Shenzhen enjoys convenient transport routes with good air, rail and road links to most major Chinese cities. Hong Kong is also very accessible and less than a one-hour train trip.

By Plane:

76 domestic flight routes and 5 international routes operate in and out of Shenzhen International Airport (telephone 27772000-99788) which is one of China's busiest airports. There are daily flights to Beijing, Shanghai, Xi'an and many other destinations throughout China although it is often cheaper to fly to Guangzhou. International flights go to Singapore, Bangkok and Jakarta and various other destinations. Tickets can be bought from most of the major hotels. The air ticket office for CAAC is on Shennan Rd and the office for China Eastern is on West Hongli Rd.

The airport is located 32 km west of the city and a shuttle bus operates between here and East Shennan Rd in the city centre. Shenzhen taxi drivers are notorious for trying to rip their passengers off so make sure your driver uses the meter.

By Train:

Shenzhen lies at the intersection of the rail routes between Beijing-Kowloon, Beijing-Guangzhou and Guangzhou-Kowloon and trains to Guangzhou operate frequently. The queues at the station are very long, and it is best to get your ticket through a hotel if possible. The rail line (the KCR) to Hong Kong is also extremely convenient. The train station is right on the Hong Kong Border on Jianshe Rd. Its a massive and sprawling place so make sure you follow the signs (in English) correctly to reach your required platform.

By Road:

An expressway runs through Shenzhen to Guangzhou and also to Shantou in the west. There are buses connecting Shenzhen with Guangzhou regularly and the trip takes about two hours. There are also long distance buses to Shantou and Chaouzhou.

The long distance bus station is next to the train station and the bus station for Guangzhou is to the east of the railway station. The bus trip from Shenzhen to Hong Kong takes about 1 1/2 hours and buses leave throughout the day (Tel: 82321670). These buses leave from next to the Shangri-la Hotel.

By Boat:

There are regular scheduled passenger liners from Shenzhen to Zhuhai, Guangzhou, Haikou, Macau, Hong Kong and Kowloon. The Shekou port (26695601-domestic, 26691213-Hong Kong and Macau) can be reached by bus from the railway station, but we recommend taxi, and there is also a regular bus from the airport to Shekou.

City Transport:

Shenzhen's urban transportation consists of buses, mini-buses, taxis and luxurious double-decker sightseeing buses. The bus routes are generally very good and there are numerous taxis available. Insist your driver uses the meter however, as Shenzhen drivers are famous for ripping off their passengers.