ASIA Travel Tips.com

(http://www.asiatraveltips.com)

If you are in Hong Kong for business or leisure you may find it fun to take a quick day trip to Shenzhen which borders the northern section of Hong Kong.

Getting to Shenzhen could not be simpler, as it is only a 30 minute ride on a KCR train. The KCR trains leave from different areas on the Hong Kong mainland, namely Hung Hom, and now most recently Tsim Sha Tsui East. Connecting to the KCR from either TST or alternatively Kowloon Tong MTR stations is fast and easy to do.

The trains to Lo Wu (Shenzhen - Hong Kong border) offer two classes of travel, regular or First Class. The one First Class carriage on each train offers a much more comfortable and less congested way of travelling and costs double the amount of a regular fare. If you do decide to take travel First Class, then be sure to validate your Octopus Card, or ticket, before boarding the train. Validating your ticket is simple to do and you will see other passengers doing the same, the machine is adjacent to where the First Class carriage will stop and you need only pass your ticket over the machine until you hear a friendly beep of acknowledgment.

Shenzhen is part of China, but because of the huge amount of traffic that crosses its border with Hong Kong, many nationalities are given short time visas on arrival. These visas are only valid for travel inside Shenzhen and will not cover you if you want to travel elsewhere in China. Do check though with your local Chinese Embassy the exact situation for your own nationality. British passport holders for example, are required to apply for a visa, which can be done cheaply and quickly at the Lo Wu immigration section. You can, if needed apply for a visa whilst in Hong Kong, this generally costs a little more than if you do it yourself and takes time, and we would not recommend it unless your nationality dictates you must.

There are many five star hotels opening in Shenzhen and we will be reviewing some of these and offering you some ideas on what to do in Shenzhen. If you need a hotel in Shenzhen, click here.