Independent Hong Kong to Shenzhen guide
Practical Shenzhen trips, for people who actually live in Hong Kong
Most guides to crossing into Shenzhen are written for a tourist visiting once. This one is written for the weekend Sam's Club run, the cheaper dentist appointment, the regular border crossing you've already done a dozen times and just want the current details on. No hotel recommendations, no theme park tickets.
Which crossing should I use?
Five crossings, different hours, different crowds, different onward connections. Filter by what matters for your trip today.
Sam's Club runs
Three stores, three different bus networks. Start with the overview, or go straight to your store.
Once you're across
- How to actually pay for things
- Does Octopus work in Shenzhen?
- Dentist prices compared
- Getting around by metro
- Exchanging HKD for yuan
Before you go
- Your Home Return Permit, explained
- Getting data across the border
- Avoiding queues
- Luggage rules on the cross-border buses
- What you can bring back
Planning a fuller day
- A weekend itinerary from Hong Kong
- Futian port, in detail
- Lo Wu port, in detail
- Shenzhen Bay port, in detail
- Huanggang and Heung Yuen Wai
A note on accuracy. Bus schedules, prices, and border hours all change without much notice on either side of the checkpoint. Where a page states a specific fare or timing, it reflects what was true when the page was last updated, and it's always worth a quick check against the operator before you travel.