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How to get from Shenzhen to Hong Kong | Train, subway, border
Adding a small stop in Hong Kong during your trip to China on your own is very common, or even taking your flight arriving or returning home from Hong Kong. If this is something you are considering, this article on how to cross from China to Hong Kong will be very useful to you, we will tell you the different options, prices and how simple it is.
If you are organizing A trip to China taking advantage of the visa exemption Hong Kong is the perfect place to leave China and re-enter a day or more later. The number of days you can spend in China without a visa will be renewed.
Best options for Crossing from China to Hong Kong by land
There are two main options for crossing from China to Hong Kong, by bullet train or public transport. I'll tell you pros and cons of both.
The best option for traveling from China to Hong Kong is the high-speed train.
Currently you can go directly from major Chinese cities to Hong Kong by high-speed train. A few years ago you had to stop in Shenzhen to complete the immigration process and then take another train, but not anymore. Now If you come from afar you go through passport control upon arrival in Hong Kong.
Si you are already in ShenzhenThere two seasons to go to Hong Kong, futian located in the city center and Shenzhen North (Shenhenbei) which is the most important station in the city and has the best connections to the rest of China. Both stations have frequent trains, and one passes 15 minutes each approximately and the The ticket price is about €9This is undoubtedly the best way to get from China to Hong Kong.
How much does it cost to travel from Shenzhen to Hong Kong by land?
Train tickets departing from Shenzhen cost between €8 and €20 depending on the class, train, and time chosen.
How long does it take at immigration to leave or enter Hong Kong?
Te They recommend arriving at least an hour or an hour and a half early. We spent around 45 minutes between both controls. It was a Sunday at noon, so I think it could have been especially crowded with people returning from spending the day or weekend away.
Can I buy the ticket at the station?
Yes, but if you want to play it safe at a specific time I don't recommend it, despite there being many trains that make the route. It is a tremendously popular route. We wanted to take a train at 12:50 p.m. in Hong Kong and the next one with availability was at 16:10 p.m.
So it is better to have previously purchased your ticket from China to Hong Kong by land. If after visiting Hong Kong you return to China, what you can do when you arrive at the Hong Kong station is to buy the ticket outbound, thus guaranteeing your time and saving Trip.com's commission.
How to get from Hong Kong to Shenzhen
To make the return journey, exit from Hong Kong West Kowloon station and book a train bound for Futian if you're going to downtown Shenzhen, or Shenzhen North if you're continuing your train journey through China from there.
Arrive early because before boarding the train you'll need to go through Hong Kong exit security and mainland China entry security at West Kowloon station. Once you've completed these procedures, the train to Futian takes about 15 minutes.
The cheapest option, subway to go from Shenzhen to Hong Kong
Due to its proximity to the Chinese city of Shenzhen and many locals They cross from Shenzhen to Hong Kong to work or shopIt is easy to go by MTR (subway) and cheaper than the high-speed train, but in our experience we do not recommend it.
It took us practically the whole morning, when the train ride takes between 15 and 25 minutes. The result was saving us a few euros, barely 5€ between the two of us, which would not have been too noticeable in our case. budget for traveling to China.
In both cases you have to go through immigration, but at the train station everything is together and has air conditioning. On the other hand, by public transport it is a bit more tedious and depending on the time you can find a lot of people crossing.
How much does it cost to get from Shenzhen to Hong Kong by public transport?
On the one hand you will have to pay for the journey subway to the border (about €0.50) and once you have crossed from China to Hong Kong, the local train ticket. It varies a little depending on where you get off but it costs about €7, we paid 61 HKD.
You can pay at the doors with your card's contactless, I recommend using one with no commissions, buy the ticket with other types of cards at the ticket office or at the machines if you have Hong Kong dollars.
How long does it take at immigration to leave or enter Hong Kong?
This will depend a lot on the time and day of the week. In our case, it was a Friday around 11 a.m. It took us approximately 25 minutes to leave China and another 25 minutes in line to enter Hong Kong.
Avoid crossing from 8:30 to 10:00 and from 16:00 until 20:30.
Border crossings from Shenzhen to Hong Kong
If you want to continue by train or subway to Hong Kong, these are the two most practical steps:
- Luohu/Lo Wu: It's open from 6:30 to midnight and connects to Hong Kong's East Rail line. It's the crossing we used.
- Futian / Lok Ma Chau: It is open from 6:30 to 22:30 and also connects to the East Rail line.
Please note that your mainland Chinese internet connection will stop working at the border crossing. That's why in our Guide on how to get internet in Hong Kong We explain how to get a regional plan for the same price that also includes Hong Kong and Macau.
There are other steps, but they don't work the same way. Shenzhen Bay It is open from 6:30 to 00:00 and is usually used by bus or car. Huanggang / Lok Ma Chau It allows passengers to cross 24 hours a day, so it is mostly used when traveling in the early morning.
My recommendation if you use this option to travel from China to Hong Kong is to search Google Maps for directions to your hotel in Hong Kong and follow the route it recommends. In our case, we crossed via Lou Wu.
By flight, the best option from other cities in China
China is a gigantic country, and although traveling by high-speed train is the best option to travel around the country, they are not cheap, so Depending on where you are, it is very likely that your best option to get from China to Hong Kong is via air. Its airport is very well connected to major cities in China.
You can take a look for buy flights.
¿What distance is there between Shenzhen and Hong Kong?
Shenzhen and Hong Kong share a border, so there isn't a single distance between the two cities; it depends on your starting point and which area of Hong Kong you're traveling to. As a practical guide, the high-speed train journey between Futian in Shenzhen and Hong Kong West Kowloon is about 30 km and takes around 15 minutes. You'll need to add travel time to the station and border control to that.
How go from the airport from Shenzhen to Hong Kong
Although the train and subway are the most popular options to get from Shenzhen to Hong Kong, you can also take the train by intercity busIt's a great option if you land at Shenzhen Airport and want to go directly to Hong Kong without having to transfer to other modes of transport.
The buses leave from Airport Terminal 3 and go to areas like Kowloon, Tsim Sha Tsui, Mong Kok or even Disneyland.
The journey takes between 1,5 and 2,5 hours, depending on traffic and final destination. They stop at Shenzhen Bay border control, where you get off, walk through immigration, and then return to the same bus.
Tips to cross from China to Hong Kong
- Arrive at the station early, sometimes the queues can be long.
- Upon arriving in Hong Kong you can sacar at an ATM or go to a currency exchange with euros or yuan.
- Avoid crossing from China to Hong Kong early in the day and around 5 in the afternoon, this is when most locals do it.
You can also read our itinerary of Hong Kong in 1 day.
Frequently Asked Questions Traveling from China to Hong Kong
The best way to get from China to Hong Kong is by train. The high-speed connection is fast and efficient, with services operating frequently.
The cheapest way to get from Shenzhen to Hong Kong is by bus or the subway (MTR) depending on where you are.
The fastest way to get from Shenzhen, and other Chinese cities, to Hong Kong is by high-speed train. It takes just 15 minutes to get from Shenzhen to Hong Kong, plus immigration time.
The best way to get from Beijing to Hong Kong, or from other distant cities, is by plane. There are low-cost airlines that travel the route, and it's cheaper than high-speed trains.
Yes, you will have to go through passport control both when entering and exiting Hong Kong.
No. Hong Kong and mainland China have different entry requirements. Some people travel to Hong Kong to renew the number of days they can spend in China without a visa.
We hope this short guide on how to cross from China to Hong Kong helps you on your trip.
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Hello, this website is super interesting for preparing my trip to China.
Although you have mentioned it several times, it is still not clear to me, and it is the following:
Our intention is to go to China from April 1st to May 31st in 2026. (2 months)
In order to avoid having to ask for a visa, we have thought
Since we can stay in China for 30 days without a visa, it would mean leaving China on April 30th and going to Hong Kong. Returning to China again on May 5th would give us another 25 days to continue traveling. Is this possible? Could we stay in China for two months without a visa, alternating with Hong Kong?
Thank you very much
Hello Josu!
Yes, it's like you mentioned in terms of visas. Hong Kong isn't considered China, so it's as if you left the country and upon re-entering, your 30 free days are reactivated. Enjoy your trip 🙂
Hello! And thanks for the article!
We are flying from Japan to Shenzhen to return to Spain, but we have 2 days in Shenzhen. Our idea was to visit Hong Kong but we have read that the offices for the day visa close at 17pm and our flight arrives later.
Is there any way we could get to HK?
Thank you very much!
Hi Sergi, with a Spanish passport you don't have to do any paperwork or visa for Hong Kong. My recommendation would be to go by train from Shenzhen, which is quick and easy. The immigration process to leave China and enter Hong Kong is done at the same station. And the same on the way back, before taking the train to China you will go through immigration. Greetings!
Hi, I'm planning to travel to China in May and depart from Hong Kong. From what I've read, there is now a visa exemption in China for 30 days. So, I understand that it is not necessary to carry a visa, neither for Hong Kong nor for China, right? I'll be there for a total of about 15 days.
Thank you
Hello Paula,
Yes, you do not need a visa if you are travelling for 30 days or less. Not even for Hong Kong.
Enjoy the trip
Hello, I am planning my trip to China for next summer and I have found your very interesting article. I have a question: I am flying to Beijing and my idea was to do a 15-day route and then go to Hong Kong to renew my visa and stay for another week. How do I prove in Beijing that I am leaving for Hong Kong? Is the train ticket enough? They are very strict. I also have the problem that train tickets can only be bought 15 days in advance…
Thanks for your help.
Hello Aida,
They usually ask you for justificationcar your departure from the country before embarkingcar For your flight to Beijing, your train reservation should be sufficient justification, but it's true that since it's not confirmed until 15 days in advance, they might raise some objections, although I don't think that's common. If you want to be 100% sure, you can book a plane ticket for $16 at [website/platform name]. https://onwardticket.com/viajeroslowcosteros It is a real ticket that justifies your departure from the country but that you cannot actually use because the website cancels the ticket days before the flight.
I hope everything goes well for you and you don't have any problems, China is an amazing country!
Hugs
Hi Sergio,
Thank you very much for your message, we are very happy that our information is useful for your trip. You should not have any problems crossing the border twice, in fact I think it is quite common and it has a reputation for being a very flexible and lax border. I hope you enjoy your trip without any problems!
A hug
Hi! A very interesting article! It is difficult to find updated information for trips to China and in this one you detail it very well!
A question, to go from Hong Kong to Futian station by direct train, do you have to go through customs on the way out and on the way in or only on the way out? And is the process difficult? Or is it more or less easy with the visa exemption? Thank you very much.
Hi Irene, thanks for your comment ☺️ You will go through the control when you leave Hong Kong, in China you will not have to do any other paperwork. It is a simple immigration process, first you leave Hong Kong and then you enter China. It took us about 1 hour.