best part? You can open a Wise account online from your bus seat, no fuss, no bank queues. Enjoy the ride (and the savings)!

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