China Romance
All About China => Your trip to China => Topic started by: Irishman on March 24, 2010, 03:22:16 pm
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I got a good price on Air France (my favourite European airline) to HK for my next trip.
I was wondering what way from HK to Guangzhou is the quickest with least fuss.
The routes available seem to be as follows:-
1) Taxi from airport to Hung Hom train station then bullet train to Guangzhou East Train Station - cons most expensive, maybe hassles getting train ticket if arriving at the weekend
2) Airport express to Kowloon then taxi to Hung Hom station then bullet train to Gaungzhou East railway station - slightly cheaper than above, but three changeovers - adding lots of time no doubt and hanging about.
3) Boat to Shenzen, bullet train to guangzhou East railway Station - probably slow and expensive?
4) Bus to Guangzhou (at border apparently you have to get off , walk through immigration then get back on another bus) - cheapest. Time wise seems to be about the same as the other ways as its a straight run except at the border so no hanging around. Not as comfortable or exciting as a bullet train though.
My plane lands in HK at around 07:30 , could i make it to Guangzhou by midday?
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Bus to Gz.yes it shouldn't be a problem to reach GZ by noon.
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Ronan,
What do you call a ''good price''??? Cathay Pacific have been doing an all in one price from UK to HK and on to one of 13 cities in Mainland China, one being Guangzhou.
David.....
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Or you could call "Yang Fu Chan(ce)" at 'China Cab' ... he'll pick you up in his truck ... you'll sit with the pigs getting ready for slaughter ... at the border, they'll brand you #69 Triple AAA Pork Meat ... then sail by a fishing 'junk boat' across the water ... hop on a motorcycle cab with a cage of chickens to GZ ...
Or from the airport, take public express bus A38 non stop to Prince Edward MTR in Kowloon where I got off [ maybe it goes closer to Hong Hom MTR ??? ], a couple of MTR stops to Hong Hom MTR, bullet train to GZ. Easier way through customs. If you take the bus, there'll be a two hour processing time at the HK & China immigration ... especially on weekends.
Or you can take a limo cab from HK airport to Shenzhen border bus depot, then a bus to GZ. You and the your luggage stay in the limo. The driver hands over your passport at each custom immigration booth. It's the quickest way through the bordsr. Cost for me to Kaiping was 240 RMB [ including bus fare ].
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Thanks Maxx and Chong
The two hour processing time would suck, I'm arriving on a Friday morning, I'm hoping that because its early that customs wont be so busy?
I did take the bullet train from Shenzen before and it was very comfortable and fast, but that time i wasn't carrying round heavy bags after 24 hours in airports and planes and had a native speaker to help me find my way, hmm.
I call €630 flying on Air France a good price. The times are perfect, the comfort is miles of anyone else except Qatar Airways in my experience, but they don't have flights at times that suit me, and they don't fly direct without stopovers in Beijing/Doha or wherever etc - i want to spend every possible minute of my vacation time with Sunny. Cathy Pacific are £635 for the days i want, and that's from the UK, would have to add on flight to there from here, and the times don't suit, i researched it in many price comparison sites, this is the best deal for me! I would pay a little extra to go with Air France, i will never ever fly China Southern again if I can avoid it, but this thread isn't about flights!, its about the best way to get from HK Airport to GZ!
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the best way to get from HK to GZ is to have King Chong pick you up on his Vespa.....lol
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Ronan.
Just checked CP, fares in September. 618 Euros, departs LHR at 12.35, arrives in HK at 7.10 +1 , connect flight 8.05, arrive Guangzhou 8.55. Don't know your dates, so i arbitrary chose 4th (Sat) Sept for 14 days....
The only thing is, your flight from Ireland to Heathrow..... But the times would suit you very well, and are in Guangzhou way before midday...lol!!! .....OH and CP knocks Air France into a proverbial cocked hat, by Far Superior in just about every way!!!!!
David.....
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Ronan.
Just checked CP, fares in September. 618 Euros, departs LHR at 12.35, arrives in HK at 7.10 +1 , connect flight 8.05, arrive Guangzhou 8.55. Don't know your dates, so i arbitrary chose 4th (Sat) Sept for 14 days....
The only thing is, your flight from Ireland to Heathrow..... But the times would suit you very well, and are in Guangzhou way before midday...lol!!! .....OH and CP knocks Air France into a proverbial cocked hat, by Far Superior in just about every way!!!!!
David.....
The return times don't suit me (too early or too late) and I still have to book another return flight from London, the deal I got is the best I could, thanks for checking anyhow :)
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2 hour processing time?? It was nowhere near that in November. It was 3 hours drum start to finish on the bus from the airport to Guangzhou. I also had my seven year old with me. It was pretty simple.
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I should clarify ... It depends on the time & day to get into HK from China... once I made it through in 15 minutes from China's immigration into Hong Kong's immigration. Another time, it took one hour because of the amount of people.
Getting off the plane in Hong Kong and getting through HK's immigration will be the same. It all depends on the time & day of your arrival.
You can't avoid these two scenarios. The only one you can control is from HK's immigration into China's.
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Oooo! I am landing in Hong Kong Thursday, April 1st at 1:15pm and taking the ferry to Shenzhen. I guess I'll be stuck with the 2 hours. Got that cheap flight.
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Shaun, get one of those fake snakes with the spring in it and put it in your luggage so when they open it, it springs out and you yell Aprils Fools!
They'll love that and get you out of there faster. :icon_biggrin:
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Sure Vince. :dodgy: I'll do that and I am sure my exit will be quick. Quick to jail.
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Shaun, get one of those fake snakes with the spring in it and put it in your luggage so when they open it, it springs out and you yell Aprils Fools!
They'll love that and get you out of there faster. :icon_biggrin:
Yes sir, straight back on the plane as an undesirable:icon_cheesygrin::icon_cheesygrin:
Willy
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I wonder how pissed they would be doing that? :s Don't try to find out.
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The fastest I have used is the minibus to Shenzhen (Luohu if you want the bullet train) or anywhere else depending on where in Shenzhen you want to go, they drop you at your hotel. Cost is 150 RMB or a little more in HK$, and you sit in the van at customs, go towards the airport express in HK airport and make left and a right there, follow mainland transfer signs.
Ferry is bloody slow because of their schedule unless you're really lucky with your timing, and then immigration in Shekou takes a good bit of time but taxis are right outside at the exit.
Bus to GZ, I did that, took over 3.5 hours and traffic was not too bad, I won't do that again, cost was 200 RMB. Mine went through Luohu where you get off and on for customs, some go over the new bridge to Shekou, I came that way from Jiangmen ...
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I am told that the ferry is only 25 minutes. Is it true? I am also told to get off at Nashan Shenzhen. I thought I saw in this thread that there is only one stop. True?
Ronan sorry for using your thread to ask questions about this.
Shaun
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More questions the merrier Shaun, the more info I find about this the more it helps me. The boat ride would be kinda cool, so if it doesn't add greatly to the time I'd be up for it.
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I am told that the ferry is only 25 minutes. Is it true? I am also told to get off at Nashan Shenzhen. I thought I saw in this thread that there is only one stop. True?
Ronan sorry for using your thread to ask questions about this.
Shaun
Shaun yes the ferry takes 25 minutes, but their schedule is such that you'll be waiting at least 60 minutes for it to leave ... I waited 90 minutes. And the transfer from the airport to the ferry is another bus ride, don't remember how long.
Actually, if you do use the ferry, do not pick up your luggage, do not go through Hong Kong immigration but straight to the ferry counter in the transit area (mainland transfer or mainland ferry signs), otherwise you'll be in trouble :) They will collect your luggage receipts and get your cases for you, this works well. You only collect your luggage in Shekou before passing Chinese immigration.
You can buy a 1st class upgrade when you board the ferry, then you can smoke and see outside better, I think they serve coffee too, they only seem to offer this to Laowai (but then 90% of the passengers are, I think the Chinese use the metro or shuttle bus. The downstairs 2nd class is a bit weird, on the ferry I was on the windows were tinted with film which was scratched, so the view was not that great.
Have fun anyway,
Frank
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Thanks Frank. That will help a lot as I am sure I will have that deer in headlight look when I get there. I am a boat and water person so the upper deck will be for me. The coffee will help too. Do you know do they offer valium? :icon_cheesygrin:
The other question I have, is there only one stop for Shenzhen? Peggy's sister has told me a few times to take the Nashan Shenzhen Ferry. I have noticed that Peggy address is Nashan Shenzhen. Remember I am a rookie traveler to China.
Shaun
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Hey Shaun - I am talking with my wife on QQ and maybe we can meet you at the airport to guide you to the border. My wife has never seen a deer in the headlights before.....:huh:...oops I am her dear so maybe she has.
Anyways, discuss it with Peggy, as Yan has said she is willing to talk with her over the phone.
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Shaun,
Nanshan is where I stayed, a 25 RMB taxi ride from the ferry terminal, right next to Shekou, so it's the same. There is only one stop, and the upper deck is closed up as well, I don't know if you can get to the open air. Those are not those fancy speed ferries going between Macau and HK by the way, this is a fiberglass boat, wide enough to seat about 25 people in one row, with big screen TV in front (showed a movie in Cantonese with Chinese subtitles when I was on it)
Valium? You'll be sleepy enough after the long trip, ... get a coffee in Starbucks while you're waiting for the ferry, it's on the departure level in Hong Kong airport, follow the sign to gates 21 and more, there is an elevator right next to where you wait for the ferry, that level also has a smoking lounge (looks more like an CIA torture chamber) if you're after that. There is free wifi in HK airport if you're bringing a laptop ... should be like that everywhere around the world ...
If you want to buy something bring RMB, although they do take cards as well. There is an ATM somewhere, but you get Hong Kong dollars, not sure you want these for China :icon_cheesygrin: You can buy dutyfree while waiting for the ferry, cigarettes are cheaper than on the mainland, the rest is so so.
Frank
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I don't know about cigarettes being cheaper than the mainland. I can buy a carton for the equivalent of $13 on the mainland. In the U.S. they are close to $60. $13 is the best price I've found. I bypass buying cigs in HK, because I know I can get them cheaper on the mainland.
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Ever since coming to China I have become a 20 a day man. But not a cigarette passes my lips. Passive smoker to the core. IS THERE NOWHERE in China where they do not manage to get a smoke? Elevators, Motor Cycles selling meat you name it they smoke whilst doing it.
Willy
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Hong Kong prices are a little steap for everything. wait till you get to the
mainland to buy things. also Shenzhen is a little pricey also from what i have seen.
the govt in GZ is cracking down on smoking with the buildings and eateries having no smoking areas
now in many places and the goal is to get evrywere smoke free in the upcoming year or so. not sure
what their doing in other cities but here they are really trying and smoke shops have signs that
say under 18 no buying your cigarettes here. also they opened up the new bus routes here which are
ice ad a little faster because they get the whole middle of the road.
i like to take the bus as i get to see everything when i am riding them. sometimes i just get on a bus
and go till it stops and sightsee the area then try and find my way home on another route. that makes
for a fun ad exciting day when im bored.
line 5 opened on the subway here and there are planes for 4 more lines by 2012
and GZ is getting a complete face lift for the Asian Games this year