From the airport, public transportation provides convenient access to downtown Shenzhen, Guangzhou, Hong Kong and Macau.
There are metro and bus services to the terminals and ferries from the ferry terminal 15 minutes away.
View rates for hotels in Shenzhen
Transportation to Shenzhen
The quickest and most convenient way to get to the city centre is by metro line 11 for 7 cny.
Metro
Line 11 goes directly to the centre of Shenzhen. The airport is not a terminus, and subway trains also run the other way to the northeastern suburb of Bitou.
Official subway website: szmc.net.
- Frequency - 2 to 6 minutes
- Travel time - 50 minutes to Futian station
- Last metro from the airport - 0:01
- First metro from Futian station - 6:30
- Tip for a cheap hotel near Futian station: The Skytel Hotel Shenzhen Central Park ****
Tickets and prices
Tickets can be purchased from the ticket machine in the station. You can pay in cash or via various mobile apps such as Alipay or WeChat.
Fares are calculated according to distance. You can select any station on the Shenzhen metro network on the machine screen (it doesn't have to be just on line 11 - there are no turnstiles when you change).
The ticket is used in the form of a chip token, which you attach to the turnstile reader when entering the station and drop into the turnstile when exiting the station.
You can also purchase a 24-hour ticket for the entire metro network at the airport service desk for 25 cny.
- Futian – 7 cny
- Nanshan – 6 cny
- Futian Checkpoint – 8 cny
The Shenzhen Tong Transport Card, which comes with a 5% fare discount, can also be purchased from the machine. The minimum you need to charge the card is 50 cny and the card costs 20 cny, which is a refundable deposit.
Unfortunately you cannot return the card at the airport (the nearest metro station where you can return the card and get it back 20 cny, is Bao'an 2 stops from the airport).
Buses
As an alternative to the subway, there are express buses that run non-stop to major sites in Shenzhen. However, the price is up to 4 times higher than the metro, although you have to travel by metro to many places with a transfer.
Express buses have the advantage of operating overnight.
The express buses are also complemented by conventional city buses, which stop at all stops along the route and serve well, for example, to get to the wharf.
The map below shows only the daily buses and the metro.
Express buses
You can buy a bus ticket at the airport at the ticket counter near the bus stops. When travelling to the airport, pay for your ticket inside the bus.
You can pay in cash or via Alipay and WeChat Pay.
- A2 - goes to the train station Shenzhen North
- Frequency - 30 to 60 minutes
- Operates 0:00-4:00 only
- Price - 25 cny
- A3 - goes to Shenzhen Bay Sports Center area
- Frequency - 60 to 120 minutes
- Operates 0:00-4:00 only
- Price - 20 cny
- A4 - goes to Longgan suburb
- Frequency - 20 to 30 minutes
- Operating hours 5:00-23:30 to the airport and 7:00-4:00 from the airport
- Price - 35 cny
- A5 - goes to Pingshan suburb to Yan Zihu convention centre
- Frequency - 20 to 40 minutes
- Operating hours 5:00-23:30 to the airport and 7:00-4:00 from the airport
- Price - 40 cny
- A10 - goes to the border crossing with Hong Kong Futian Bus Terminal. Here you can cross the border on foot and continue to Hong Kong by subway
- Frequency - 30 to 60 minutes
- Hours of operation 7:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m.
- Price - 25 cny
City buses
Regular public buses stop at all stops along the route. Therefore, the map below does not show individual stops for these routes.
You can pay the fare in cash from the driver or with a Shenzhen Tong card.
You can purchase the card at the airport from the vending machines at the metro and bus stops. The minimum you need to charge the card is 50 cny and the card costs 20 cny, which is a refundable deposit.
Unfortunately you cannot return the card at the airport (the nearest metro station where you can return the card and get it back 20 cny, is Bao'an 2 stops from the airport).
- A7 - the line goes through the northern suburbs of Longhua to Shawan bus station
- Frequency - 20 to 30 minutes
- Operating hours - 6:00am to 10:00pm
- Price - 10 cny
- M387 - the line runs northeast from the airport completely outside the centre
- Frequency - 15 to 30 minutes
- Operating hours - 6:00-22:00
- Price - 2,50 cny
- M527 - direct line to popular tourist attraction Sea World Shenzhen
- Frequency - 10 to 30 minutes
- Operating Hours - 6:20am-10:00pm
- Price - 2,50 cny
- M590 - connects the airport terminal with the nearest boat dock in the direction of Hong Kong and Macau
- Frequency - 25 to 30 minutes
- Operating hours - 7:00-21:30
- Price - 2 cny
- M592 - runs only around the airport to the former old terminals and serves mainly airport staff
- Frequency - 5 to 30 minutes
- Operating hours - 24/7
- Price - 2 cny
Detailed information on bus routes can be found on the airport website: szairport.com/bashi.
Taxi
There are a huge number of official taxis at Shenzhen Airport, yet you can spend upwards of 45 minutes in the taxi queue, especially during the evening arrivals rush.
Taxis can be paid for via the likes of Alipay or WeChat or in cash.
It's always a good idea to have the address in Chinese ready on your mobile phone to show the kiosk and possibly the driver when ordering a taxi.
The price is always calculated according to the taximeter and you will pay about 130 cny.
Taxi via mobile app
The popular Chinese mobile apps DiDi or My China Taxi are available in Shenzhen.
- Didi (Google Play / App Store)
- My China Taxi (Google Play / App Store)
The price to Shenzhen city centre via these apps can be significantly lower than regular taxis (starting from 100 cny).
The location of the cars running for the mobile apps is at exit number 15.
Transport to Hong Kong
For transportation directly from Shenzhen Airport to Hong Kong, you can choose 3 options.
You always need a valid visa for China.
Direct bus
There are several direct buses running from the terminal to central Hong Kong without changing buses. The journey takes about 120 minutes each time and there is a border check where you have to get off the bus with your luggage and go through customs.
- Sha Tin -> Harbour City -> Kowloon Station -> Wan Chai -> Sheung Wan
- Frequency 30 to 60 minutes
- Price 130 cny
- 8:30-21:00
- Tuen Mun -> Kwai Fong -> APM Kwun Tuong
- Frequency 20 to 60 minutes
- Price 120 cny
- 8:30-21:00
- Tsim Sha Tsui -> Hong Kong Airport -> Disneyland
- Frequency 30 to 60 minutes
- Price 170 cny
- 8:30-14:00
- Tai Wai -> Causeway Bay -> Hong Kong Airport
- Frequency 30 to 60 minutes
- Price 130 cny (HKG Airport for 170 cny)
- 8:30-18:45
For detailed information, please visit airport szairport.com/daba.
Ferry
Approximately 3.5 km from the airport is Fu Yong pier, where regular boats sail to Hong Kong.
- Hong Kong China Ferry Terminal (in the centre of Kowloon)
- Operated by CKS: cksp.com.hk
- Sails 1x daily.
- Price 160 hkd
Metro (with 2 transfers)
The cheapest transport is by regular metro.
At Shenzhen Airport, board Metro Line 11 and buy a ticket to Futian Checkpoint Station for 8 cny.
Line 11 does not run direct. At Gangxia North station you have to change to line 10. The total travel time from the airport to Futian Checkpoint is approximately 70 minutes.
Here you walk through the border crossing and on the other side at Lok Ma Chau station you change to the Hong Kong Metro's light blue line. The ticket costs 55,50 hkd and the journey takes about 45 minutes.
Guide to Hong Kong
Find out practical information on how to buy a metro ticket or what to see in the city in our guide to Hong Kong.
Getting to Macau
For transport directly from Shenzhen Airport to Macau, the easiest option is the ferry. Although the dock is just under 3km from the terminal, you will always need a valid visa for China.
The ferries leave from Fu Yong Port, which can be reached by bus line M590 at 30-minute intervals for 2 cny (the journey takes about 20 minutes).
- Arranged by Turbojet: turbojet.com.hk
- Sails 1-3 times a day.
- Price 260 hkd
Guide to Hong Kong
Find practical information on how to buy a bus ticket or what to see in the city in our guide to Macau.
Getting to Guangzhou
From Shenzhen Airport, you can also get to Guangdong, the largest city in the province, without a transfer.
There is an intercity train station at the airport, which runs to Guangzhou East station.
Tickets can be purchased at the ticket machine with cash or via WeChat Pay or Alipay.
- 6-8 times a day
- Price 81 cny
