To be verified
Budget
经济型
Typical price range to be verified.
Checking facts firstShenzhen · Chapter
Getting around
A foreign bank card on the metro, a passport on 12306, a clear Chinese address for the driver.
01
By district
Choose the neighbourhood first.
Guide
Futian CBD
福田
Next to Futian Port (Lok Ma Chau border), Lianhuashan Park and the Huaqiangbei electronics markets.
Read →Guide
Nanshan & Shekou
南山 · 蛇口
Sea World, the Shekou Cruise Center ferry port, Shenzhen Bay Port and OCT Loft.
Read →Guide
Luohu, near the border
罗湖
Steps from Luohu Port (Lo Wu border), handy for Hong Kong day-trippers.
Read →Guide
Dameisha & the east coast
盐田 · 大梅沙
A beach base by Dameisha Beach Park, on the way to the Dapeng peninsula.
Read →Guide
Bao’an, near the airport
宝安
Close to Bao’an International Airport, one of the 240-hour transit entry points.
Read →02
By budget tier
Ranges first, names later.
To be verified
Mid-range
舒适型
Typical price range to be verified.
Checking facts firstTo be verified
Splurge
高端
Typical price range to be verified.
Checking facts first03
Check-in tips for foreigners
What to have ready at the front desk.
To be verified
Passport registration
住宿登记
How hotels register foreign guests with your passport. Details to be verified.
Checking facts firstTo be verified
Hotels that accept foreign guests
涉外酒店
How to confirm a hotel can host foreigners before you book. To be verified.
Checking facts firstGuide
Paying for your room
付款
Linked a foreign card to Alipay or WeChat Pay? Single payments over ¥200 carry a 3% fee.
Read →Shenzhen · Getting around
Shenzhen Metro: Just Tap Your Foreign Card
Since 10 September 2026, every gate on all 17 Shenzhen Metro lines (432 stations) accepts contactless Visa, Mastercard, UnionPay, American Express and JCB. How to ride, what to enable on the card, and when a taxi is still better.
Shenzhen · NeighbourhoodsShenzhen Neighbourhoods: Futian, Nanshan, Luohu, Shekou — Where to Base Yourself
A truthful sketch of the districts visitors actually ask about. Futian for a first-time metro base, Shekou for the water and the ferry, Luohu for the old crossing — and why the airport district is not a holiday base.
Shenzhen · Getting aroundShenzhen Airport Transport: Line 11 Is Under the Terminal — Not Airport East
How to leave Shenzhen Bao’an International Airport: Metro Line 11 at the Airport station under Terminal 3, approximate fares and first and last trains, taxis at the GTC, and the trap of Airport East on Line 1.
Shenzhen · Getting aroundArriving at Shenzhen Bao’an (SZX): Immigration, Bags, and the Metro Under Terminal 3
A walk-through of an international arrival at Shenzhen Bao’an: immigration, baggage, customs, the Ground Transport Centre, and Metro Line 11 under Terminal 3. Do not go to Airport East.
Shenzhen · LanguageA Shenzhen Glossary of Chinese Phrases for Travelers
A short, practical glossary of Mandarin phrases for a Shenzhen trip: everyday courtesy, food, metro, money, and getting help, with Chinese characters, pinyin, and English. This is a travel aid, not a language course.
Related China-wide guides
China essentials · Between cities
How to Ride China’s High-Speed Rail With a Passport
Foreign passport holders can book on the official 12306 English site: register, complete identity verification, and board with the same passport. How to do it, what happens at the station, and the West Kowloon catch for Shenzhen.
China essentials · Between citiesHow Foreign Visitors Use DiDi and Taxis in China
Official visitor guidance names three ways into DiDi: the Didi-Greater China app, Alipay’s Transport → Taxi, and WeChat’s Mobility section. A foreign phone number can be used. How a ride works, and how to handle a street taxi that will not meter.
China · Getting aroundAccessibility in China: Better in New Metros, Uneven Everywhere Else
What a visitor with reduced mobility, a wheelchair, or a pushchair can reasonably expect in Chinese cities: metros, high-speed rail, hotels, and attractions. Honest and incomplete.
China · Getting aroundBooking China Train Tickets on 12306 with a Passport: The Official English Path
How a foreign passport holder books a China Railway ticket on the official 12306 English site: registration, identity, payment, and collecting or boarding with the original passport. Complementary to our high-speed rail guide.