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Shenzhen metro day pass: is it worth it for a day trip from Hong Kong?
Updated 6 October 2026
There are two ways to ride Shenzhen Metro in October 2026. The first is the 25 yuan 24 hour unlimited pass sold at every station from Lo Wu to Qianhai. The second is the per ride QR pay option linked to Alipay or WeChat, which is the one most Hong Kong regulars actually use. Which is cheaper depends on how many stops you take and whether you cross one or two days.
What the day pass actually costs in 2026
The 24 hour unlimited pass on Shenzhen Metro is 25 yuan, up from 20 yuan when it relaunched as a tourist product in 2024. You buy it from a green kiosk near the ticket gates at any station. The clock starts the moment you tap in, not at midnight, so a noon purchase expires at noon the next day.
For a Hong Kong day tripper walking in at 9am from Lo Wu and leaving at 9pm, the pass covers a full 36 hours of riding if you extend slightly, which is generous but rarely needed.
What a single ride costs
Standard Shenzhen Metro fares in 2026 start at 2 yuan for the first four kilometres and top out at 14 yuan for the longest cross city journeys such as Bao'an Airport to Luohu. Most trips from the border into central Shenzhen fall in the 3 to 6 yuan range.
You pay per ride with a Shenzhen Tong QR code inside Alipay or WeChat. No top up, no card, no deposit. Just scan at the orange reader and walk through.
The break even math
At 25 yuan the day pass pays for itself after about four full price rides. Five rides puts you clearly ahead, six is the no brainer zone.
When the day pass wins
The pass earns its keep on two kinds of trips. The first is a two day Shenzhen stay where you ride the metro eight or more times. The second is a long sampler day that hits Shekou, OCT Loft, Shenzhen Bay and the airport line in one go.
If you also plan to ride the cross harbour Line 13 extension that opened in September 2026, those trips add up quickly because longer cross city fares eat the per ride cap.
How to actually pay without a Tong card
Open Alipay, search for Shenzhen Tong, agree to the one time identity prompt with your mainland phone number, and the QR code lives in your home screen forever. WeChat does the same through its transit mini program.
Tourists without a mainland number can still use the green ticket machines for single journey paper tickets, but lines at Luohu and Futian on weekends can stretch to 20 minutes.
Children, seniors and the day pass
Kids under 1.2 metres ride free with a paying adult. Kids between 1.2 and 1.5 metres pay half fare on the QR option. The day pass is full price for everyone, so a family of two adults and two tall kids breaks even faster, around three rides each.
Hong Kong seniors should note that the Octopus free ride concession for cross border buses does not extend to Shenzhen Metro, so they pay the same as everyone else.
Verdict for the Hong Kong day tripper
Quick answers
- Can I use my Octopus on Shenzhen Metro?
- No. Octopus is not accepted on Shenzhen Metro as of October 2026. Use a Shenzhen Tong QR code in Alipay or WeChat, or buy a paper ticket from the green machines.
- Does the day pass cover the Line 13 extension?
- Yes. The 25 yuan pass covers every Shenzhen Metro line including the Line 13 cross harbour extension that opened in September 2026.
- What happens if I overstay the 24 hour pass?
- You pay a single fare for any tap after the 24 hour window expires. The gates will let you through normally and the extra is deducted from your linked payment method.
- Is there a three day or weekly pass?
- No. Shenzhen Metro only sells a 24 hour pass and a seven day pass for residents, and the seven day pass needs a Shenzhen Tong card with a local ID, so it is not available to Hong Kong day trippers.
Hours in the cards follow the Hong Kong Immigration Department control-point table. They move. Check the morning you travel.