How to get from Hong Kong to Shenzhen
(Via public transportation)
Summary: Take the bus
It has taken me a while to warm up to Shenzhen, and by that I mean a decade. When I lived in Beijing I thought of Shenzhen as a cultural dead zone. Living in Hong Kong, I thought of Shenzhen as a place to visit. . . never. At least during the first year — now tinged with nostalgia for the aroma of the mainland (lol not really) and with more importantly my 10 year China visa in hand (huzzah!) — I find myself going with greater frequency.
Getting to Shenzhen from Hong Kong (island side): I found it overwhelming that none of the options were obviously better than the others. After several trips in and out, I’ve found traveling via coach bus from Hong Kong island side to Shenzhen is most ideal, because it’s comfortable + less crowded + plentiful + frequent! It also happens to be the most cost efficient, so really it’s an all around win-win situation. It’s just a matter of finding the bus terminal. There are what seems to be dozens of bus / coach companies, but the websites aren’t helpful.
1. Bus: the Best option
OK by bus I mean more of a coach bus, which is a step above Hong Kong public buses. The seats are padded, air con game is strong during summer, etc. There’s a bunch of places you can grab the bus on the HK island side, but I’ve always taken the one that departs from the Great Eagle Center in Wanchai (23 Harbour Road). It comes every 15 minutes. This frequency is amazing, because you don’t need to prebook bus ticket, unlike companies like Greyhound / Peter Pan in the U.S. It’s probably more similar to the Chinatown bus, which I say with both affection and torment thinking about my cheapo college days. You can pay for the trip using your Octopus Card —for which you will get a slight discount— at a kiosk nearby pre-boarding. Then you simply line up and board.
When you enter Shenzhen (marked by when your phone loses service if you’re coming from Hong Kong) you arrive at immigration. You exit the bus to go through customs, then hop back onto the final bus into Shenzhen. It sounds confusing, but you can just follow the masses and show someone your remaining ticket stub. From there, it’s a short 5 min ride straight into Shenzhen, where you arrive at Huangguang Port. There’s taxi galore waiting on the Shenzhen side, so it’s easy to get to where you need to go. It’s also not far away from the CBD / main district of Shenzhen, which makes this convenient.
Cost: HK$55 HKD one way
Time: An hour or less in normal traffic; 50 min was the best clocked time for me
Immigration: Hop off bus, hop on bus
Comfort: Decent; the bus is in decent shape
1) Terminal at West Kowloon Station, Hong Kong — the thing is massive! 2)Economy seats: Comfy and clean 3) Walking to the station from Elements
2. High Speed Rail: Take it for novelty
I love novelty, and I love trains. So I got all Hogwarts Express-level excited to test out the HSR which shortens the trip from Hong Kong to Futian, Shenzhen in14 min. To clarify: the journey on the train takes 14 min, but the whole experience leading up to it takes much longer.
The West Kowloon station, easily reached by Tung Chung Line's Kowloon Station or West Rail Line's Austin Station, is top notch in terms of newness and aesthetics. It is also semi difficult to find your way around, so put some time aside to account for that. There are plenty of food options inside to boot and perhaps most appealing, it is connected to Elements, an upscale mall with a plethora of time passing options.
You can buy tickets ahead of time online. When I went, I purchased at the gate. There’s so many trains going in and out, unless you’re traveling over the weekend or holiday, it should be fine to just book it on the spot. You can book it online to guarantee a ticket during high peak times. There are two options, to take it into Futian or Shenzen North, the latter being more plentiful in times but significantly further from city center.
The unique thing about the train is that you exit Hong Kong and enter Shenzhen all within the Hong Kong side. This I appreciated, because once you exit the train station upon arrival in Shenzhen, you don’t have to do anything, you’re free! This cattle-herding customs process is terse though, especially if you’re running late and not sure how long queues will take.
Cost: HK$87 for economy fare, or as it’s actually called, “second class”
Time: All inclusive, an hour minimum during peak time.
Customs: No hopping on or off, all done in one go
Comfort: High; being that it’s brand new, this is probably as good as it gets
3. Subway/ MTR: the most straightforward
The subway is the easiest to wrap your mind around if you’re going for the first time. Get to Line 4 on the MTR and make your way to either Lo Wu or Lok Ma Chau, the latter which will take you to the Futian Port. Despite how clear this path is, the MTR is the worst way, in my opinion, to get from Hong Kong island side to Shenzhen. Getting from Central to Hung Hom via MTR takes 20 min of commute + factor another 50 min on the train to reach to Lo Wu. (You can also get off at Lok Ma Chau, but this isn’t as central or conveniently connected to destinations within Shenzhen).
The MTR is a good option if you are staying close to the East Rail Line. My rather-not preference is very subjectively based on commuting from Central. It’s also worth considering taking the MTR if you: 1) Speak no Chinese — busses sometimes aren’t as clearly marked. 2) Want something predictable 3) Want to get off at a prime location with lots of counterfeit shopping opportunities, close to the Shenzhen metro.
How to make the commute better: I bourgied up my trip by traveling first class. You don’t need to do this, but it guarantees you get a seat on an inevitably frenzied, busy and longish commute. To ride first class, all you have to do is tap your Octopus card to the machine at the Hung Hom station. It feels great!
Cost: HK$53 for regular ride from Central, additional HK$94 for first class
Time: Minimum 1.5 hours from Central, more during peak hours
Immigration: Takes you straight into Shenzhen side where you complete customs
Comfort: Crowded and uncomfortable during peak hours, OK if you’re on first class! (But that applies to everything in life doesn’t it)
OTHER
There is also the option of traveling by ferry, but I haven’t had this experience yet! And obviously, this isn’t public option — but if you are just looking for ease — rent a car. For those looking for a bargain, you can book online at Klook for a discount rate for under HK$700. Last, you can also just take a taxi from Hong Kong side straight up to the border at Shenzhen Bay. The only downside is that Shenzhen Bay is a bit far from central Shenzhen.