For travellers heading to Shenzhen, the first decision is which checkpoint to use. Pick the wrong one and you could waste half an hour going out of your way; pick the right one and you can save a full hour from leaving home to stepping onto a Shenzhen Metro platform. This guide rounds up the opening hours, connecting Shenzhen Metro lines and best-suited districts for 7 major checkpoints — read it before you set off and you won't get lost.
📌 The checkpoint opening hours in this article take the Hong Kong Immigration Department's official "Locations of Immigration Control Points" page (updated 26 June 2026) as the primary source, with Shenzhen-side information referenced from the Port Office of the Shenzhen Municipal People's Government. Checkpoint hours may change with holidays and policy adjustments — always check the latest official announcements before you travel.
Overview of the seven major checkpoints (opening hours + connecting metro)
| Checkpoint | Passenger clearance hours | HK-side control point | Shenzhen-side connecting metro | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Luohu | 06:30–24:00 | Lo Wu | Luohu Station, Line 1 | Dongmen, Guomao, MixC |
| Futian | 06:30–22:30 | Lok Ma Chau Spur Line | Futian Checkpoint Station, Lines 4/10 | Convention & Exhibition Center, COCO Park, Huaqiangbei |
| Huanggang | 24 hours | Lok Ma Chau | Huanggang Checkpoint Station, Line 7 | Late-night crossings, Futian District |
| Shenzhen Bay | 06:30–24:00 (goods vehicles 24 hours) | Shenzhen Bay | Shenzhen Bay Checkpoint Station, Line 13 | Nanshan, Houhai, Coastal City, Shekou |
| Liantang / Heung Yuen Wai | 07:00–22:00 | Heung Yuen Wai | Liantang Checkpoint Station, Line 2 | Eastern Luohu, Longgang, Yantian |
| Wenjindu | 07:00–22:00 | Man Kam To | Mainly for vehicles / cross-border coaches | Luohu, fewest crowds |
| Shekou Cruise Homeport | According to ferry schedules | China Ferry Terminal / Hong Kong–Macau Ferry Terminal | By sea | Nanshan Shekou, Bao'an |
In addition, the high-speed rail checkpoint at West Kowloon Station is open 06:30–23:30 and is the fastest way to Futian, Shenzhen North and Guangmingcheng stations, but as it is not a land checkpoint it does not get its own section here.
Luohu Checkpoint: the oldest, direct on the East Rail Line
Luohu is the checkpoint travellers know best: take the East Rail Line straight to Lo Wu Station, walk out through the concourse and across the Lo Wu Bridge, and you're in Shenzhen. Passenger clearance runs 06:30 to midnight (24:00), making it Hong Kong's main land boundary control point, with a dedicated visitor arrivals hall for immigration processing. Queues are longer at peak times (weekends and long holidays), especially during the peak travel season.
Once through, you connect straight to Luohu Station on Shenzhen Metro Line 1 — one stop to Guomao, two stops to Laojie (Dongmen). For a food crawl in Dongmen, Kingglory Plaza or Luohu MixC, Luohu Checkpoint is the most direct choice.
Where to go once you're out of Luohu Checkpoint
- Dongmen Old Street (Dongmen commercial area, Luohu District) — Laojie Station, Metro Lines 1/3; the pedestrian street is right outside the exit
- Kingglory Plaza (2028 Renmin South Road, Luohu District) — Guomao Station, Exit A, Metro Line 1
- Luohu MixC (1881 Bao'an South Road, Luohu District) — Grand Theatre Station, Metro Lines 1/2/5; Exit C has a direct link into the mall
- Xianhu Botanical Garden — Xianhu Road Station, Metro Line 2, Xianhu Road, Liantang, Luohu District
Futian Checkpoint: direct from MTR Lok Ma Chau Station, fastest into Futian CBD
Walk over from MTR Lok Ma Chau Station and you're at Futian Checkpoint. Passenger clearance runs 06:30–22:30, and it is the only land checkpoint reachable in one direct MTR ride. The checkpoint is at 23 Yuheng Road, Futian District (east side of Futian Free Trade Zone), with a total of 146 arrival and departure lanes; the operating hours published by the Port Office of the Shenzhen Municipal People's Government match those of the Hong Kong Immigration Department.
After crossing you connect to Futian Checkpoint Station on Shenzhen Metro Lines 4 and 10, the southern terminus of both lines. Note that it closes at 22:30, so for late-night trips back to Hong Kong you'll need to switch to Huanggang or Shenzhen Bay.
Where to go once you're out of Futian Checkpoint
- Futian Galaxy COCO Park (Fuhua 3rd Road, Futian District) — Shopping Park Station, Metro Lines 1/3; Exits C/F/G lead straight into the mall
- Shenzhen Convention & Exhibition Center (junction of Fuhua Road and Zhongxin 5th Road, Futian District) — Convention & Exhibition Center Station, Metro Lines 1/4; next door is One Avenue (348 Fuhua 1st Road, Futian District)
- Huaqiangbei (junction of Zhenhua Road and Huaqiang North Road, Futian District) — Huaqiangbei Station, Metro Lines 2/7; the electronics hub
- Lianhuashan Park — Children's Palace Station, Metro Lines 3/4; next door is Shenzhen Book City CBD Store (Fuzhong 1st Road, Futian District)
Huanggang Checkpoint: Shenzhen's only 24-hour land checkpoint
Huanggang Checkpoint corresponds to Hong Kong's Lok Ma Chau Control Point. Users of this control point include the Lok Ma Chau–Huanggang cross-boundary shuttle bus, cross-border coaches and cross-border private cars. Passenger clearance is open 24 hours — meaning you can cross at 3am, making it the only land option for late-night trips into or out of Shenzhen.
After crossing you connect to Huanggang Checkpoint Station on Shenzhen Metro Line 7. Note that the new Huanggang Checkpoint is under reconstruction: the Hong Kong-side port area was established at midnight on 31 July 2026, but the full opening of the checkpoint building is still awaiting an announcement from both sides, and for now the old "two locations, two checks" process (getting off and on the coach twice) still applies. For details, see our separate article on progress on the new Huanggang Checkpoint.
Shenzhen Bay Checkpoint: co-location, the most cross-border coaches
Shenzhen Bay Checkpoint is located at Dongjiaotou, Shekou Subdistrict, Nanshan District, covering 110 hectares, and is linked to Ngau Hom Shek in Yuen Long, New Territories, Hong Kong by the Shenzhen Bay Bridge. It was the first China–Hong Kong checkpoint to adopt "co-location" — you complete both exit and entry procedures inside the same passenger terminal building. Passenger lanes run 06:30–24:00, while the goods inspection lanes operate 24 hours.
From 28 December 2024, Shenzhen Bay Checkpoint Station on Shenzhen Metro Line 13 opened, located inside the checkpoint's transport hub as the southern terminus of Line 13, taking you straight into Nanshan District after crossing. For Coastal City, Shenzhen Bay MixC, Houhai and Sea World in Shekou, Shenzhen Bay Checkpoint is the smoothest option.
Where to go once you're out of Shenzhen Bay Checkpoint
- Shenzhen Bay MixC (2888 Keyuan South Road, Nanshan District) — Houhai Station, Metro Lines 2/11/13
- Coastal City (33 Wenxin 5th Road, Nanshan District) — Houhai Station, Metro Lines 2/11
- OCT Harbour (Binhai Avenue, Nanshan District) — Shenzhen Bay Park Station, Exit E, Metro Line 9
- Sea World (1128 Wanghai Road, Nanshan District) — Sea World Station, Exit A, Metro Lines 2/12
Liantang / Heung Yuen Wai Checkpoint: the newest, best-equipped and least crowded
Liantang Checkpoint (Hong Kong side: Heung Yuen Wai Control Point) is located in Liantang Subdistrict, Luohu District. It opened on 26 August 2020 as the seventh cross-boundary land checkpoint between Shenzhen and Hong Kong, using the "two locations, two checks" inspection method and a one-stop vehicle clearance model, connecting to Luosha Road and the Eastern Expressway. Passenger clearance runs 07:00–22:00.
It is Shenzhen's newest eastern checkpoint and relatively uncrowded; the Hong Kong side is also the first control point where you can drive right up to the door. After crossing you connect to Liantang Checkpoint Station on Shenzhen Metro Line 2 (south of Luosha Road, west of Yanfang Road, Luohu District). Note that the metro station and the checkpoint are not fully integrated — you'll walk a stretch in the open air and pass through a commercial complex before reaching the checkpoint.
⚠️ The public car park at Heung Yuen Wai Boundary Control Point adjusted its charges from 4 August 2026: private cars HK$18 (≈¥15) per hour, HK$180 per day, HK$96 overnight; overtime is HK$72 per hour for the first two hours, then HK$90 per hour. The car park accepts online bookings only (Car Park 1 may accept walk-in bookings subject to availability); refer to the operator's official announcements.
Wenjindu Checkpoint: the least crowded of the old guard
Wenjindu Checkpoint is on Wenjindu Road, Luohu District, with Man Kam To Control Point on the Hong Kong side. Passenger clearance runs 07:00–22:00, and immigration queues have traditionally been short. It mainly handles vehicles and cross-border coaches, and its passenger lanes see the fewest people of any checkpoint — worth considering if you want to avoid crowds, though onward connections are more limited.
Shekou Cruise Homeport: cross by sea, straight to Hong Kong
If you live in Nanshan or Shekou, the sea route is an option. Shekou Cruise Homeport has high-speed ferries to Hong Kong's Sheung Wan Hong Kong–Macau Ferry Terminal and Tsim Sha Tsui's China Ferry Terminal, plus routes connecting to the SkyPier at Hong Kong International Airport. Schedules and fares are subject to the ferry operator's announcements; allow at least 40 minutes for boarding and immigration procedures.
Which checkpoint should you pick? Decide by destination
- For Luohu (Dongmen / Guomao / MixC) → Luohu Checkpoint, direct on the East Rail Line
- For Futian (Convention & Exhibition Center / COCO Park / Huaqiangbei) → Futian Checkpoint, but it closes at 22:30
- For Shenzhen Bay (Nanshan / Coastal City / Houhai / Shekou) → Shenzhen Bay Checkpoint, straight in on Line 13
- Late-night crossing → only Huanggang Checkpoint is open 24 hours
- Don't want to queue → Liantang Checkpoint or Wenjindu Checkpoint
Transport connections: getting into the city after crossing
On the Shenzhen Metro you can use Alipay/WeChat "ride codes" or buy a Shenzhen Tong card. All three main checkpoints have metro connections: Luohu Station (Line 1), Futian Checkpoint Station (Lines 4/10) and Shenzhen Bay Checkpoint Station (Line 13). If you have a lot of luggage, calling a car directly through Amap is not expensive either. To find out what to do along the metro lines, see our Shenzhen Metro area-by-area guide; if you're driving, note the parking arrangements at the checkpoints in our Shenzhen checkpoint parking guide.
FAQ
Is Shenzhen Bay Checkpoint open 24 hours?
No. Passenger lanes currently run 06:30–24:00; only the goods inspection lanes operate 24 hours. For late-night crossings, use Huanggang Checkpoint instead.
What time does Futian Checkpoint close?
22:30, earlier than Luohu and Shenzhen Bay, so keep an eye on the time when heading back to Hong Kong at night. The checkpoint is at 23 Yuheng Road, Futian District.
Which is faster, Luohu or Futian Checkpoint?
It depends where you're going. Luohu suits Luohu District (Dongmen, Guomao, MixC), while Futian Checkpoint suits Futian District (Convention & Exhibition Center, COCO Park, Huaqiangbei). Both have queues at weekends; Liantang and Wenjindu are quieter.
Has Shatoujiao Checkpoint reopened?
Clearance services at Shatoujiao Control Point are currently suspended until further notice.
Will checkpoint opening hours be extended?
During long holidays (Lunar New Year, National Day and so on), the two governments sometimes extend service hours at some checkpoints. Before you travel, the most accurate source is the latest announcements from the Hong Kong Immigration Department and the Shenzhen Port Office.
Practical tips
- Weekends and long holidays between 9am and 11am are the busiest; leaving half an hour earlier can save you a lot of time
- Check the expiry date on your Home Return Permit; the document-free e-channel requires prior registration
- With large luggage, avoid Luohu — Huanggang and Shenzhen Bay have cross-border coaches that are more convenient
- At Liantang Checkpoint Station, Exits A1, A2, C and D all have lifts, and Exits C and D are lift-only, making them the easiest with a pram
- First thing after crossing: open Amap to check live metro information and ride-hailing prices
— Compiled by the HKSZ Life editorial team, your guide to living in Shenzhen. Checkpoint hours are subject to the latest announcements from the Hong Kong Immigration Department and the Shenzhen Port Office (updated September 2026).
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