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Post by raymond on Oct 18, 2008 20:32:46 GMT -5
To those flying into Hong Kong airport enroute via bus to the Siyi or Wuyi area of rural Guangdong Province, there is a new and improved border crossing point and procedures in place at the Chinese border town of Shenzhen. There is a newly-built immigration and customs building that houses BOTH China and Hong Kong entities.
I have just recently returned from China to Hong Kong using China Travel Service (CTS) buses. Crossing the border is now a much more welcomed breeze. I got off the CTS bus once with all my baggages, passed China immigration and customs, walked about 30 yards or so (sorry, there were no luggage carts provided), passed Hong Kong immigration and customs, and then exited to find my connecting CTS bus to my Kowloon destination. Even with a sizeable number of people crossing and my heavy baggages, the whole process took less than an hour. Before, there were 2 separate buildings, one for China and one for Hong Kong, thus necessitating getting on and off the bus twice.
Just be sure to have your entry/departure card filled out ahead of time if possible so as to avoid any delays in the process. Otherwise, you'll have to pick up and fill out your entry/departure card at the crossing. Some bus service provides entry/departure cards to you in advance.
Bon voyage! Raymond
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Post by tyuti1668 on Oct 18, 2008 21:15:33 GMT -5
... There is a newly-built immigration and customs building that houses BOTH China and Hong Kong entities. ... Before, there were 2 separate buildings, one for China and one for Hong Kong, thus necessitating getting on and off the bus twice. The "new" one is called 深圳灣口岸(Shenzhen Bay Border Control) in Nanshan District, Shenzhen The old one is the ONLY 24hrs land crossing - 皇崗口岸 in Futian District, Shenzhen & 落馬洲管制站 in HK
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Post by Ah Gin on Oct 18, 2008 23:34:11 GMT -5
Raymond, tyuti1668, Many thanks for update. I will be leaving for Kaiping via HKIA end of this month. So any recent information is much appreciated. According to this web site www.trans-island.com.hk/eng/china-line.html (in Simplified: www.trans-island.com.hk/gb5/china-line_kp.htm) travel from HKIA to Kaiping seems straight forward. Can you folks confirm? Given that the journey is approx. 4 hrs, any "pit stops" along the way? PS: If some of you folks like me to take some photos of your ancestral village, and if I happen to be reasonably near your village, I will be pleased to do so. Mind you, I am not exactly an expert in photo taking. Regards, Ah Gin
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Post by tyuti1668 on Oct 19, 2008 1:11:34 GMT -5
4 hours??? Impossible. HKIA> KP from this company is just connection to the bus that leave at 07:45/08:30/14:00/19:00 in the border. Unless u goes to 水口, too much factor i don't like these bus from HKIA NO toilet in such HK coach. Wasting time- "slow" visitors that not familiar w/ various form = miss that urban hk>KP bus & wait hours to next bus. Following method (similar traveling time as "perfect" HKIA>KP bus) is more fixable & cheaper
a43 to 上水 rail station> 羅湖~1 hr SZ-KP ~3.5 hr bus leave every 45 mins b4 19:30 侨社客运站 (buy in tix booth, Don't believe touts said in 四邑話-these cheaper "private" bus often had questionable condition ) to 義祠站 (next to KP city bus Terminal ) OR Slower bus 羅湖汽車站> 長沙站 (next to KFC )
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Post by raymond on Oct 19, 2008 18:40:32 GMT -5
Ah Gin,
I have no experience traveling on the Trans-Island Chinalink buses. My only bus experience is with China Travel Service (CTS) buses going to Xinhui, and my experience has been positive. However, CTS does not appear to have buses going to Kaiping, so your better bus option to Kaiping may well be Trans-Island, with due consideration of comments from tyuti1668. I've taken a quick look at the Trans-Island weblink. It appears that there are 4 Trans-Island buses per day to Kaiping, all originating at Hong Kong Airport and all making 5 pickup stops in Hong Kong/Kowloon (i.e., Prince Edward, Chai Wan, Tai Koo, North Point, and Tuen Mun). Note that you will need to transfer to another bus at the Huanggang Immigration/Customs Border Crossing (the older border crossing as noted by tyuti1668), and be sure you are directed to the correct transfer bus to Kaiping. (This is where some proficiency in Chinese helps.) The 2 drop-off destination points are Shui Kou Che Zhan and Yi Ci Che Zhan (presumably these 2 points are in Kaiping). Some buses do take a short restroom/soda break midway, and some buses do not. As stated on the weblink, the total travel time is approximately 4 hours.
Bon voyage, Raymond
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Post by tyuti1668 on Oct 19, 2008 20:15:28 GMT -5
The Trans-Island KP line uses the "new" SZ Bay . www.ctshk.com/bus/ncbus.jsp (Almost all bus that cross 虎門大橋 to W GD uses SZ Bay) Trans-Island in HKIA Arrivals Hall Counter A10, Terminal 1/Coach Station Counter C06, Terminal 2 KP in 4 hrs - no way XH: 廣深高速>虎門大橋>京珠高速>中江高速 KP: 廣深高速>虎門大橋>京珠高速>中江高速>佛开高速- That's the problem (http://news.dayoo.com/guangdong/200809/17/53873_4119192.htm)
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Post by Ah Gin on Oct 19, 2008 21:11:29 GMT -5
Raymond: Many thanks for more updates. Armed with this info, an apple or two and the appropriate planning I should be able to get to Kaiping relatively stress free. I understand Yi Ci bus station is fairly close to the Garden Hotel, KP, my target point, in fact within walking distance -- I do enjoy the walk. Who knows, with a back pack, I might even catch a Motor Cycle Taxi service -- something I have done before last time I was "home" at Kaiping.
tyuti1668: It will be interesting to see how long is the journey. I will try to go for a minimum number of bus change over. I am not particularly concerned with the time take, so long as it is safe. (I have seen some crazy driving -- bit like driving in Rome) Watching the passing parade of Life in China will be a treat.
Regards, Ah Gin
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Post by laohuaqiao on Oct 21, 2008 13:58:41 GMT -5
The other mean of going from HKIA to SiYi or Zhongshan is the ferry from the airport to Zhuhai 珠海 (4 times daily) or Zhongshan (once daily). It's slightly more expensive. I'm not familiar with Zhongshan ferry terminal, but from Zhuhai"s Jiuzhou九洲 ferry terminal one has to take a taxi ( a few minutes ride) to Gongbei 拱北 bus terminals. Express bus to Kaiping or Taishan takes only about 2 hours from Zhuhai. Since Gongbei is a bus transport hub, finding the location for the right bus is more of a problem, having a trustworthy taxidriver helps.
If there are several traveling companions, it may be easier and not much more expensive to hire a taxi from Zhuhai or Zhongshan to Kaiping or to other areas.
At HKIA ferry ticket is purchased prior to and without going through HK immigration, ferry company will take your baggage checks and automatically transfer your baggage from airplane onto ferry. Since the ferries from HKIA can only hold 100-200 passengers (the few times that I have taking they were not more than a quarter full), the border crossing process occurs at the arrival at the ferry terminal, waiting time is minimal.
Traveling from Zhuhai or Zhongshan is little more tricky for a morning flight leaving HKIA, since the earliest ferry may not arrive in time and they will not allow you take a ferry for a next day flight. If your schedule does fit, some airlines have agents at the ferry terminals in China for pre-flight check in.
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Post by tyuti1668 on Oct 21, 2008 18:06:23 GMT -5
... Express bus to Kaiping or Taishan takes only about 2 hours from Zhuhai. Since Gongbei is a bus transport hub, finding the location for the right bus is more of a problem... ... is little more tricky for a morning flight leaving HKIA... Direct bus next to 九州港 KP/ TSThere's 3 coach station in Gongbei Only 2 station had bus to KP/TS Direct (Express) bus leaves at 拱北客运站KP:珠海大道>江珠高速>佛开高速>S364>G325 TS:珠海大道>黄杨大道>S365>沿海高速>新台高速 Normal (non-expressway) bus leaves at 信禾拱北通大客运站If taking long haul taxi/car to KP/TS, 粤J plate "回头车" is much cheaper than the "local" (ZH:粤C ZS:粤T) Spend a night B4 in Shenzhen (some "Sauna" offer sleeper area & don't need to fill the annoying alien residency form ), then take the rail to 上水> a43 OR 7-seater MPV at Huanggang (Y130 Or HK$150)
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Post by Ah Gin on Oct 22, 2008 0:50:50 GMT -5
laohuaqiao, tyuti1668,
Thanks for more advice. My Melbourne - HK flight is expected to land at HKIA 05:50. God willing, it will arrive on time. Hence I have time to "mess about" to choose the mode of travel. That said, I think I am now well armed with good info. I do miss the ferry -- so romantic -- read, good to see how the Delta Region has developed since I last went home.
Re: 開平 - 中山 journey, it looks like I have lots of choices as well. The hotel where our clan is meeting is owned by a fellow clan official; thus, I expect I will get lots of help and advice locally as well. A long haul taxi/car " 回頭車" is a good tip. Makes sense.
Re: 中山 back to HKIA will depend on my BIL's movement, as he travels back to HK frequently. A bus is entirely possible. Ferry from 中山 was cool -- very convenient and enjoyable.
Regards, Ah Gin
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Post by tyuti1668 on Oct 22, 2008 6:08:39 GMT -5
... Re: 中山 back to HKIA will depend on my BIL's movement, as he travels back to HK frequently. A bus is entirely possible. Ferry from 中山 was cool -- very convenient and enjoyable. Regards, Ah Gin Don't be scare ;D ;D ;D: Bus's destination isn't KP when crossed border. (Trans-Island 07:20/ 13:35 from HKIA is connecting 陽江 bus that had drop off at KP) The 中山 ferry is enjoyable but if you're a frequent traveler like me- u'wont like the cost ~hk$200 +15 mins Y40 taxi ride to downtown 石岐) & the frequency of ferry. bus (2 opreator & at least 12 bus/day from each operator) goes to downtown & cheap: HK$100 (Package: $680/10 tix). Traveling time isn't bad when considering waiting time btw each ferry & the location both on hk & mainland pier . ( The last bus is "crazy" ~2 hrs ONLY from my home village to HK Island "home" is just 2.5 hrs )
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Post by Ah Gin on Oct 23, 2008 0:00:41 GMT -5
tyuti1668, Thanks for tips. I will have to remain alert, save some dollars travelling the best way as well. Regards, Ah Gin
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Post by chansomvia on Oct 28, 2008 5:04:11 GMT -5
Hello Ahgin,
I thought I would like to put the experience of my border crossing on 2nd October 2008 from HKIA to Jhuhai, which was a big holiday in China, and reports of massive crowds at land borders crossing.
I traveled from New Zealand to Hong Kong International Airport via Los Angeles, Frankfurt and Tel Aviv, spending about a week in each place with my back pack. I arrived in HKIA on time at 10.30am, left the plane and went straight to the Ferry ticketing office. Directions to the Ferry Ticketing office, which is inside the HKIA terminal without clearing Immigration or Hong Kong Customs, were very clear. I bought a ferry ticket using my overseas credit card, they asked for my passport to check the China visa, and also for my airline baggage tags.
I was issued promptly with a ferry ticket, no queue, and they took my airline luggage tag and reissued a new tag which they stuck to the ferry ticket. This took about five minutes ( I seem to be th eonly one to but a ticket) and there was plenty time to wander around in the huge airport before going to the departure gate for the Ferry. The ferry terminal is called Skypier and is a ten minute drive by an airconditioned coach.
There are presently only two ferries operating daily from HKIA to Zhuhai, one at 11.30am and the other at 5.00pm. The ferry ride, in a clean airconditioned environment, with large sofa chairs, takes about an hour and they are extremely punctual. A third ferry is schedule for a midday sailing next month.
The ferry hold 145 passengers, there were only 18 that day. Upon arrival we passed through China Immigration, with 4 officers serving the 18 passengers it took only a few minutes to go through the formalities. We picked up our luggage from the mini-container which we could see being off-loaded by a crane.
There are many taxis charging according to the meters, the cost is about a third one pays in Melbourne. With a ferry ticket, however, there is a free shuttle coach which takes you to Gongbei from Zhuhai ferry port, where you can walk into Macau or take a bus from the central long distance bus depot to most parts of China.
This is a highly organised bus hub, electronic bus departures information on a huge board to all over China, but in Chinese. Buses to Taishan and Hoipeng is about every half hour from 6am to 8pm, if you miss one you can always get the next one. A bit of Mandarin or Cantonese would make it easier but there are many uniformed helpers around who will tell you where to go. Just show the name of the destination and /or map and it is all go.
As a bonus there is a KFC next door where there are clean toilets and the familiar food.
All very hassle free. Hope this helps and do have a good time in China, I did with help from this forum and from the tripadvisor.com forum where there are Kiwi and Oz people who are only too happy to share their experience. I thought I would do my bit and give back a few tips.
The return from Zhuhai to HKIA was even easier but this is another story.
Cheers
Joe
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Post by Ah Gin on Oct 29, 2008 0:23:11 GMT -5
chansomvia,
Many thanks for your tips. Travel to China has certainly improved many folds. Well done to our China cousins. I look forward to the trip tomorrow evening. Will provide feedback re my experience upon my return.
Regards, Ah Gin
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