CDKing

SZX does have quite a few options getting to Hong Kong, Ferry, Subway to HSR, Metro to MRT etc. If you have to overnight, the Hyatt's at the airport are cheap and convenient connected to airport and metro station



I wish i had known about the first class option my time riding into the city. I have not made that same mistake since then, Its totally worth the extra ~$3 USD each way.
Connections are a little painful since i had to get a separate token for the connection. Though I'm probably missing a step, i recall seeing an upgrade machine?

889

I've never splurged on first-class, but I seem to recall that if you have a Shenzhen transport card there's an upgrade machine right next to the barrier on the platform that lets you into the first-class area. Not positive, though.

lsquare

Thx for the info! How much is the Hyatt typically going for if booked in advance?

lsquare

I heard that there is a dual currency SZ/HK metro card. Is that true?

moondog

Yes, they exist, but why not just stick with your normal octopus for HK and alipay or spare change in Shenzhen?

889

It's One Card Two Systems. That is, there are separate RMB and HKD wallets on the card and you can't move funds between them. You top up and use the RMB wallet in Shenzhen and top up and use the HKD wallet in Hong Kong. No real advantage to the card, except you carry one piece of plastic not two.

lsquare

Where does one buy that card? I already have Octopus and SZ metro card. I could always give them to my parents or gf. I prefer to have one card if possible!

I don’t live in China. Any chance I can get Alipay set up?

lsquare

That’s good to know. I wonder why more people don’t buy them since SZ borders HK and people easily go back and forth between the two cities?

889

People don't mind carrying extra plastic in Hong Kong. Remember, there are almost 20 million credit cards issued in the city, not to mention debit, ATM and Octopus cards. Lots of people have lots of cards.

moondog

If you are hell bent on getting the dual currency card you can buy them at lots of larger subway stations in Shenzhen, but I'm confused as to why you would bother since you already have cards. The dual currency card is neither a status symbol nor a gift that many people would value.

lsquare

It would be one less card to carry. In general, I only bring what I need. I don’t bring my NYC MTA or London Oyster card when I am travelling in China. I didn’t say it was a status symbol. Why are you so against the idea?

moondog

It's more a case of, "if it ain't broke, don't fix it."

I tossed my dual currency octopus about 5 years ago after it became demagnetised, and I couldn't find anyone to replace or repair it. Pretty much a non issue I know, but perhaps this helps explain my apathy.

Wrt keeping your wallet thin, consider storing cards you're not using in a ziplock bag or similar.

889

There's already a long thread here on Alipay/Wechat. Bottom line is you need a Mainland bank account to make QR code payments. But best to put any further questions about this in that thread.

moondog

It's probably best to keep with Wechat/Alipay discussion in that thread, but here it is along with a summary of key points:
Opinion: without Alipay and Wechat Pay, you are screwed in Shanghai

1. A Chinese phone number is not an absolute requirement, but makes things a lot easier
2. Use your Chinese phone number to register for Wechat and Alipay from scratch (i.e. if you already have a Wechat account tied to a foreign number, it's best to simply make a new account instead of trying to change the number because this will ensure the account is local)
3. Apply for a bank account that can be connected to Wechat/Alipay with passports as ID types (I think there is an oldish list in the thread above, but I can tell you ICBC and CMB are both good off hand)
4. While many banks are reluctant to open accounts for tourists staying in hotels, you can improve your odds of acceptance if you
a. ask your hotel to provide an open ended (or at least long dated) PSB registration form (this is much easier than 4b as long as your hotel people are cool with the drill)
or
b. register using friends/family at their PSB (not a serious pain in the ... if their documents are in order, they know where their PSB is, and you bring a visa sized picture with you)
5. Be sure to use your Chinese phone number on your bank account application; this step helps ensure that the databases (bank and Wechat/Alipay) talk to each other nicely

While the above might appear a bit ominous on the surface, it doesn't have to be if you get your ducks in order before diving in, and will enhance your daily life much more than optimizing your subway cards (unlike Octopus, most work for subways and buses only...sometimes taxis).

889

Don't you hate it when a thread gets hijacked?

Let's stay on topic! This is a complicated issue that always leads to a complicated discussion.

(E.g., just try to open a bank account that'll work with Alipay/Wechat without a Mainland number. Waste of time.)