Guide: The easiest way to enter China through Hong Kong
One of the things I did in Hong Kong was crossing the border to continental China. I spent a day in Shenzhen, a large city with about 25 million inhabitants in southern China. Shenzhen is quite exciting if you have the time and are looking to venture out of Hong Kong for the day. Make sure to bring your passport and an open mind!
Getting to the border
The easiest way to get around in Hong Kong is by using their MTR system. It is cheap, clean and efficient. By entering the light blue line from Hung Hom (or East Railway line as commonly called) you’ll be at the Mainland China border in 45 minutes. It costs between 27-45 HKD, which is between 3-5 USD and the train runs every ten minutes. You can enter China through Lo Wu station or Lok Ma Chau station, it all depends on where in Shenzhen you want to go. Lo Wu is most popular as it directly connects you to the city center as well as the famous Luohu Shopping Center.
Crossing the border
Once you’re at Lo Wu station, follow the signs towards mainland China. Be prepared for quite the walk, and expect about 30 minutes to an hour of border formalities. Do any potential internet research before entering China, as it will be significantly more difficult to get internet access on the mainland. Also make sure to bring at least 1000 worth of cash in HKD and Chinese RMB as ATM:s might not work for you, and the same goes for paying with card.
Getting a visa
Unless you already have a Chinese visa, you will need one to enter the mainland. Fortunately, Shenzhen is a special economic zone and you may obtain a five day visa on the spot. The visas are only available to a certain nationalities, which includes most EU countries.
You need to fill out an application form and pay the visa fee. Once admitted, you’ll get a nice one page -sticker in your passport.
Once you have the visa, it is time to actually go through immigration. Follow the signs, stand in line, and answer the immigration officer’s questions politely. After that you’re in. Welcome to Shenzhen!
Things to know before visiting
As a western first timer in Eastern Asia, Hong Kong can be quite intimidating and China even more so. As a westerner, you literally have tourist written on your forehead, you cannot read signs and people tend to approach you a lot. Be prepared, and come with an open mind.
I only spent a couple of hours in Shenzhen, but found that there is plenty of things to do. If you want to spend more time in this city, which is larger than any city in Europe, here’s a good list of sightseeing recommendations.
Do you have any tips on things to do in Shenzhen? Please let me know in the comments!
