From Guangzhou to Hong Kong
Our visa requires us to leave Chinese territory within the first 3 months, so we're heading to Hong Kong and Macao for 4 days that promise to be truly epic!
Our visa requires us to leave Chinese territory within the first 3 months, so we're heading to Hong Kong and Macao for 4 days that promise to be truly epic!
Shenzhen - Hong Kong
We've now reached roughly the midpoint of our stay in Chine, and it's time for us to leave the country. Since we were unable to obtain a Business Visa valid for 6 months, we had to apply in February for a double-entry tourist visa valid for 3 months each. To stay for such an extended period, we simply need to leave Chinese territory after 3 months, then re-enter for the remaining 3 months. The perfect city for this maneuver is undoubtedly Hong Kong, being a special administrative region of Chine, just like Macao.
Our employers granted us a 4-day weekend to make the most of it. Why not combine business with pleasure, right? The best way to get there is to take a train to Shenzhen, which connects to Hong Kong via a sort of regional rail system. Budget-friendly travel! We set our alarms early to reach Guangzhou East Railway Station (metro station Guangzhou East Railway Station), located in the Tianhe district.
We had no difficulty finding the right ticket counter and paying 80 yuan for the journey.
This is a CRH (China Railway High-speed) type D train, the equivalent of France's TGV. This type of train is quite modern and thus reserved for those of more comfortable means than usual. We'll experience the real Chinese trains another time!
After roughly an hour's journey, we arrive in Shenzhen, which oddly reminds us of Guangzhou at first glance.
We won't linger here, eager as we are to reach the metro line at Luohu Station.
After descending countless stairs into a hangar and exchanging currency from RMB to Hong Kong dollars, we face the border to exit Chine. It takes us nearly an hour to pass through, given the impressive queues. The process repeats minutes later at Hong Kong's border crossing. Meanwhile, the clock keeps ticking. We nonetheless manage to purchase our KCR (a sort of regional rail/metro system) tickets at Hong Kong's Lo Wu station to reach the city center. To be continued...
Frequently asked questions
To travel from Guangzhou to Hong Kong, take a CRH (type D) train from Guangzhou East Railway Station (Guangzhou East Railway Station metro station) to Shenzhen for approximately 80 yuan (1 hour journey). In Shenzhen, head to Luohu Station to cross the border and take the KCR to central Hong Kong from the Lo Wu station.
Hong Kong is a special administrative region of Chine, as is Macao. This means traveling from mainland Chine to Hong Kong requires crossing an official border with passport control. For French nationals, no visa is required to visit Hong Kong (stays up to 90 days), but crossing the border at Luohu can take time—sometimes nearly an hour depending on crowds.
Yes, since Hong Kong is a special administrative region, leaving mainland Chine for Hong Kong counts as exiting the territory. This allows you to reset a double-entry tourist visa for Chine. After your stay in Hong Kong, you can re-enter the mainland using your second entry.
The CRH (China Railway High-speed) type D train journey between Guangzhou and Shenzhen takes approximately 1 hour. The ticket costs around 80 yuan. This type of train is the equivalent of France's TGV and connects Guangzhou East Railway Station to Shenzhen quickly and comfortably.
You can exchange your yuan (RMB) for Hong Kong dollars (HKD) directly in the hangar at Luohu Station, before crossing the border. Currency exchange services are available on-site. Compare exchange rates before making your transaction.
