Flying to Hong Kong
Airlines offering direct flights to Hong Kong from the UK include British Airways, Cathay Pacific, Virgin Atlantics, Qantas and Air New Zealand. Flights to Hong Kong from the UK take around 13 hours. You can bag cheap flights to Hong Kong if you book early but airfares tend to rocket and seats are tricky to find in the fortnight before Christmas and Chinese New Year. The same applies to the end of March when the Rugby Sevens are held in Hong Kong.
Flight times:
From London - 13 hours; New York - 16 hours (due to non-stop New York-Hong Kong services); Los Angeles - 14 hours 35 minutes; Toronto - 15 hours 15 minutes; Sydney - 9 hours and 30 minutes.
Travel by road
Summary:
Hong Kong traffic drives on the left and the minimum age for driving is 18 years. Routes are designated by a number (such as Route 1, the main expressway route to China, or Route 3, from Hong Kong Island). Speed limits are 50kph (30mph) in built-up areas or 100kph (60mph) elsewhere. An International Driving Permit is recommended, although not legally required. A valid national driving licence is accepted for up to 12 months. Third-party insurance is compulsory.
The Hong Kong Automobile Association - HKAA (tel: 3583 3600; www.hkaa.com.hk) can provide more information.
Emergency breakdown service:
HKAA (tel: 3583 3628).
Routes:
The most accessible places for one to drive to are Lantau Island (for the airport) and Guangzhou. Although there is no theoretical reason not to drive to and from the mainland, few visitors do.
Driving times:
From Lantau Island - 1 hour; Guangzhou - 3 hours.
Coaches:
There are bus and coach links to destinations on the Chinese mainland. Citybus (tel: 2873 0818; www.nwstbus.com.hk) and CTS (tel: 2851 1700; www.ctshk.com) offer coach services to Guangzhou and Shenzhen, departing from the China Hong Kong City Terminal, Tsim Sha Tsui, Kowloon, and other pick-up points, including the Island Shangri-La Hotel in Admiralty.
Travel by rail
Services:
Kowloon-Canton Railway (KCR) has merged with MTR as the service provider for railways leading north from Hung Hom, Kowloon. Immigration facilities and baggage inspection are handled before boarding - passengers are asked to arrive 45 minutes before departure.
Hong Kong Station, located in the International Finance Centre Mall, Exchange Square, Central, serves the MTR Airport Express link - passengers wishing to connect to the mainland rail lines must cross to Hung Hom by MTR or ferry.
Local MTR trains run daily to Lo Wu (the last stop before the Chinese border). It is possible to then cross the border to Shenzhen (the first city in China over the border) with a visa for China.
Operators:
MTR (tel: 2881 8888; www.mtr.com.hk) operates a regular service from Hung Hom to Dongguan (Changping) and Guangzhou East. There is also a service from Hung Hom to Foshan and Zhaoqing.
Besides the express service from Kowloon to Guangzhou, there are now direct express links on alternate days to Beijing and Shanghai, as well as sleeper trains and stopping services to many other Chinese cities.
Journey times:
From Hung Hom to Dongguan (Changping) and Guangzhou East - 1 hour 40 minutes; Foshan - 3 hours; Zhaoqing - 4 hours; Shanghai – 20 hours; Beijing – 24 hours.
Travel over water
Summary:
The Port of Hong Kong, Victoria Harbour, is situated right at the heart of the territory, between Kowloon and Hong Kong Island. It is a major global maritime hub, providing a stream of ocean traffic visible from the city centre and is administered by the Marine Department of the Government of Hong Kong (tel: 2542 3711; www.mardep.gov.hk).
Hong Kong harbour's Ocean Terminal (tel: 2118 8951; www.oceanterminal.com.hk), situated on Kowloon, is a major cruise destination, able to accommodate the largest liners. Many of the cruise trips, however, are overnight casino trips to international waters, catering for the Chinese passion for gambling. The Ocean Terminal contains 24-hour customs and immigration services at Western Anchorage, left luggage, banks and bureaux de change. The facilities at the adjacent Harbour City mall are extensive and include banking, duty-free shops, department stores, cafés and restaurants.
Some hydrofoil and ferry services (including daily ferries, every half hour to and from Macau) depart from China Ferry Terminal, Tsim Sha Tsui, Kowloon. Others depart from the Shun Tak Centre (tel: 2859 3333) to Macau.
Ferry services:
Many cruise lines serve the Port of Hong Kong. Hovercrafts and jet catamarans link Hong Kong Island and Kowloon with Chinese ports in Guangzhou, Shenzhen and other neighbouring centres, including Shenzhen Airport. Far East Hydrofoil Co Ltd (tel: 2921 6688) is the main provider. There are also a number of ships sailing to major Chinese ports, although these are less frequent. There is a fast hydrofoil link to Macau. Ships berth at the China Hong Kong City Terminal, in Tsim Sha Tsui. Cruise ships of the Star Line also berth at the Ocean Terminal, giving a superb view of central Hong Kong from arriving boats.
Airlines offering direct flights to Hong Kong from the UK include British Airways, Cathay Pacific, Virgin Atlantics, Qantas and Air New Zealand. Flights to Hong Kong from the UK take around 13 hours. You can bag cheap flights to Hong Kong if you book early but airfares tend to rocket and seats are tricky to find in the fortnight before Christmas and Chinese New Year. The same applies to the end of March when the Rugby Sevens are held in Hong Kong.
Flight times:
From London - 13 hours; New York - 16 hours (due to non-stop New York-Hong Kong services); Los Angeles - 14 hours 35 minutes; Toronto - 15 hours 15 minutes; Sydney - 9 hours and 30 minutes.
Travel by road
Summary:
Hong Kong traffic drives on the left and the minimum age for driving is 18 years. Routes are designated by a number (such as Route 1, the main expressway route to China, or Route 3, from Hong Kong Island). Speed limits are 50kph (30mph) in built-up areas or 100kph (60mph) elsewhere. An International Driving Permit is recommended, although not legally required. A valid national driving licence is accepted for up to 12 months. Third-party insurance is compulsory.
The Hong Kong Automobile Association - HKAA (tel: 3583 3600; www.hkaa.com.hk) can provide more information.
Emergency breakdown service:
HKAA (tel: 3583 3628).
Routes:
The most accessible places for one to drive to are Lantau Island (for the airport) and Guangzhou. Although there is no theoretical reason not to drive to and from the mainland, few visitors do.
Driving times:
From Lantau Island - 1 hour; Guangzhou - 3 hours.
Coaches:
There are bus and coach links to destinations on the Chinese mainland. Citybus (tel: 2873 0818; www.nwstbus.com.hk) and CTS (tel: 2851 1700; www.ctshk.com) offer coach services to Guangzhou and Shenzhen, departing from the China Hong Kong City Terminal, Tsim Sha Tsui, Kowloon, and other pick-up points, including the Island Shangri-La Hotel in Admiralty.
Travel by rail
Services:
Kowloon-Canton Railway (KCR) has merged with MTR as the service provider for railways leading north from Hung Hom, Kowloon. Immigration facilities and baggage inspection are handled before boarding - passengers are asked to arrive 45 minutes before departure.
Hong Kong Station, located in the International Finance Centre Mall, Exchange Square, Central, serves the MTR Airport Express link - passengers wishing to connect to the mainland rail lines must cross to Hung Hom by MTR or ferry.
Local MTR trains run daily to Lo Wu (the last stop before the Chinese border). It is possible to then cross the border to Shenzhen (the first city in China over the border) with a visa for China.
Operators:
MTR (tel: 2881 8888; www.mtr.com.hk) operates a regular service from Hung Hom to Dongguan (Changping) and Guangzhou East. There is also a service from Hung Hom to Foshan and Zhaoqing.
Besides the express service from Kowloon to Guangzhou, there are now direct express links on alternate days to Beijing and Shanghai, as well as sleeper trains and stopping services to many other Chinese cities.
Journey times:
From Hung Hom to Dongguan (Changping) and Guangzhou East - 1 hour 40 minutes; Foshan - 3 hours; Zhaoqing - 4 hours; Shanghai – 20 hours; Beijing – 24 hours.
Travel over water
Summary:
The Port of Hong Kong, Victoria Harbour, is situated right at the heart of the territory, between Kowloon and Hong Kong Island. It is a major global maritime hub, providing a stream of ocean traffic visible from the city centre and is administered by the Marine Department of the Government of Hong Kong (tel: 2542 3711; www.mardep.gov.hk).
Hong Kong harbour's Ocean Terminal (tel: 2118 8951; www.oceanterminal.com.hk), situated on Kowloon, is a major cruise destination, able to accommodate the largest liners. Many of the cruise trips, however, are overnight casino trips to international waters, catering for the Chinese passion for gambling. The Ocean Terminal contains 24-hour customs and immigration services at Western Anchorage, left luggage, banks and bureaux de change. The facilities at the adjacent Harbour City mall are extensive and include banking, duty-free shops, department stores, cafés and restaurants.
Some hydrofoil and ferry services (including daily ferries, every half hour to and from Macau) depart from China Ferry Terminal, Tsim Sha Tsui, Kowloon. Others depart from the Shun Tak Centre (tel: 2859 3333) to Macau.
Ferry services:
Many cruise lines serve the Port of Hong Kong. Hovercrafts and jet catamarans link Hong Kong Island and Kowloon with Chinese ports in Guangzhou, Shenzhen and other neighbouring centres, including Shenzhen Airport. Far East Hydrofoil Co Ltd (tel: 2921 6688) is the main provider. There are also a number of ships sailing to major Chinese ports, although these are less frequent. There is a fast hydrofoil link to Macau. Ships berth at the China Hong Kong City Terminal, in Tsim Sha Tsui. Cruise ships of the Star Line also berth at the Ocean Terminal, giving a superb view of central Hong Kong from arriving boats.
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