Hong Kong to Shenzhen — easier than you'd think

Shenzhen is 15 minutes from Hong Kong by train. Fifteen minutes. For anyone doing a trip that includes both cities, or even just curious about crossing the border for a day, that's a very small barrier for what's effectively a completely different city and country. Just check your immigration requirements in advance. Here's how to do it without any unnecessary stress. 🚄 Getting there There are several ways to travel between Hong Kong and Shenzhen, some cheaper than others. I took the high-speed train from West Kowloon station, which is more expensive than the MTR border crossing option but still very reasonable by any European standard — around 8 EUR for the journey. It's fast, comfortable, and feels like the most straightforward option for a first crossing. 👮 What to expect at the border The journey itself is 15 minutes, but budget at least an hour at the station before your train. You'll need to go through immigration on the Hong Kong side before boarding, and the process takes longer than the ride. 📌 One thing worth doing in advance: fill out the electronic arrival card for China before you get to the station. In my queue there were quite a few people filling it out on the spot, which slows everything down. Do it at home the night before and save yourself the hassle. Passport control wasn't particularly busy when I went, but it still took around 30 minutes — so factor that in rather than cutting it close. After that, you scan your passport at the gate, board the train, and 15 minutes later you're in Shenzhen. There's no immigration on the Shenzhen side, so you walk straight out into the city. All in all, one of the more painless border crossings I've done. #travel2026 #中國高鐵