World Borders: Hong Kong to China – the Kwun Tong to Shenzhen bus route
In my ongoing series of world borders, I basically write about the ways to cross various borders, aiming to give an account of my personal journeys and help you to copy me and get into a new country without fuss.
Having crossed the Hong Kong to China border so many times and in almost every conceiveable way, I’ll be listing each individual crossing on this series called World Borders. Today I highlight the route that takes you on a bus from Kwun Tong on the East side of Kowloon to Huanggang in Shenzhen. It would get too complicated if I put all the Hong Kong to China border crossings in one post.
The Kwun Tong to Huanggang 24 hour border bus from Hong Kong to China actually leaves from here, in Lam Tin
The Kwun Tong to Huanggang route is a very straight forward bus crossing and is organised by the company using the name Express who offer a 24 hour border crossing service from a number of destinations in Hong Kong directly to China.
Buying a Ticket for the Kwun Tong to Huanggang Bus
You don’t need to buy a ticket in advance, unless it’s really busy, it’s a 24 hour route and it takes you from Lam Tin main bus station (which is directly below Lam Tin MTR station) straight to the border. Just turn up at Lam Tin bus station and look out for the 24 hour cross-border express. It’s usually an orange and blue single decker bus, with ample underneath luggage storage. Although this bus leaves from Lam Tin, it is still called the Kwun Tong to Huanggang 24 hour border express bus. After leaving Lam Tin, it also stops in Kwun Tong, on the Kwun Tong Road. It’s a very handy border bus if you live in or are coming from Kowloon East (places like Kowloon Bay, Yau Tong, Lam Tin, Kwun Tong, Ngau Tau Kok).
My border bus ticket for the Hong Kong to China border on the Kwun Tong to Huanggang 24 hour express bus route
How much does the Kwun Tong to Huanggang Bus cost?
There are currently two prices for it, one way:
1. Day Time (05.50 am to 23.29 pm) 40 Hong Kong Dollars
2. Night Time (23.30 pm to 05.49 am) 45 Hong Kong Dollars
(that’s the basic rate, payable in cash at the booth next to the bus stop, you can also pay using Octopus card. Credit cards are not accepted)
How often are the Kwun Tong to Huanggang Buses?
During peak hour there is a bus every 10 – 15 minutes
During off peak hour there is a bus every 15 – 20 minutes
At night time (judge this by it being dark) there is a bus every 30 to 60 minutes
Are there any passport or ID checks on the bus?
No, there are none on the bus, nor are there on any of these types of buses. It is not the companies responsibility to make sure the passengers have valid visas. Just make sure you haven’t overstayed your time in Hong Kong and that you have a valid China visa and you will be fine. Check out my link on getting a Chinese Visa.
At Huanggang you will cross the border in the bus over this bridge, which essentially separates these two Chinese countries.
Where is the border crossing?
It’s at a place called Huanggang which straddles the Hong Kong to China border, but is basically on the China side, as that’s where all the taxis etc. are – on the Hong Kong side it is merely a terminal. Huanggang is served only by these types of private buses, as well as private cars and taxis – there is no MTR or train border crossing at Huanggang in Shenzhen. The crossing itself is over a bridge.
The Huanggang border crossing between Hong Kong and China
How long does the Hong Kong to China (Kwun Tong to Huanggang) bus take?
It takes roughly 45 minutes but varies with traffic. Once you arrive on the Hong Kong side of the border, you get your passport stamped/checked and then walk to the bus on the other side. It then drives you across to the China entry border checkpoint. In reality the Kwun Tong to Huanggang border crossing I took was Lam Tin to Huanggang.
Huanggang Border crossing in Shenzhen at dawn – quiet time!
How busy is the border crossing at Huanggang?
As border crossings go, those between Hong Kong and China are amongst the busiest. That said, there is an abundance of staff on all these border crossings these days and I have never had a major delay, of more than 15 minutes queuing.
What do you do once you are in China?
Things change suddenly and you will have noticed it. They drive on the other side of the road, they use Chinese Yuan (RMB) and you will be hassled left, right and centre by locals. Mostly looking for money, or trying to get you into a taxi. Once you have arrived in Huanggang on this Kwun Tong bus, you are now in China and you need to sort out your next connection. Taxis are available to Shenzhen city and airport, or buses. This is a great border crossing if you have just been in Kwun Tong, however once on the China side, your options become a bit more limited at Huanggang.
A taxi at Huanggang in Shenzhen once you have crossed the border from Hong Kong
I have also crossed the Hong Kong to China border at Lo Wu and Lok Ma Chau as well as from Hung Hom to Guangzhou and Prince Edward to Kaiping. I will be reporting on those border crossings at some point too! I have also done all of those crossings coming the other way.
My videos of the Hong Kong to China border crossing from Kwun Tong to Huanggang:
On board the Kwun Tong (Lam Tin) to Huanggang Bus to China:
Arrival in Huanggang in Shenzhen, China:
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