You can reach Macau and Zhuhai from Shenzhen by ferry from Shekou, or overland through Zhuhai. Ferries from Shekou to Macau (Taipa or Outer Harbour) often take around an hour; published fares commonly sit around ¥200 or a little more — approximate, check the operator. Ferries to Zhuhai Jiuzhou are a similar duration, often listed from around ¥140. Macau is not mainland China: leaving the mainland is an exit, and coming back is a new entry. If you are in China on 240-hour visa-free transit, a side trip to Macau may use up that transit; do not assume you can re-enter on the same endorsement. Confirm with official immigration rules before you buy a ticket.
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关键事实
| Shekou → Macau | About 60 minutes to Taipa or Outer Harbour on a typical crossing. Fares often around ¥200+ — check TurboJET, Yuet Tung or the current operator |
|---|---|
| Shekou → Zhuhai Jiuzhou | About 60 minutes, fares often listed from around ¥140. Hengqin crossings are a little longer, often listed from around ¥150 |
| Land to Zhuhai, then Macau | Gongbei / Border Gate is a major land crossing; hours have been 06:00–01:00. Hengqin Macao Port Zone has been 24 hours. Confirm before you go |
| Immigration | Macau is a separate immigration territory. Re-entering the mainland is a new entry, with a new stamp |
| 240-hour warning | Do not assume a Macau side trip is compatible with a 240-hour transit stay. Read the official rule and our 240-hour guide |
The Shekou ferries
The straightforward water route is from Shekou Cruise Home Port (蛇口邮轮母港), in Nanshan, not far from Sea World. Ferries run to Macau — typically Taipa (氹仔) and, on some schedules, the Outer Harbour (外港) — and to Zhuhai, typically Jiuzhou (九洲) and sometimes Hengqin (横琴).
Approximate patterns, which you must re-check with the operator (TurboJET, Yuet Tung and others have operated these routes; the name on your ticket is the one that matters):
- Shekou to Macau, about 60 minutes. Published fares often sit around ¥200 and can be a little higher (listings in the ¥219–230 region have appeared). Treat this as a band, not a quote.
- Shekou to Zhuhai Jiuzhou, about 60 minutes, with fares often listed from around ¥140.
- Shekou to Hengqin, often around 75 minutes, with fares often listed from around ¥150.
Arrive with your passport, a ticket, and enough time for mainland exit formalities at Shekou. Sailings are cancelled or delayed in poor weather. We will not paste a timetable that will be wrong next month.
Overland, through Zhuhai
You can also go by land into Zhuhai and, if Macau is the goal, cross there. The main visitor crossing at Gongbei / Macau Border Gate (拱北 / 关闸) has recently had passenger hours of 06:00–01:00. The Hengqin Macao Port Zone has been operating 24 hours. Hours change; confirm on official Zhuhai or Macao port pages before a late crossing. From Shenzhen, the land route is longer than the ferry in clock time, and involves a bus, a train, or a car to the Zhuhai side.
The rule that catches people out
Macau is a separate immigration territory. When you leave Shekou or Gongbei for Macau, you are exiting mainland China. When you come back, you are making a new entry to the mainland. This is not a paperwork formality you can wave through.
If you entered the mainland on a 30-day visa-free stay, a new entry may start a new admission — or it may not, depending on the current rule and on how you arrived. We will not assert that you automatically receive a fresh 30 days. If you entered on 240-hour visa-free transit, a side trip to Macau is especially risky: the transit is a single, tightly defined stay. Do not assume you can re-enter on the same endorsement. Confirm with official National Immigration Administration guidance, or with your airline, before you buy the ferry ticket.
You also need to be allowed to enter Macau itself. That is a Macao immigration question, based on your nationality. Check the Macao government’s own immigration page; we will not reproduce a visa-free list that Macau can change.
If you still go, go with slack
A day trip is possible if your entry rules allow it: a morning ferry, a defined return sailing, and more time than the crossing itself for two sets of immigration. Eat, walk, and do not schedule a same-evening mainland train with a tight connection. For a mainland-only day that is simpler on paperwork, Guangzhou does not involve a border.
常见问题
How do I get from Shenzhen to Macau?
The direct way is a ferry from Shekou Cruise Home Port to Taipa or the Outer Harbour. The overland way is to enter Zhuhai and cross at Gongbei (Border Gate) or Hengqin. Both involve leaving mainland immigration and entering Macau separately.
How long is the Shekou ferry?
A typical crossing is about 60 minutes. Schedules change with the season and the operator. Check the operator on the day, and arrive early enough for check-in and immigration at Shekou.
Can I go to Macau during a 240-hour visa-free transit?
Treat this as a serious question, not a casual day trip. Leaving the mainland is an exit. Whether you can come back on the same 240-hour endorsement is a matter of official immigration rules, which we will not paraphrase beyond: do not assume yes. Read our 240-hour guide and confirm with the National Immigration Administration or your airline.
Do I need a Macau visa?
Many nationalities can enter Macau visa-free for a limited stay; the rule is Macau’s, not Shenzhen’s, and it depends on your passport. Check the Macao government immigration page for your nationality before you travel.