Get in Hongkong  

Hong Kong retains control of its own immigration. The good side of this is that, unlike mainland China, most Western visitors do not need to obtain visas in advance, but the bad side is that a separate visa is required to enter mainland China from Hong Kong. Detailed visa requirements are available from the Immigration Department. Anyone arriving at Hong Kong International Airport and requiring an onward visa for Mainland China, during your stay in Hong Kong, will find a kiosk in the downstairs foyer that issues them. A photo will be required and the staff will be happy to accomodate you.

By plane

Internationally, there is a major way to get into Hong Kong — through the modern Hong Kong International Airport(HKIA or HKG) which is also known as Chek Lap Kok, the name of the small island it was built over. The airport opened in July 1998, and is modern and efficient, for it has been named the Best Airport worldwide by Skytrax for five years.

There are many direct flights to Hong Kong from every continent in the world. Most major cities in Oceania, Europe and North America are all served with at least one daily flight. Sydney has 6 daily flights, London 11(1 to Gatwick), Frankfurt 2, Paris 3, Amsterdam 2, Los Angeles 4, San Francisco 3, Vancouver 3, New York 3, Chicago 2 and Toronto 2.

Flights between Hong Kong and other major Asian cities are extremely frequent: between 10 and 40 flights per day connect Hong Kong with Singapore, Taipei, Tokyo, Shanghai, Manila, Seoul, Bangkok and Beijing. Other routes may be cheaper, however. For destinations within China, it is often cheaper to fly from Shenzhen than from Hong Kong. For elsewhere in Asia, consider Macau. The discount airlines land there because it has lower fees than Hong Kong.

A new airline starting up in October 2006, Oasis Hong Kong Airlines [2], offer one-way tickets to London and soon other destinations in Europe and the US for as low as $1000 (HK Dollar), excluding taxes and fees.

Hong Kong International Airport is the third busiest airport in terms of passenger traffic in Asia and the second busiest airport in terms of cargo traffic in the world.

Outside the security area, travelers will find an efficient post office in the airport which provides boxes, wrapping material, scissors and tape. Travelers can reach Central, Hong Kong from the airport in less time than taking a local bus to the village on Chek Lap Kok.

There is a public lounge inside the airport with prices as follows (in HK Dollars):

• Shower Only $80
• 2 Hours Lounge Use $250
• 5 Hours Lounge Use with Seated Massage (15 mins) or Nap (2 hrs) $300
• 10 Hours Lounge Use with Seated Massage (15 mins) or Nap (2 hrs) $350
• Overnight Package with Shower + Nap (8 hrs) + Breakfast $450
• Whole Day Package with Lounge Use + Nap (8 hrs) $600

The exchange rate is usually around $1 US = $7.80 HK

Airport Express

Apart from taxi, the fastest local passenger transport to the airport is the Airport Express train that zips you in and out from the Kowloon and the Central district. The journey takes only 23 minutes, and there are plenty of baggage handling officers to help you get heavy bags on and off of the train. There is no need to tip them. Each way costs $60-$100, or a round trip for $110-$180, depending on the distance travelled. After arrival, free shuttle buses connecting to major hotels in Kowloon and Central are provided, or you can continue onward by MTR or taxi.

• The Airport Express Tourist Octopus 3-Day Hong Kong Transport Pass gives you an Octopus card (see Get Around) good for 3 days of unlimited MTR travel, plus one ride on the Airport Express (for $220) or two (for $300). In effect, you're paying $70 for 3 days on the MTR, which is a fair bit of travel but might be worth it if you're planning to visit the Lantau Island or the New Territories. You can return the card after use to get back $50 deposit, or keep it for your next trip — any leftover value will remain valid for 3 years. [You can also add money to the card, which you can use for payment at many vending machines, some stores, and when taking the Star Ferry.]

If three or more people are traveling together, the Airport Express is more expensive than traveling by taxi. If you will need to take a taxi to your hotel after arriving the Airport Express Station, consider a direct taxi trip instead.

Airbus

The various Airbuses are cheaper, slower but more direct bus services to the city. For example, the A21 (HK$33) bus will take you down Nathan Road, the main artery of Kowloon, stopping outside many hotels and hostels. Lines A10, A11 and A12 go to Hong Kong Island ($48, $40 and $45 respectively). Alternatively, take bus S1 to Tung Chung ($3.50) and connect to the ordinary MTR for a cheap ride to the city (Kowloon $17, Hong Kong $23). The free Airport Express shuttle buses connect Kowloon and Hong Kong airport express stations to various hotels in each area.

For a full listing of buses available at HKIA refer to the airport website.

If you are on a budget, take an "E" route bus rather than the "A" routes bus, they take about 20 minutes longer (50-60 min instead of 35-40 min) and are about half price (e.g. $21 for the E11 from Central). These 'External' buses are aimed more at airport workers, so they make several detours around Tung Chung. They will give you a nice tour around the airport island. However, E22 (Kowloon KCR Station to Airport) takes about an hour to the airport comparing to A22 (as E22 tour around not only airport island but Kowloon peninsula).

Taxi

A taxi from the airport to the city will cost you around $300 depending on your exact destination. If you have 3 or more people travelling together, it is generally cheaper to travel by taxi than by Airport Express. Use the taxi with red body for destinations to Hong Kong Island and Kowloon, Green taxi is restricted to New Territories and Blue Taxi for Lantau Island

There is a large chart at the exit to the taxi stand, also available online, on the approximate fares to most destinations. The law is strict on taxi drivers charging according to the meter. The meter fare does not include the luggage fee, toll fee, waiting fee, pet fee.

Taxis from the Airport to downtown Kowloon do not suffer from much traffic congestion. If you are going to Hong Kong Island, tell the taxi driver to use "Western Harbour Crossing" to avoid congestion, but it will attract a surcharge.

From the airport there are private cars and vans operating illegally as taxis. Do not take these as they are not licensed and in case of accidents, your insurance will not cover you.

By outbound ferry

Hong Kong is only a 1 hour hydrofoil ride away from Macau, and there is good connectivity to mainland China as well. The main terminals are:

• Macau Ferry Terminal, 202 Connaught Road (Sheung Wan MTR exit D), Central

• TurboJet, 24 hours a day to Macau plus 6-8 times a day to the Shenzhen airport.

• China Ferry Terminal, 33 Canton Road (Tsim Sha Tsui MTR exit A1), Kowloon

• Chu Kong Shipping, to points throughout Guangdong and Guangzhou
• New World First Ferry, every 30 min to Macau

By land

Crossing the border to Mainland China puts you in Shenzhen, a well-developed boomtown. (Note that there are special visa regulations if you plan to visit Shenzhen.)

There are 4 checkpoints on the Hong Kong - Shenzhen boundary, namely Lo Wu, Lok Ma Chau, Man Kam To and Sha Tau Kok.

Lo Wu control point can only be accessed directly by KCR East Rail trains and is hence the most accessible. However, it is often congested with travellers during weekends and holidays. So if you want to avoid for the long queues, please use the other control points on holidays. Visa-on-arrival can be obtained on the Chinese side.

Lok Ma Chau control point can be accessed from Kowloon by taking the KCR West Rail. Leave at Long Ping Station and take the bus route 277 at the bus interchange. At Lok Ma Chau, you must switch to a yellow shuttle bus which takes you across the boundary. A faster approach is to alight at Kam Sheung Road Station and interchange with a cross boundary coach which takes you to the Chinese side of checkpoint without interchanging with the shuttle bus.

Alternatively, there are also some Cross Boundary coaches operating from the business districts in Kowloon or Hong Kong Island to the Chinese side of the checkpoint. If you take these coaches, there is no need to change for the yellow shuttle bus and hence it is a good choice for boundary crossing to avoid the queues.

There are 6 lines of short trip cross boundary coaches serves the port,

1. Jordan, Kowloon departs from Scout Centre, Austin Road, Tsim Sha Tsui (5 mins walk from Jordan MTR)
2. Mongkok, Kowloon departs from Portland Street, near Metropark Hotel Mongkok (exit from Prince Edward Hotel)
3. Wanchai, HK Island departs from Wanchai Ferry Bus Terminus
4. Kwun Tong, Kowloon departs from Lam Tin MTR, stops at Kwun Tong APM Shopping Plaza and Kwun Tong Rd, Kowloon Bay MTR
5. Tsuen Wan departs from Discovery Park Bus Terminus (10 mins walk from Tsuen Wan MTR)
6. Kam Sheng Road departs from Kam Sheung Road West Rail Stn

Except the route to Kam Sheng Road, 24 hour services are provided with half hourly or hourly departure in midnight and around 10-20 mins per bus during the day and evening.

Lok Ma Chau is a around-the-clock border crossing ; visa-on-arrival can be obtained on the Chinese side (subject to nationality, at current applications from USA passport holders are not accepted).

Man Kam To control point can be accessed by taking the cross-boundary coach on the bus interchange under the shopping centre of West Kowloon Centre, Sham Shui Po (near Sham Shui Po MTR)in Kowloon, which costs $35, the bus calls at Landmark North also, which is just adjacent to Sheung Shui KCR Station, with section fare of $22. It is seldom crowded with travellers even during holiday periods. You can also enjoy the free shuttle service outside the Chinese checkpoint, which takes you to the central area of Shenzhen. However, no Visa-on-arrival can be obtained on the Chinese side, which means you need to arrange for your visa in advanced before arrival.

It is the best route to go to the downtown in Shenzhen especially during holidays.

Sha Tau Kok control point can be accessed by taking the cross-boundary coach on the bus interchange at Luen Wo Hui in Fanling and Kowloon Tong. It connects the eastern boundary of Hong Kong and Shenzhen and it is a bit remote from the central part on Shenzhen. As a consequence, only very few passengers choose to cross the boundary using this checkpoint. No Visa-on-arrival can be obtained on the Chinese side.

Coaches departs from Kowloon Tong MTR from 7:00 to 18:30 every 15 minuts which costs $20, which is also the cheapest direct coach to Shenzhen.

By bicycle

CROSS-BORDER FACILITIES INTO MAINLAND CHINA

Probably of interest to cycle tourists' coming to Hong Kong is the cross border arrangements from the Mainland China as this is how many cyclists enter Hong Kong having come overland across China and beyond.

There are at present four main road-crossing points from Shenzhen, the large and rapidly expanding city to the north and two ferry terminals in Hong Kong where ferries can be taken to quite a few Chinese cities in the Pearl River Delta including Macao.

Of course there is also the excellent Hong Kong International Airport which services many flights from other Asian cities, Europe and beyond. Cyclists must note though that it virtually impossible to cycle to and away from the airport and that other travelers have had difficulty transporting their bike on otherwise excellent public transport.

1. Lok Ma Chau

Travelers entering Hong Kong first go through China immigration and then catch a bus to Hong Kong immigration checkpoint. Foot passengers have a choice of using the "yellow bus " to the Hong Kong Side or cross border buses which go eventually to different areas of Hong Kong. Bikes are currently not allowed on the yellow buses and have to be wheeled through China immigration to the bus terminus to buy a ticket the chosen destination. It's helpful to know where you want to go. Sometimes you need to pay for the bike(about $HK30).You then load the bike onto the bus yourself and have to unload again about 5 minutes later to go through HK immigration and then put it back on the bus. All passengers have to do this with their luggage. Usually this whole process is frenetic (even for locals) due to the number of people traveling over the border.

2. Lo Wu

A train runs from the border crossing at Lo Wu into the centre of Hong Kong and cycles are allowed on the train (known as the KCR) with the payment of between $20 and $40 depending upon the time of day and with the front wheel removed. As for all border crossings travelers have to pass through the Chinese side and then the Hong Kong side before boarding the train

3. Man Kam To and Sha Tau Kok

These two border crossings are usually used by heavy lorries and cars although it is possible to transit with cycles. Sha Tau Kok is used if the onward route is to the east of Guangdong.

However with the current arrangements it is recommended that cyclists use the road crossing at Lo Wu as this affords the easiest transit arrangements ton the urban areas of Hong Kong where most visitors will be accommodated.

4. Ferry Terminals on Hong Kong Island and Kowloon

Cyclists can usually travel easily with their bikes and luggage on one of the many ferries which ply up and down the Pearl River Delta. This is an excellent way to leave Hong Kong and to avoid the heavily industrialized area to the north of Hong Kong between Shenzhen and Guangzhou.

By train

Kowloon Canton Railway runs regular Through Train service between Guangdong Province, Beijing and Shanghai. The through train terminus is Hung Hom Station on the Kowloon side, while the current terminus of the domestic service is East Tsim Sha Tsui station.

The destinations of the Intercity Passenger Service are Guangzhou (East), Dongguan, Foshan and Zhaoqing in Guangdong Province, as well as Beijing and Shanghai.

The online directory of [3]of Kowloon Canton Railway provides information on the timetable and fare information of the Intercity Passenger Service.

Train service between Hong Kong and Mainland China stops before midnight as the border, at Lo Wu, is closed at midnight.