Introduction
Welcome to the ultimate guide for traveling between Hong Kong and Shenzhen by train. As two of the most popular destinations in the Pearl River Delta region in China, there are many ways to travel between Hong Kong and Shenzhen, but taking the train is by far the easiest and most convenient option, and the trains are modern, frequent, and puntual. It is an ideal way to travel between the two cities.
Hong Kong – Shenzhen HSR Railway Map
Train Schedule, Ticket Price & Travel Time
Begining on July 1 of 2023, there are over 102 daily high speed trains running between Hong Kong and Shenzhen, with 69-70 trains using the Shenzhenbei (Shenzhen North) and about 32-33 trains using the Futian Railway Station (Shenzhen Futian).
Hong Kong – Shenzhen North / Futian train schedule
| Train Type | Departure Station | Arrival Station | Frequency | Duration | Operation Time | Fares |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| High-speed | Hong Kong West Kowloon | Shenzhenbei | 70 daily | 18-29 min | 07:03-22:35 | from ￥75 |
| High-speed | Shenzhenbei | Hong Kong West Kowloon | 69 daily | 18-28 min | 06:44-22:07 | from ￥75 |
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For a live schedule & ticket availability & refer to www.chinahighlights.com/china-trains/
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| Train Type | Departure Station | Arrival Station | Frequency | Duration | Operation Time | Fares |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| High-speed | Hong Kong West Kowloon | Futian | 32 daily | 14 min | 07:08-21:46 | from ￥68 |
| High-speed | Futian | Hong Kong West Kowloon | 33 daily | 14-15 min | 07:15-21:45 | from ￥68 |
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For a live schedule & ticket availability & refer to www.chinahighlights.com/china-trains/
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Which Train Station in Shenzhen: Shenzhen North vs Futian
There are two train stations in Shenzhen that operate trains to Hong Kong:
- 1. Shenzhenbei (Shenzhen North Railway Station)
- 2. Shenzhen Futian Railway Station
| Differences | Shenzhen North Railway Station | Futian Railway Station |
|---|---|---|
| Location | Longhua District, northern part of Shenzhen, 20km from city center | Futian District, central part (downtown) of Shenzhen |
| Transportation | Metro (Line 4, Line 5, Line 6) | Metro (Line 2, Line 3, Line 8, Line 11) |
| Getting to Shenzhen Airport | Airport bus A2 in 1h35; metro line 5 + line 11 (transfer at Qianhaiwan) | Directly accessible via Metro (Line 11) in 45 mins |
| Train Services | frequent high-speed trains to Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Hong Kong & Changsha, Guilin, Kunming, Chengdu | Local & regional trains trains to nearby cities like Guangzhou, Hong Kong, Dongguan & a few trains to Fuzhou, Xiamen, Tianjin |
| Train to Hong Kong | over 70 trains daily, 22 mins | over 33 trains daily, 15 mins |
| Train Connections to Other Cities | More suitable for long distance travel to other cities within China | More suitable for travel within Shenzhen or to nearby cities such as Dongguan or Guangzhou |
| Train operation | operating over 630 bullet trains daily | operating 69 trains daily |
| Station Facilities | Large modern station with many facilities | very large modern station with many facilities |
Hong Kong West Kowloon Station
Hong Kong West Kowloon Station is the only train station in Hong Kong that operates high-speed train services to mainland China, including trains to Shenzhen North & Shenzhen Futian. It is conveniently located near major attractions and business districts in Kowloon of Hong Kong, and is easily accessible by public transport. You can take the MTR to the West Kowloon Station. It is located between Kowloon Station & Austin Station. Just use www.mtr.com.hk/en/customer/jp2/ to plan your route.
How to Take a Train from HK West Kowloon
Photos courtesy of Keith Wong, a Singaporean working in HK & ChinaTrain12306 visitor.
How to Buy Train Tickets
Check Live English Schedule
1. Book with 12306 China Railway
www.12306.cn is the offcial website of China Railway, which now has supported English. It also provides an offcial ticketing (English version) App – Tielu 12306 for both iOS and Android.
Jack’s friendly reminder: In the official site www.12306.cn, you can enter “hkw” or ‘hkwestkowloon‘ as Hong Kong West Kowloon Station; and “szb“& “shenzhenbei” as Shenzhen North; “ft” & “futian” as Shenzhen Futian Railway Station.
2. Book with China Highlights
www.chinahighlights.com is a trusted online ticket agent who get possitive reviews & is often recommended on Trip Advisor forum. They offer real-time train schedule online, English-language support, They can also provide assistance in case of any issues with your tickets or travel or when you’re running into trouble. Even they can deliver tickets to your hotel in advance. You can place orders with them any time. They are helpful, especially when you’re not familiar with the China’s transportation system or do not speak Chinese.
How to Buy Tickets at Train Station
If you prefer to purchase your train tickets in person at the train station, you can buy them at either Shenzhen North Station, Shenzhen Futian Station or Hong Kong West Kowloon Station. Remember to bring your passports or any other necessary documents when buying your tickets.
Which Ticket Windows
The official China Railway has arranged designated ticket windows in Shenzhen North Station and Shenzhen Futian Station for buying or chaning tickets for trains to Hong Kong West Kowloon. They have professinal staffs at the desingated windows who speak English, Cantonese and Mandarin.
- Shenzhen North: Window 19 in Ticket office A2
- Shenzhen Futian: Window 3 in Ticket Officie No.1 in B1 Floor
When to Buy Tickets
Tickets can be booked up to 15 days on the official 12306 China Railway website. It is always advisable to buy tickets in advance to secure ticket availability or seat assignment. Ticets tend to sell out quickly on this popular route especially during the bussy travel peak period, such as the public National Days (Gold Week), Labour’s Days, Chinese Moon Festival or Qingming Festival. But if you use an online ticket agent www.chinahighlights.com, you can order tickets any time with them and they will book it for you once the tickets are released online.
Immigration & Customs Procedures at Hong Kong West Kowloon
Hong Kong West Kowloon Station is a joint checkpoint between Hong Kong and mainland China, which means that border control and immigration procedures for both Hong Kong and mainland China are conducted in one place in Hong Kong West Kowloon Station. So prepare for all necessary travel documents like passports and visas at hand and allow surfficient time for the immigration and customs procedures for both Hong Kong and Manland sides.
How much time do I need to clear immigration at West Kowloon Station
It is advised to arrive at the West Kowloon Station at least 45 minutes before your departure time, as you need to go through both the Hong Kong Port and the Mainland Port on the same floor of the station. The immigration process may take longer during peak hours or holidays, so you should plan ahead and allow enough time for clearance.
Boarding Tips and Procedures
Make sure to arrive at the train station early enough before departure time to allow for ticket checks, immigration and custom procedures, security checks and boarding. You will need to present your passport and train ticket for verification before boarding the train.
Visa to Mainland China
You need a visa to enter mainland China if you are taking a train from Hong Kong to Shenzhen. While most passports are granted visa on arrival for Hong Kong, you’ll still need a visa to enter mainland China. Just apply it in advance.
Faq
Q: Where does the Hong Kong to Shenzhen train arrive?
A: The train from Hong Kong arrives at either Shenzhen North Railway Station or Shenzhen Futian Railway Station.
Q: Where do I catch the Hong Kong to Shenzhen train from?
A: You can catch the high-speed train to Shenzhen from Hong Kong West Kowloon Station, which is accessible by various public transport options.
Q: How long is the train ride from Hong Kong to Shenzhen?
A: The train journey from Hong Kong to Shenzhen ranges from 14-29 minutes, depending on the destination station you choose.
Q: How to travel from Hong Kong Airport to Shenzhen by train?
A: You can take the Airport Express train from Hong Kong Airport to Hong Kong West Kowloon Station, and then transfer to the high-speed train to Shenzhen (arriving at either Shenzhen North or Shenzhen Futian). The entire journey takes around 1-2 hours, depending on the Express train and high-speed train schedules.
Trusted Online Ticket Agents:
Option 1: China Highlights is a reliable online agency for China train ticketing. They get positive reviews on TripAdvisor & Trustpilot. Sharon and her team help you buy tickets & plan rail routes even deliver tickets to your hotels with a service fee.
Option 2: Trip.com is an internatioal brand owned by Ctrip Group, China's largest online travel booking platform. Trip.com offers booking service for flight, train, hotel, activities, etc
If I go with my family 4 people, which one better to go to Shenzhen from airport Hong Kong. Do you know how much it cost if I use taxi from airport to shenzhen?
from the HK airport, you can take the ferry to the Shekou port, it’s 30 minutes ride, cost about 240HKD per person – if you want to take it you must NOT pass the border guards, after landing walk to the passport control, don’t go through it. turn right before it to the ferry ticket place, they will pick up your luggage for you and do the transfer.
The second easy option is to use a car or a bus, for this you need to pass the border and enter HK, you go out of the customs to the main hall, go to the middle between exit A and B there are signs for mainland coach, take the escalator down, there you will find the ticket place, car is about 140HKD and a Bus is about 50 all go to the Shenzhen bay port.
There is no taxi at HK airport that can take you directly from the airport to Shenzhen. There are many ways to go from the airport to Shenzhen depends on whether your major concern is cost, convenience, and where to in Shenzhen.
Thanks for mentioning the collecting tickets part. “But if you start your journey from Shenzhen North or Shenzhen Futian Station, don’t use HK MTR site to book tickets but use a mainland China’s site as you cannot pick up tickets booked at HK MTR site in Shenzhen.”
Super important!