Shenzhen Bao'an International Airport (SZX) is modern and well connected. Getting from the terminal to the city is easy — here are your options ranked for visitors.
🚇 Metro Line 11 — fastest & cheapest (recommended)
The airport has its own metro station (机场 / Airport) on Line 11, an express line into town. Trains run every few minutes from about 06:20 to 23:30. Fares: about ¥7-9 to Futian (30-35 min) or ¥11 to Luohu (about 55 min, change lines at Futian or Chegongmiao). Follow signs from arrivals to the metro, pay with Alipay/WeChat QR or buy a ticket at the machine (English mode available).
Best for: most travellers — cheap, reliable, no traffic.
🚕 Didi or taxi — door to door
A taxi from the airport to central Futian costs roughly ¥80-120 (30-45 minutes depending on traffic). Use the Didi app (English interface, foreign card accepted) for a fixed-price ride, or join the official taxi queue outside arrivals. Airport taxis are metered and legit — ignore touts inside the terminal.
Best for: luggage-heavy travellers, late arrivals, or going to less central hotels.
🚌 Airport buses — the budget option
Several airport bus routes run to different city districts (Futian, Luohu, Nanshan etc.) for about ¥25-40. They're comfortable but slower in traffic and stops can be less obvious for non-Chinese speakers. Look for the bus counters in arrivals.
Best for: budget travellers staying near a named stop.
🛂 Quick arrival checklist
- Immigration: if eligible for visa-free or 240-hour transit, head to the Foreigners/APEC lanes. Have your passport and hotel details ready.
- Currency & SIM: exchange desks and SIM counters are in the arrivals hall — but you're usually better off with money changed in advance and an eSIM (see our SIM guide).
- Wi-Fi: free airport Wi-Fi needs a mainland phone number for SMS verification — another reason to get your eSIM/SIM sorted first.
- VPN: if you use Google/WhatsApp, make sure your VPN is on BEFORE you land.
Arriving via Hong Kong instead? See how to get from Hong Kong to Shenzhen.
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