15 Apr
2019
4 Best Ways To Get From Guangzhou to Shenzhen: Step-By-Step Guide
Transportation & Travel By China Car Service Comments Off on 4 Best Ways To Get From Guangzhou to Shenzhen: Step-By-Step Guide
Compare Transportation Options from Guangzhou To Shenzhen To Find Which Suits You Best.
The route from Guangzhou to Shenzhen is very popular among business travelers. These trips are often for visiting local factories and suppliers in either city. Infrequent or first-time travelers to the region may find it a challenge to get from Guangzhou to Shenzhen. Many are only vaguely aware of the available transportation options and even less aware of what to expect during the journey itself.
After reading this blog, you will be equipped with the knowledge and tools to effectively select the right option for you.
There are four main modes of transportation from Guangzhou to Shenzhen; train, private car, coach bus, and taxi. Each differs in the 4 key areas of concern you should consider, regarding this journey:
- Time: How much time do I have to spend to get to my Shenzhen destination? Am I looking for the quickest route?
- Convenience: Are switches between different modes of transport during this trip something I mind dealing with?
- Comfort: How comfortable am I sharing a full vehicle and walking with all my luggage at various points in the journey?
- Cost: What is my budget for this journey? Am I limited by cost or can I spend a bit more for an increase in convenience and comfort?
Keeping this criteria in mind, let’s briefly compare and review each transport, then we’ll take a more in-depth look at the pros and cons of each.
Traveling From Guangzhou to Your Hotel In Shenzhen
| Transportation Method |
Train (+Metro or Taxi) |
Private Car Service |
Coach Bus (+Metro or Taxi) |
Taxi |
| Time | 2.5 – 3.5 hrs | 1h 40 min – 2.5 hrs (Fastest) |
3 – 4.5 hrs | 2.5 – 3.5 hrs |
| Convenience | Moderate | Highest | Lowest | Moderate To High |
| Comfort | Moderate | Highest | Lowest | High |
| Cost | Moderate | (Get Quote) | Lowest | High |
| Mandarin Chinese Needed?* |
Preferably Yes | No | Definitely Yes | Definitely Yes |
Table of Content: |
1. Guangzhou to Shenzhen By Train
- Time: 2.5 hrs (ticket purchased in advance), 3.5 hrs (otherwise)
- Convenience: Lowest
- Comfort: Low To Moderate
- Cost: Low
Travel Steps & Timeline:
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Travel Steps By Train
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Summary. Trains from Guangzhou to Shenzhen run daily from 06:00 to 23:00 (see detailed schedule below). They depart from all railway stations in Guangzhou and arrive at various Shenzhen railway stations. This makes your trip by train more flexible since you can choose which departure and arrival station is closest to your hotel or destination point. There are over 220 trains running both ways on the Guangzhou – Shenzhen line. Of these, 205 are high-speed trains. The shortest train route takes only 30-53 minutes from Guangzhou South Railway Station to Shenzhen North Railway Station. You will also need to factor in the time needed to get to and from these train stations. Note that both Guangzhou and Shenzhen are big cities prone to having heavy traffic at times. As such, taking taxis to your destination could add a significant amount of time to the journey.
Recommendation. Choosing to take a train from Guangzhou to Shenzhen can be a convenient option. Multiple trains depart every day from various convenient stations. However, for travelers with no experience in reading Chinese, a general discomfort with busy railway stations, and their long waiting times for ticket purchase and departure times, it can be a rather stressful affair.
If you’re adventurous, light on luggage, and have plenty of time to spare, getting from Guangzhou to Shenzhen by train is a decent option at relatively low cost (see costs below). Plan a flexible schedule as delays are inevitable – wait & queue for a taxi to get to the station in Guangzhou; at the railway station while passing through security; purchasing the ticket; waiting for the next train departure; and (once arrived in Shenzhen) a final wait at the taxi stand or metro station. For those looking for a quick and easy alternative, hiring a private car eliminates all of these inconveniences.
Guangzhou to Shenzhen Trains In Detail
Every day, over 140 pairs of trains run between Guangzhou and Shenzhen. There are 2 types of trains that depart daily: C, D, and G high-speed trains and K, T and Z normal trains. The normal train takes about 1.5 to 3.5 hours, whereas high-speed trains take about 30 min to 1.5 hours. The G train is the fastest, followed by the C, T and K trains. Various trains operate from different stations.
Choose the most suitable departure depending on the train type, railway station location, travel duration, and ticket price (see below).
► Guangzhou To Shenzhen By Train – General Schedule:
The Earliest Train from Guangzhou to Shenzhen: 06:00
The Last Train from Guangzhou to Shenzhen: 23:08
Duration: from 29 min to 1 h 39 min.
Frequency: Every 30 minutes.
► Step 1. Where Do You Depart From?
Guangzhou Departure Stations:
1. Guangzhou Railway Station → Shenzhen (Arrive at All Stations)
Guangzhou Railway Station (Chinese: 广州站) sits on the high-speed Guangshen railway just west of Guangzhou East, located closer to the Guangzhou city center. Served by the Guangzhou Metro,Lines 2 and 5.
C high-speed trains run from Guangzhou Railway Station to Shenzhen Railway Station daily from 06:05 to 22:20, with a duration of about 1 h 35 min and departing every 30 min to 1 hour.
- C-Train Ticket Price:
- First Class seat: CNY 99.5 (USD 15)
- Second Class seat: CNY 79.5 (USD 12)
- Duration of C-trains: 1 h 35 min
K, T, and Z trains run from Guangzhou Railway Station to Shenzhen West, Shenzhen East, and Shenzhen Railway Station from 04:09 to 20:25, with a duration of 2 h 10 min.
- K-, T-, Z-Train Ticket Price:
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Soft Sleeper
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CNY93.5 (US$14) – CNY230.5 (US$35) |
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Hard Sleeper
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CNY77.5 (US$12) – CNY158.5 (US$24) |
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Hard Seat
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CNY23.5 (US$4) – CNY65.5 (US$10) |
- Duration of K-, T-, Z-Trains: 1 h 29 min – 3 h 23 min
2. Guangzhou East Railway Station → Shenzhen Railway Station
Guangzhou East Railway Station or Guangzhoudong railway station (Chinese: 广州东站) also known as Tianhe Station is located in the city’s Tianhe District, Dongzhan Road. It’s the closest railway station to Guangzhou Downtown or the Canton Tower. The railway, metro, and bus terminal stations are interconnected in a single-station complex. There’s an immigration checkpoint in the station for Guangdong ‘Through Train’ passengers traveling to and from Hong Kong.
Guangzhou East Station serves mainly for Guangzhou to Shenzhen line from 06:11 to 22:44 with C-trains.
- C-Train Ticket Price:
- First Class seat: CNY 99.5 (USD 15)
- Second Class seat: CNY 79.5 (USD 12)
- Duration of C-trains: 1 h 35 min
3. Guangzhou South Railway Station → Shenzhen North & Futian Stations
Guangzhou South Railway Station (Chinese: 广州南站), also known as New Guangzhou station or Shibi station, is the largest train station in Guangzhou located in Shibi, Panyu District.
From Guangzhou South Railway Station, G trains arrive at Shenzhen North Station from 06:48 to 23:08 and to Shenzhen (Futian) Station with two departures at 16:46 and 17:17. The shortest travel time by G-train is from Guangzhou South Station to Shenzhen North Station (29-53 min).
- G-Train Ticket Price:
- Business Class seat: CNY199.5 (US$30)
- First Class seat: CNY 99.5 (US$ 15)
- Second Class seat: CNY 74.5 (US$ 11)
- Duration of G-trains: 29-53 min [SHORTEST]
4. Guangzhou North Railway Station → Shenzhen North Station
Guangzhou North Station (Chinese: 广州北站)
is the farthest railway station from Guangzhou city center. It’s located in Huadu District in the northern suburbs of Guangzhou. G trains only go from Guangzhou to Shenzhen North Station from 08:21 to 21:47.
- G-Train Ticket Price:
- Business Class seat: CNY267 (US$20)
- First Class seat: CNY 134 (US$ 14)
- Second Class seat: CNY 94 (US$ 14)
- Duration of G-trains: 1-1 h 10 min
See detailed schedule of Guangzhou to Shenzhen trains.
► Step 2. Where Do You Arrive?
Arrival Stations in Shenzhen:
1. Shenzhen Railway Station:
Located in Luohu District, this station is next to the Luohu Port which is the closest cross-border checkpoint to Hong Kong. From Shenzhen Railway station, you can take a taxi, subway, or city bus to the city center or an airport shuttle bus to Shenzhen International Airport (SZX).
2. Shenzhen North Railway Satation:
Located in Longhua, Bao’an District, the station is farther from downtown Shenzhen. However, subways, city buses, and coaches make transits convenient for passengers. Shenzhen Metro Lines 4, 5 and 6 are in walking distance. Passengers going to Beijing, Xiamen, Xi’an, or Zhengzhou can also catch a bullet train from here.
3. Shenzhen Futian Railway Station:
This station is on the Guangzhou–Shenzhen–Hong Kong Express Rail Link, and is the final station on mainland China before the train enters Hong Kong. The station is located in Futian District of Shenzhen, convenient for passengers in the southern part of the city. Both subway lines and city buses are available for easy transfers.
► How To Buy Train Tickets?
► At a Train Station:
You can buy a train ticket at any train station in Guangzhou using cash, Chinese bank cards, and WeChat-wallet or Alipay (if available). Foreign credit cards are not usually accepted, so be sure to have a backup plan. You’ll need to bring your passport; a copy of your passport won’t be accepted by the ticket clerks. Self-service machines at the stations are for passengers holding Chinese ID cards only. If possible, try to buy train tickets a few days in advance to avoid the chance of them being sold out.
► Online:
If you can read Chinese and have a Chinese bank account, you can book train tickets online on Chinese Railways’ official website www.12306.cn without any additional fees, filling out your passport details.
If you’ve successfully purchased your train ticket online, it’s still recommended that you arrive at the train station at least 40 minutes before your departure. You’ll need to show your reservation number and original copy of passport to receive a printed ticket, to board the train. Unfortunately, there is no fast queue for just printing out your online ticket, you will still need to queue up together with the people looking to purchase their ticket.
► Change Ticket:
If you’d like to change your ticket to an earlier or later time, you may change it once, free of charge. Any changes beyond that first time will incur additional fees. Changes to your ticket must be made at the ticket windows of the station. Make sure to confirm that you can at the window before queuing up to avoid any waste of time.
► Few Things to Note:
► During National holidays in China, the demand for trains is extremely high. Train tickets are usually sold out a month in advance. Traveling is not recommended during the National holidays, particularly: 1) the Chinese New Year Period in January/February, and 2) National ‘Golden Week’ in October 1–7th.
► All Guangzhou Railway Stations are large stations like airports. It takes time to navigate them to find the ticket counters, the railway platform, or the long-distance bus area. There are also security checks at the entrances. Most people don’t speak English. At times, it can be a stressful experience to find where you need to go. Make sure to carefully follow the signs, and with patience you’ll arrive at the designated areas.
► Trains typically depart on time without delays. Nevertheless, make sure to arrive at the railway platform in advance to queue and board.
► Guangzhou and Shenzhen are large megapolises with heavy traffic, you’ll need to factor in additional time to find the transportation to your final destination in Shenzhen. Plan your time accordingly.
2. Guangzhou to Shenzhen By Private Car & Limo
- Time: Quickest, 1h 40 min – 2h 30 min
- Convenience: Highest
- Comfort: Highest
- Cost: Get a quote
Travel Steps & Timeline:
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Travel Steps By Private Car
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Summary. Whether it’s your first venture from Guangzhou to Shenzhen or you’re a regular commuter, convenience and peace of mind while traveling are on everyone’s wish list. Renting a private car with your own personal driver, makes getting from Guangzhou to Shenzhen an absolutely hassle-free experience. Selecting the right car service will also provide the flexibility you want when traveling. Plans change, the right car service can accommodate to your needs and arrange accordingly.
With a private car service, you never need to worry about changes because communication is not an issue with drivers who speak fluent English. Cantonese and Mandarin are widely spoken in Shenzhen, finding a local taxi driver who speaks or understands English can be an epic challenge. Some car service companies in Shenzhen even offer guided tours of the city, should you have time for some sightseeing.
Booking a private car service should always be quick and simple. Ensure that the company you choose also supports a payment method you’re familiar and comfortable with.
Recommendation. Traveling by private car from Guangzhou to Shenzhen is a fantastic option for travelers who want to avoid any hassles or troubles while traveling. This option is the quickest, safest, and most accommodating to move between Guangzhou and Shenzhen. Your private chauffeur will pick you up wherever you request in Guangzhou and swiftly deliver you to your destination in Shenzhen. No dragging your luggage, no delays of any sort, and no risk of taxi scams. A Guangzhou private car service is perfect for small and big groups, families with kids, and generally, anyone who wishes to travel with comfort
A private transfer by car is the safest, quickest way to travel from Guangzhou to Shenzhen. China Car Service is a trusted transportation service helping business travelers for almost two decades. We provide door-to-door service at competitive prices.Make your journey stress-free and contact our 24/7 team at Bookings@ChinaCarService.com with questions, or get a quote below. Use this promo code: 10CARBLOG to get a $10 discount on your 1st service. |
3. Guangzhou Airport to Shenzhen By Coach Bus
- Time: Slowest, 2.5 – 4.5 hrs
- Convenience: Low
- Comfort: Lowest
- Cost: Lowest (see below)
Travel Steps & Timeline:
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Travel Steps By Coach Bus
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Summary. The Coach Bus from Guangzhou to Shenzhen is by far the slowest and least convenient way to travel between cities. Although the bus schedule is readily available, there’s no guarantee the coach buses will depart on time. The bus departs once there are enough people on board. Adding to that, the speed of the bus on the road is quite slow and the journey can take a significant amount of time (up to 4.5 hours to arrive at your hotel in Shenzhen).
Recommendation. Traveling by bus from Guangzhou to Shenzhen is the slowest option, however it’s also the lowest priced. The journey by bus takes an unpredictably long time due to the heavy traffic along that route. You should note that operators at bus stations only speak Chinese. The signs at the big bus stations are not always straightforward and it is difficult to communicate when purchasing your ticket. This option is only recommended for travelers with plenty of time and on a very low budget.
Guangzhou to Shenzhen By Coach In Detail
Buses depart daily from different coach/bus stations both in Guangzhou and Shenzhen. The buses are quite slow and depending on traffic conditions, the duration of the journey can be anywhere from 2 hours to over 5 hours. You will need to consider the time on the coach, as well as to get to/from the bus station and to your final destination in Shenzhen.
The bus service time is from 05:35 to 22:00 in Shenzhen and from 04:00 to 23:00 in Guangzhou. The most convenient part of using the coach option is that passengers can catch a coach at any Guangzhou bus station and choose the departure station in Shenzhen (when you purchase the ticket).
For example, a direct bus from Guangzhou to Shenzhen departs from Guangzhou Municipal and arrives at Shenzhen Futian. There is a coach to Shenzhen every 12 minutes at the Guangdong Provincial Coach Station (广东省汽车客运站) from 06:10 to 23:00, and there is a coach every 15 minutes at Guangzhou Coach Station (广州汽车客运站) from 06:00 to 22:00. The approximate ticket price of around CNY 60-65 Yuan (USD 9). A coach from Guangzhou Airport Station goes only to Shenzhen Longgang and Yinhu Stations.
► See Detailed Coach Bus Service Hours
► Step 1. Where Do You Depart From?
Departure Stations in Shenzhen:
Buses depart from the following Guangzhou coach stations: Guangzhou Municipal, Guangzhou Provincial, Guangzhou Airport, Dongpu, Huangpu, Haizhu, Guangyuan, Jiaokou, Luochongwei, Fangcun, Guangyuan, Fangcun, and Tianhe. The main bus stations are:
► Tianhe Bus Station 天河汽车客运站
- Located in a newly developed Tianhe district that is called Guangzhou’s Silicon Valley, this station is close to Guangzhou downtown.
- Address: 633 Yanling Road, Guangzhou 广州市燕岭路633号 (not far from Guangzhou East Railway Station)
► Guangzhou Provincial Bus Station 广州省汽车客运站
- Guangzhou Provincial Bus station is near the Guangzhou train railway station which is located on Metro line 2 and line 5.
- Address: No. 147-149, Huanshi West Road, Guangzhou 广州市环市西路147-149号
► Yuexiu South Bus Station 越秀南汽车站
- Located in the oldest downtown area and the commercial center of Guangzhou.
- Address: at the crossing of Yuexiu Nan Road and Dongyuan Heng Road, Yuexiu District, Guangzhou (广州越秀区越秀南路东园横路交叉口)
► Step 2. Where Do You Arrive?
Arrival Bus Stations in Shenzhen:
Buses from Guangzhou arrive at Shenzhen Futian, Nanshan, Luohu, Bao’an, Longgang, Yinhu and Shenzhen Airport Stations.
If you need to get to Shenzhen city center, then the Futian or Nanshan Stations are a better choice. Luohu Station provides easy access to Hong Kong and is linked to the metro system and city buses to go downtown. Both Bao’an and Longgang Bus Stations are far from Shenzhen city downtown, located in industrial areas of Shenzhen. These destinations may be better suited for factory visits. Located in Futian District, Yinhu Bus Station is only for buses coming from Guangzhou Airport Station.
4. Guangzhou to Shenzhen By Taxi
- Time: 2.5 – 3.5 hours
- Convenience: Low
- Comfort: High
- Cost: See below
Summary. A final option to get from Guangzhou to Shenzhen is by taxi, which takes about 3 hours. It’s not easy to find an authorized taxi that will go from Guangzhou to other neighboring cities, like Shenzhen. These taxis normally operate only within the city area, as there are additional tolls for taxi drivers to pay when leaving the Guangzhou area. Therefore, many of them tend to refuse trips to other cities. Even when they do accept, they’ll expect prices to be negotiated, refusing to use the taxi meter. Even if you can negotiate with the driver in Chinese (as taxi drivers don’t speak English) and the driver acts in good faith, the price he actually charges is uncertain and may fluctuate depending on time, traffic, and the driver’s overall mood, causing you significant stress, frustration, and delay.
*Note: More and more taxis only take payment online via Wechat or Alipay now, cash is less and less common in China. Though they may accept cash, they’ll likely tell you they don’t have any change, so expect to leave a big tip. As of the date of this blog, you must open a Chinese bank account to link to Wechat or Alipay wallet, in order to make such payments. This can be problematic for foreigners, due to the obvious hassles of time spent opening new bank accounts and because taxis don’t accept international credit cards either.
There are also ‘black taxis’ operating outside of most public stations, and this is an opportunity for scam attempts. Black taxis offer you a price that seems reasonable or even cheap, and then they drop you off in the middle of the highway. Never take an illegal car, always make sure they are from a reputable company. Booking a trustworthy private transfer online prior to your arrival is a better and safer option to travel between Guangzhou and Shenzhen.
Recommendation. We don’t recommend this option. However, if you’re still inclined we would suggest only travelers who have local knowledge and ability to negotiate in Chinese to attempt it. Even knowledgeable locals find themselves victim to these scams at times.
Guangzhou to Shenzhen Summary
With the multitude of options available there’s really no one “best way” to get from Guangzhou to Shenzhen. However, depending on your requirements there are some clear winners:
- If your number #1 concern is a low price and you aren’t concerned about time or the inconvenience of carrying your luggage, you should take a Guangzhou – Shenzhen Train.
- If your number #1 concern is the lowest possible price and you have plenty of time to spare, you may choose to travel by Coach Bus.
- If your number #1 concern is time, safety, convenience, and comfort, then you should consider hiring a private car. This option is also highly recommended for those traveling on business, with a lot of luggage, traveling with kids, or seniors.
China Car Service provides private limousine transfers. If you are interested in private car service for your Shenzhen to Guangzhou journey, please don’t hesitate to contact us: Bookings@ChinaCarService.com.
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