General Travel Info
Essential apps to set up
Set up the apps you need before you land — they make everything in China seamless.
Alipay
Link a card and pay almost everywhere — shops, metro, DIDI, bikes.
Messaging plus payments and mini-apps for rides, tickets and more.
AMAP
A standalone navigation app for China, available on iOS and Android.
Apple Maps
A reliable navigation alternative on iPhone. Google Maps does not work in mainland China.
Getting to Shenzhen
Shenzhen sits in Guangdong Province in southern China, directly bordering Hong Kong — home to one of the world's fastest-moving hardware ecosystems, from Huaqiangbei's electronics markets to global tech headquarters.
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By Air
Shenzhen Bao'an International Airport (SZX) has direct flights across Asia and a growing number of intercontinental routes.
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Via Hong Kong
Many international attendees fly into Hong Kong (HKG) for the widest long-haul choice, then cross to Shenzhen. Two direct options leave from the airport itself — choose based on whether you need to enter mainland China on the visa-free transit:
Ferry (SkyPier → Shekou / Fuyong) — for transfer passengers only. You stay airside, skip Hong Kong immigration entirely, and sail straight from the airport to Shenzhen. Fastest if you're simply connecting through, but hand-baggage limits apply and you can't use it once you've entered Hong Kong. SkyPier ferry details.
Cross-border coach — from the airport's Mainland/Macao Transport Centre (Terminal 2, Level 3) to Shenzhen Bay Port in about 1.5 hours. Shenzhen Bay is a designated 240-hour visa-free transit port, so this is the route to use for the visa-free transit (e.g. US → Hong Kong → Shenzhen → onward). Normal checked baggage is fine, and coaches run roughly 06:00–22:30. Mainland coach details.
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By High-Speed Rail
A major stop on China's HSR network — about 40 min from Guangzhou and 8 hours from Beijing or Shanghai, arriving at Shenzhen North or Futian station.
Within Shenzhen
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DIDI Ride-Hailing
Uber does not operate in mainland China, so DIDI is required for ride-hailing. Order a DIDI straight from the Alipay or WeChat mini-app to get anywhere in the city.
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Metro & Bus
One of the largest metro networks in the world, with English signage throughout. Use the Transit feature in Alipay and scan your QR code at the fare gate.
Key Transport Hubs
Venue — ADEN Hotel Shenzhen Nanshan. No. 8 Guishan Road, Shekou, Nanshan District, Shenzhen. The hotel is about 700 metres from Sea World Metro Station, served by Lines 2, 8 and 12.