The fastest crossing is the Vibrant Express high-speed train from Hong Kong West Kowloon to Futian or Shenzhen North — under 20 minutes, with more than 90 departures a day from about 07:00 to 23:00. The MTR East Rail Line to Lo Wu, for the Luohu border post, is the cheapest. Ferry and private car both take roughly an hour. Shenzhen is mainland China with its own immigration control, so you always clear a border: you need either visa-free eligibility, a transit exemption, a border visa, or a Chinese visa obtained in advance.
This page covers the route and which entry option fits it. For the border visa itself — who qualifies, which five ports issue it, what it costs and the cash-only rule — see Shenzhen visa on arrival: how to get the 5-day SEZ visa. If you are only passing through on the way to a third country, check the 240-hour visa-free transit, which now includes Hong Kong West Kowloon station as a Guangdong entry point. Train times and station layout are covered in our West Kowloon station guide.
A trip to explore the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macau Greater Bay Area (粤港澳大湾区) with diverse cityscape, culture, history and economic vitality attracts numerous tourists around the world. And Hong Kong is frequently used as gateway cities to Pearl River Delta, Southern China. For a visit from Hong Kong to "China's Silicon Valley"- Shenzhen nearby, visa issue probably always confues you a lot. Here we will try our best to explain each policy clearly, provide most useful advice to help you travel Hong and Shenzhen worry-free!
Shenzhen is located in China's mainland and borders Hong Kong, a special administative region in China with independent immigration policy. Whether you need a visa to travel to Shenzhen from Hong Kong, the answer depends on actual siuations, largely determined by your nationality (passport), travel route, entry port, arrival transport and places going to visit and other factors. Transit travelers may get visa-free tour to Shenzhen from Hong Kong if meeting related requirements.
Once confirmed you do need a visa for Shenzhen from Hong Kong, eligible foreign visitors may apply a Shenzhen 5-Day Special Economic Tourist Visa on arrival at appointed border ports. Or you can apply a regular China Visa from overseas Chinese Embassy/Consulate beforehand.
Hong Kong to Shenzhen via Luohu Port
China Visa for Visiting Shenzhen from HK
The most popular and budget way to have a Shenzhen visa-free tour from Hong Kong is taking advantage of the current Shenzhen 240-Hour Visa-Free Transit Policy and 6-Day Pearl River Group Tour from Hong Kong. In that case, you don't have to pay for a visa and prepare lots of paperwork, just apply a Temporary Entry Permit at specific entry port. What's the conditions of application? How to get a visa-free travel to Shenzhen from Hong Kong? Below are the detailed guide for you.
First Apply 240-Hour Visa-Free Transit at Guangzhou Airport
Currently, the 240-Hour Transit Visa Exemption Policy has been launched not only in Shenzhen, but also other cities of Guangdong, such as Guangzhou, Zhuhai, etc. International transit passengers from 50+ designated foreign countries are allowed to apply 240-Hour Transit without Visa (TWOV) at Guangzhou Baiyun Airport, Shenzhen Bao'an International Airport and Jieyang Chaoshan Airport, Nanshan Port or Shekou Port if they hold valid passport or international travel documents, tickets leaving China within 240 hours.
Once granted entry permit by immigration authority, transit passengers could enjoy a "no-visa" stopover tour in Guangzhou, Shenzhen, any city in Guangdong for up to 10 days. You can even travel to Guilin, Zhangjiajie, Shanghai, etc. if you want. Since there is no flight running between Hong Kong and Shenzhen, you need to fly to Guangzhou first and then transfer to Shenzhen from Guangzhou.
● Hold passport (with validity of at least 3 months) of the specific 54 foreign countries;
54 Countries Qualified for Shenzhen 240 Hour Visa Free Transit (Enlarge to See Full List)
● Hold (flight, ship, bus) tickets leaving China with confirmed seat and date (within 240 Hours).
● Travel route must be Hong Kong - Guangzhou - Shenzhen (Guangdong) - other permitted regions in China's Mainland - another third country/region
Since the policy is privilege for transit passengers, it requires a transit travel itineray, your departure place should be different from onward destination. It's NOT applicable for a Hong Kong-Guangzhou - Shenzhen-Hong Kong tour.
Qualified travel route examples:
Hong Kong --> Guangzhou -->Shenzhen --> Macau; Hong Kong --> Guangzhou -->Shenzhen --> US
● Take flight to Hong Kong to Guangzhou Firstly
Shenzhen's 240-Hour Visa-Free Transit Policy is only applied at Shenzhen Bao'an International Airport and Shekou Port (Cruise), but Hong Kong has no flights to Shenzhen. Obviously, you can't apply the 6-day visa-free trip to Shenzhen if arrival by overland ports. So, you shall apply 240-Hour Temporary Entry Permit at Guangzhou Airport.
Special Notes:
1. After entry, the total duration of visa-free stay in Shenzhen is 240 hours. It counts from the 00:00 the second day upon arrival. Visit the Exit & Entry Administation Deparment of the local Public Security Bureau for further help if intend to overstay.
2. Under the 240-Hour TWOV Rule, you are permitted to visit Shenzhen, Guangzhou, Zhuhai, Foshan, Jiangmen and any cities in Guangdong Province. If time allows, you can travel to other permitted places outside Guangdong Province, such as Shanghai, Xian, Chengdu, Beijing, Zhangjiajie, etc.
3. To leave China's Mainland, you can exit from Guangdong' 36 opened ports, including Shenzhen Bao'an International Airport, Shatoujiao, Wenjindu, Huanggang, Luohu, Shenzhen Bay Port in Shenzhen, or Guangzhou Baiyun Airport, and so on, or exit from other eligbile ports in China's Mainland.
With the special regional visa exemption policy in Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macau Greater Bay Area, joining in a group tour is another doable choice to travel to Shenzhen visa free from Hong Kong. Specifically, alines in group tours organized by Hong Kong-registered travel agencies may get 6-day tour to Shenzhen, Guangzhou and total 10 cities in Pearl River Delta without applying a visa, if arrival from Hong Kong directly.
6 Day Group Tour to Shenzhen and Pearl River Delta from Hong Kong
① Alreay in Hong Kong and will get to Shenzhen from Hong Kong directly.
② Come from countries that have established diplomatic relations with China.
③ Join in a tourist group received and organized by travel agency registered in Hong Kong.
④ Entry purpose is for tour only.
1. Visa-free period is no longer than 6 days. The time starts calculating from 00:00 the next after entry.
2. Stay area is limited within administative regions of Guangzhou, Shenzhen, Zhuhai, Foshan, Dongguan, Zhongshan, Jiangmen, Zhaoqing, Huizhou, Shantou, altogether 10 cities in Guangdong, Pearl River Delta.
3. The "no-visa" tour is applicable to Shantou (汕头) only when the tourist group visit and stay in Shantou only and exit via Shantou afterwards.
Apply for Shenzhen 5 Day Visa on Arrival at Luohu Port
Shenzhen is well-known not only as a vice-provincial city in Guangdong Province, a super first-tier city in China after Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, but also a leading fast-growing Special Economic Zone (SEZ) in China. Thus, a particular visa policy, a 5-Day Shenzhen Visa on Arrival is carried out in Shenzhen to encourage it's further development, exchange and opening to the world. No advance preparation is required, only few simple steps, qualified travelers may obtain a short-term single-entry Shenzhen SEZ Visa upon arrival at certain ports.
▶ Visit Shenzhen from Hong Kong directly.
▶ Carry valid original passport (remaining validity should be 3 months and above) with blank pages.
▶ Get to Shenzhen for tourism, business, or other personal affairs.
▶ Complete Shenzhen Special Economic Zone Tourist Visa Application Form at visa office at the border ports.
▶ Enter Shenzhen via specific ports, like Luohu, Huanggang (Shenzhen Checkpoints).
1. Citizens from some countries can NOT apply the on arrival visa to Shenzhen. You'd better consult the immigration before you go.
2. The Shenzhen Visa on Arrival is charged different by nationalities at border ports.
3. The port visa merely allows one entry and visit in Shenzhen, no more travel to other cities in Guangdong or China.
4. The Shenzhen SEZ Visa is NOT applicable to Hong Kong-Shenzhen Bullet Train travelers, since Hong Kong departure and mainland arrival clearance procedures will be completed both in Hong Kong West Kowloon Train Station. You can't get the on-arrival visa in the West Kowloon Train Station.
Apply China Visa to Visit Shenzhen from Hong Kong
Those who are not eligible for the above mentioned visa-free and visa-on-arrival situations, should apply for a full China Visa to Shenzhen. Multiple-entry Visa is highly suggested. You can either submit application to Chinese Embassy/Consulate abroad ahead of time, or apply while in Hong Kong.
Holding a valid China Visa, you can travel to Shenzhen from Hong Kong, or transfer from Guangzhou to Shenzhen from HK, even extend journey to Beijing, Shanghai, Xian, Guilin, Chengdu and else popular destinations in China's mainland. Another convenince is you can choose any transportion available to get to Shenzhen from Hong Kong, maybe a Hong Kong-Shenzhen High Speed Bullet Train, the verry fast MTR subway or by ferry, without limitation like the former introduced cases. Needless to say, getting a regular China Visa makes your Hong Kong mainland tour easier and much more convenient.
Vibrant Express Bullet Train from Hong Kong to Shenzhen Takes Less Than 20 Minutes
Short distance and available multiple connection makes transporation between Hong Kong and Shenzhen really fast and convenient. At present, tourists can travel to Shenzhen from Hong Kong by high speed bullet train, MTR, coach, ferry, private car. (Note that different transporation could determine if you need a visa for Shenzhen or not.)
◆By MTR : take Hong Kong MTR East Rail Line to Lo Wu - Luohu Port - Shenzhen
◆By Bullet Train:Hong Kong West Kowloon Train Station (Hong Kong) - Shenzhen North Train Station or Futian Train Station (Shenzhen)
Every day, there are more than 90 high speed bullet trains (all G trains) departing from Hong Kong to Shenzhen from about 07:00am to 23:00pm.
◆By Private Driving:around 1 to 1.5 hours - most recommended for business travelers.
◆By Ferry:Hong Kong International Airport/HK Macau Ferry Terminal - Shekou Cruise Center/Shenzhen Bao'an Airport (around 1 hour)
◆By Coach:1/25 bus stations in Hong Kong to 1/12 bus stations in Shenzhen.
Usually yes, because Shenzhen is mainland China with its own immigration control, separate from Hong Kong. Four options cover almost everyone: China’s 30-day visa-free entry if your nationality qualifies, the 240-hour visa-free transit if you hold a confirmed onward ticket to a third country, the 5-day Shenzhen Special Economic Zone visa issued at the border, or a regular Chinese visa obtained before you travel.
Under 20 minutes on the Vibrant Express high-speed train from Hong Kong West Kowloon to Futian or Shenzhen North, with more than 90 G-train departures a day between roughly 07:00 and 23:00. The MTR East Rail Line to Lo Wu, for the Luohu border post, takes longer but costs less.
The MTR East Rail Line to Lo Wu, then walk through the Luohu border post into Shenzhen. Luohu also has the best facilities and onward transport of the overland crossings, which is why it is the crossing we recommend if you intend to apply for the Shenzhen border visa.
The 5-day Special Economic Zone visa requires that you arrive directly from Hong Kong or Macau through one of five appointed ports, and the visa office at a port may be closed even when the port is open. Check the port and its visa office hours before you set out, and see our Shenzhen visa on arrival guide for the current list of ports and fees.
Yes, if you meet the conditions. Hong Kong West Kowloon high-speed rail station has been added as a Guangdong Province entry point for the 240-hour visa-free transit, and Shenzhen airport can issue the exemption on landing. You need a confirmed onward ticket to a third country or region within the 240 hours, and your movement stays inside the permitted areas.
No matter you are planing a quick day trip to Shenzhen from Hong Kong, or thinking about an in-depth discovery in Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macau Greater Bay Area, WeTrip will always provide you updated guide of China Visa, useful trip planning advice, thoughtful service (includng tour guide, driver, hotel and ticket booking...) and any help you may need.
Travel with us, you will visit landmarks in Shenzhen, catch a glimple of its innovation spirit, culture and prosperity, as well as distinctive history and folk art, cuisine in Guangdong. Moreover, you can take a longer trip from Shenzhen, Guangdong to Beijing, Shanghai, Guilin to witness different charm and landscape of vast China.
You may choose from our most popular China tours, or just contact us, tell your interests and travel plans, we could customize a perfect Shenzhen and China tour as you like.
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