Hong Kong and Macau_ City Guide (Lonely Planet, 14th Edition) - Andrew Stone [217]
The border crossing at Lo Wu opens at 6.30am and closes at midnight. The crossing at Lok Ma Chau is open around-the-clock. The terminus of the new MTR spur line connects to the new Shenzhen Metro system at Huanggang station via a pedestrian bridge across the Shenzhen River.
BUS
You can reach virtually any major destin-ation in neighbouring Guangdong province by bus from Hong Kong. Mainland destinations and one-way fares from Hong Kong include Dongguan ($100), Foshan ($100), Guangzhou ($60 to $90), Huizhou ($100), Kaiping ($120 to $150), Shantou ($120 to $200), Shenzhen’s Huangtian airport ($90 to $160), Xiamen ($310 to $348) and Zhongshan ($100).
Buses are run by a multitude of transport companies and depart from locations around the territory; the list that follows is a sample. Schedules vary enormously according to carrier and place, but buses leave throughout the day and departures are frequent.
CTS Express Coach ( 2764 9803, 2365 0118; http://ctsbus.hkcts.com) Buses depart from locations throughout Hong Kong, including the CTS Wan Chai branch ( Map; 2832 3888; Southern Centre, 130 Hennessy Rd) on Hong Kong Island and from just south of the CTS Mong Kok branch ( Map; 2789 5888; 62-74 Sai Yee St) in Kowloon.
Eternal East Cross Border Coach ( Map; 3412 6677, 3760 0888; 13th fl, Kai Seng Commercial Centre, 4-6 Hankow Rd, Tsim Sha Tsui; 7am-8pm) Buses leave from just outside the Hang Seng Bank next door.
Motor Transport Company of Guangdong and Hong Kong (GDHK; 2317 7900; www.gdhkmtc.com) Buses bound for destinations throughout Guangdong leave from the Cross-Border Coach Terminus ( Map; Ground fl, Hong Kong Scout Centre, 8 Austin Rd, Tsim Sha Tsui; 6.30am-7pm), which is entered from Scout Path.
Trans-Island Chinalink ( Map; 2336 1111; www.trans-island.com.hk) Buses depart from Prince Edward MTR next to the Metropark Hotel. Cars and vans leave from Portland St opposite the Hotel Concourse Hong Kong.
In addition, at Chek Lap Kok buses run by China Travel Tours Transportation Services HK Ltd ( 2261 2472/2147; http://ctsbus.hkcts.com), Eternal East Cross Border Coach ( 2261 0176) and Trans-Island ( 2261 0296; www.trans-island.com.hk) link Hong Kong International Airport with many points in southern China, including Dongguan ($200 to $230), Foshan ($250), Guangzhou ($250) and Shenzhen ($150 to $180).
TRAIN
You can book cross-border train tickets online via the website of MTR ( 2947 7888; www.it3.mtr.com.hk). You have to sign up, but it’s a useful service. Reaching Shenzhen is a breeze. Just board the MTR East Rail at East Tsim Sha Tsui station (1st/2nd class $73/36.50) or at any other MTR East Rail station along the way (such as Hung Hom, Kowloon Tong or Sha Tin) and ride it to Lo Wu; the mainland is a couple of hundred metres away. The first train to Lo Wu leaves East Tsim Sha Tsui station at 5.28am, the last at 11.05pm, and the trip takes about 48 minutes. For more details on MTR services, see Click here.
The most comfortable way to reach Guangzhou by land is via the Kowloon–Guangzhou express train (usually via Dongguan), which covers the 182km route in approximately 1¾ hours. High-speed intercity trains leave Hung Hom station for Guangzhou East train station 12 times a day between 7.25am and 7.24pm, returning from that station the same number of times from 8.19am to 9.32pm. One-way tickets cost $230/190 in 1st/2nd class for adults and $115/95 for children aged five to nine. Adults/children are allowed one piece of luggage, weighing up to 20/10kg. Additional bags cost $3.90 per 5kg.
There are also direct rail links between Hung Hom and both Shanghai and Beijing. Trains to Beijing