via amtrak

I'm wondering what the various options are for getting from Hong Kong/Kowloon to Shenzhen Airport are. The easiest is probably to take the Turbojet ferry (1 hour) directly to the airport. This, however costs HK$200 each way. Given that the Lok Ma Chau line is now open on the KCR, does anybody know how long buses and/or taxis would take to get from Lok Ma Chau/Huanggang to Shenzhen Airport, as well as the approximate prices? I aim to catch an 11:25 am flight to Shanghai and therefore plan to get to Shenzhen airport at around 9:30-10.

Thanks!

rkkwan

A new direct coach service has just started up between the Kowloon AE/MTR station and Shenzhen Airport on 10/31. It uses the new and much less crowded Western Crossing into China, at which you can clear both HK and China immigration in the same building, without having to get off the bus twice.

That'd the best way.

Can't find a English page, but this is the official timetable:

http://www.chinalink.hk/co_service_routes16.html

The times are departures from the Kowloon AE station. Use the MTR Exit "C" to the cross-border coach terminus on the 1st floor. $90 one-way.

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As for the other choices, all have their problems.

- There's no taxi stand at the Chinese side of the new Lok Ma Chau/Futian border, so you have to hike across a roadway to get to taxis. There are also no direct bus from there to SZX.

- While the Shenzhen Airport Bus 330 has a stop for its SZX-Shenzhen run at the Lowu crossing, the outbound bus originates from the Hualian Building; so it means another taxi or subway ride from the Lowu border.

- From the Huanggang crossing, there are buses, but not express non-stop ones to SZX. Taxis are plentiful. On the HK side, you need to take a bus to get to Huanggang, can't do it by KCR trains. This was the best and cheapest way before the new direct coach service.

i'mlovin'it

Spend the extra money and take the ferry. So much easier than the shuttle bus shuffle at Lo Wu.

mapu

I second that, the ferry is much less hassle.

http://www.turbojet.com.hk/turbojet_...routes_rev.htm

rkkwan

The ferry is less hassle, but the main problem is that it's not very frequent. 7-8 sailings on weekdays and 4 on weekends. Compared to every half hour for the new direct bus.

i'mlovin'it

Guess I'd rather sit in HKIA (even if not in a lounge) for a couple extra hours than deal with all the extra "work" of taking the bus.

rkkwan

The OP is going from central HK to Shenzhen airport, not from a flight into HKG.

If one's from the city, what exactly is the extra "work"?

Bus option ($90, every half hour):
Take taxi to AE station. Get on bus. Get off bus at Western Crossing, clear HK immigration, clear Chinese immigration. Get on bus and continue to SZX.

Ferry option ($200, 4-7 sailing a day):
Take taxi to pier. Go through HK immigration. Get on ferry. Get off ferry. Clear Chinese immigration. Get on shuttle to SZX.

About the same "work".

MW147

Turbojet also has service from TST (China HK Ferry Terminal on Canton Road) to Fuyong Ferry Terminal (next to Shenzhen Aiport with free shuttle bus). 6 sailings every day, with 7 M-F.
I have done it, and find it very comfortable, easy, and convenient.

rkkwan

First, I think the OP already knows about the Turbojet service.

Second, the schedule has changed. It's now only 4 sailings on weekends, but 8 from Monday to Friday. And except for one sailing from the China HK Ferry in Kowloon each day, all the others are from the Macau Ferry Terminal on HK Island.

http://www.turbojet.com.hk/turbojet_sailing_rev.htm

i'mlovin'it

Ah. Misread the OP about location.

As to the extra work, I'm talking about immigration. Immigration at the ferry terminal usually isn't that crowded and is fairly organized. Immigration at the Western Crossing is anything but. I only had to do this once to realize I didn't want to do it again. YMMV.

via amtrak

Thanks to everyone for their information. The bus service from Kowloon seems particularly attractive to me, it gives me a chance to see the new bridge over Deep Bay/Shenzhen Wan!

Regarding the KCR services to Lok Ma Chau, this information (http://www.kcrc.com/html/eng/service...rail/index.asp, specifically "Lok Ma Chau Station is linked to the joint inspection building at Shenzhen Futian Control Point and the Huanggang Station of the Shenzhen Metro via a fully-covered pedestrian footbridge.") seems to imply that crossing the border at this location is pretty hassle-free. Taking the bus is easier yet I suppose since the Western Corridor apparently has both Hong Kong and Chinese formalities done in the same facility.

via amtrak

Thanks to everyone for all this useful information. I think I'll go with the bus from Kowloon Station - that'll also let me get my first view of the new Western Corridor bridge over Deep Bay/Shenzhen Wan!!

Regarding the Lok Ma Chau-Huanggang interchange, I had been under the impression (from the KCR website) that the KCR station and Shenzhen metro station (and associated public transport & taxi interchange) were connected via a bridge over the river/border.

rkkwan

Yes, its via a covered bridge over the river, just like at Lowu. But the taxi stand is over a major roadway from the Chinese immigration/customs exit. Unless they've changed it recently. That N-S Shenzhen metro line going to/from the Huanggang border is also much less frequent than the main E-W line.

That's why that new crossing has much fewer daily users than originally projected. Truck traffic at the Western Crossing is also way below expectation at this time.

Robguide

This is a post from a Hong Kong blogger that summaries all options how to go from Hong Kong to Shenzhen Airport. Recommended!

jbalmuth

we tried the new bus from Shenzhen Airport to Kowloon, and while the customs experience was brilliant (no lines, nothing but efficiency and courtesy), the drop-off in HK was the exact opposite. Rather than going to the MTR at Kowloon, the driver decided to dump his small load of passengers (one mother with two infants, my wife and myself, and just one other couple) on a crowded corner in Mongkok, around the block from the Prince Edward MTR stop. There was no particular traffic situation (this past Monday afternoon, around 3:30 pm) and we were all so confused on what was occurring that we all just disboarded, collected our luggage, and wandered around aimlessly trying to figure out where we were. My wife subsequently contacted the company to complain, but I don't expect any meaningful explanation to surface.

Forewarned is forearmed.....