Hong Kong and Macau_ City Guide (Lonely Planet, 14th Edition) - Andrew Stone [189]
Bus Buses to the Huánggǎng border crossing run 24-hourly from various departure points in Hong Kong. There are also buses going to Shenzhen International Airport between 6.40am and 10.20pm. For details, see Click here. With the opening of the Hong Kong–Shenzhen Western Corridor, buses go to Shenzhen Bay () at Shékǒu from a couple of departure points in Hong Kong. Operators such as Eternal East ( 3760 0888; www.eebus.com) have express buses running from Grand Promenade, Sai Wan Ho (one way/round-trip $50, 65 minutes one way) and Dragon Centre, Sham Shui Po (one way/round-trip $35, 45 minutes one way) to Shenzhen Bay. New Lantao Bus and City Bus also operate bus B2 from Yuen Long MTR station ($11), B3 from Tuen Mun Ferry Pier bus terminus ($11) and B3X from Tuen Mun Town Centre ($11) to the bay. Travellers will find Shenzhen a stepping stone to other parts of China. Buses to other cities in Guangdong depart from Luohu bus station (Luóhú qìchēzhàn) beneath Luohu Commercial City, and there are departures to Guangxi from the bus station next to Regency Overseas Chinese Hotel. See Lonely Planet’s China guide for more details. Shenzhen has a cheap and efficient network of buses and minibuses (tickets cost between Y1.50 and Y4).
Metro At present, Shenzhen has two metro lines (Y2 to Y5). Line 1 stretches from the Luohu border crossing to the Window of the World theme park. An extension to the airport is expected in 2011. Line 4 (lines 2 and 3 are under construction) has a station at Futian Port, where passengers can interchange from Lok Ma Chau station across the border in Hong Kong. This line will extend to the north to connect with a new train station in Bùjí that is scheduled to open in 2011.
More lines are in the works: the Shekou Line, expected in 2011, will run from Shekou ferry terminal to Luohu, with interchanges at Dàjùyuàn and Shìmín Zhōngxīn metros. Another line, also expected in 2011, will run from Futian District to Longgang District with stops in Bùjí and Dàfēn.
Taxi In Shenzhen, taxis ( 0755-8322 8000) cost Y12.50 (Y18.50 from 11pm to 6am) for the first 3km, with each additional 250m costing another Y0.60.
Train MTR’s Lo Wu–bound or Lok Ma Chau–bound trains (1st/2nd class $69.50/36.50, 40 minutes) are the most convenient transport to Shenzhen from Hong Kong (Click here). Both connect with the metro in Shenzhen once across the border. From Shenzhen there are frequent high-speed trains (Y75 to Y95, 60 to 70 minutes) to Guangzhou between 6.15am and 10.50pm. The Shenzhen–Guangzhou segment of the new Guangzhou–Shenzhen–Hong Kong Express Rail Link, expected in 2011, will reduce travel time to 40 minutes.
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Visa offices Lo Wu ( 0755-8233 9585; 9am-10pm); Huánggǎng ( 0755-8339 5171; 9am-1pm & 2.30-5pm, border 24hr); Shékǒu ( 0755-2669 1848; 8.45am-12.30pm & 2.30-5.30pm) You can buy a five-day visa on the spot (restricted to Shenzhen SEZ, excluding the Longgang and Bao’an Districts) at any of these offices (Y160 for most nationalities, Y469 for British citizens; US citizens must apply in advance for a full Chinese visa). Only Renminbi is accepted.
www.shenzhenparty.com For entertainment options in Shenzhen, check out this expat-run website.
www.shenzhentour.com A government-run website that contains fairly useful travel information.
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SHOPPING
Shopping is the sole reason many people visit Shenzhen. An invaluable book to guide you is Shop in Shenzhen: An Insider’s Guide (HK$95/US$12) by Ellen McNally, available in bookshops throughout Hong Kong and online from Amazon. Shoppers won’t leave Shenzhen empty-handed, though the quality can vary. Be ready to haggle.
Dafen Village (Dàfēncūn; 0755-8473 2633; www.cndafen.com; Dafen, Buji, Longgang District) It’s easy to associate China with all kinds of counterfeits, including artwork, but this village is definitely eye-opening: