Hong Kong to Guangzhou: Train Times, Fares and Border Steps
Last checked October 28, 2026 against official sources. How we check
Quick answer
Take the high-speed train from Hong Kong West Kowloon to Guangzhou South: 48 to 85 minutes, ¥215 second class, with 37 trains on November 5, 2026 (12306). You leave Hong Kong and enter mainland China inside West Kowloon station, so bring your passport. Checks open 90 minutes before departure, and the real-name check closes 30 minutes before.
Next steps
Key facts
| Fastest way | High-speed train, West Kowloon to Guangzhou South, 48 to 85 minutes (12306, trains on November 5, 2026) |
|---|---|
| Fare | ¥215 second class to Guangzhou South; Hong Kong ticket channels sell in HK dollars |
| Trains | 37 to Guangzhou South on November 5, 2026, 07:20 to 22:37; 13 to Guangzhou East |
| Border | Hong Kong exit and mainland entry both inside West Kowloon station, Level B3 |
| Ticket cut-off | Real-name check closes 30 minutes before departure (MTR) |
Dotted underline: only secondhand sources report it so far. Tap or hover it for why, and check before you go.
Which way should I go from Hong Kong to Guangzhou?
The high-speed train from West Kowloon is the fastest way, and the only one that clears both borders in one building.
| Route | Time | Second class | Where you enter mainland China | 240-hour port? |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| High-speed train, West Kowloon to Guangzhou South | 48–85 min | ¥215 | West Kowloon station | Yes |
| High-speed train, West Kowloon to Guangzhou East | 91–112 min | ¥215 | West Kowloon station | Yes |
| East Rail Line to Lo Wu, then Shenzhen station to Guangzhou East | About 45 min to Lo Wu, then 57–88 min | ¥72 for the Shenzhen train | Luohu | No |
| East Rail Line to Lok Ma Chau, then Futian to Guangzhou South | 41–69 min for the Futian train | ¥82 for the Futian train | Futian | No |
| Ferry, China Ferry Terminal to Nansha | About 90 min | See below | Nansha Port | Yes |
Train times and fares come from 12306 for trains on November 5, 2026. The Lo Wu time is the Transport Department’s estimate from Admiralty. The ferry takes about 90 minutes. Starting at Hong Kong airport instead? See Hong Kong Airport to Guangzhou.
How do I take the high-speed train from West Kowloon?
On the November 5, 2026 sample, 12306 listed 37 trains from West Kowloon to Guangzhou South, from 07:20 to 22:37, and 13 to Guangzhou East, from 07:41 to 21:02.
| To | Trains | First–last | Ride | Second class |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Guangzhou South (广州南) | 37 | 07:20–22:37 | 48–85 min | ¥215 |
| Guangzhou East (广州东) | 13 | 07:41–21:02 | 91–112 min | ¥215 (one train ¥187) |
Photo: BAMAA Nai Kamiao · CC0. Hong Kong, not Guangzhou Details- Buy the ticket. You can book up to 15 days before departure, and tickets for trains from West Kowloon go on sale at 08:00. Hong Kong channels sell in HK dollars; 12306 and the West Kowloon ticket counters also sell in yuan (MTR ticketing).
- Get to West Kowloon station. It connects to Austin station (Tuen Ma Line) and Kowloon station (Tung Chung Line and Airport Express) by bridge or tunnel (MTR).
- Do the real-name check on Level B1. Use the self-service gate or the staff counter, with the travel document you booked with. The check stops 30 minutes before departure.
- Pass security, then both immigration checks on Level B3. You leave Hong Kong and enter mainland China here. MTR says the steps normally take 30 to 45 minutes, and that passport holders should allow extra time.
- Board. The gates on Level B3 open 15 minutes before departure and close 5 minutes before.
- Leave the station in Guangzhou. Tap out through the exit gates with your travel document, or with the QR code in the Chinese version of the 12306 app (MTR departure process).
The West Kowloon control point is open 06:30 to 23:30 (GovHK). For the trip in the other direction, see Guangzhou to Hong Kong train.
What do I need to enter mainland China?
You enter mainland China at West Kowloon, on Level B3, before you board.
- Visa or visa-free entry. Check your passport in the visa-free checker. Many nationalities can enter for 30 days without a visa.
- 240-hour transit. West Kowloon is on the NIA’s 240-hour port table (row 48), and so is Nansha Port (row 42) (NIA, Announcement No. 4 of 2025). The rules are in the 240-hour transit guide. In our reading, if you enter from Hong Kong, a ticket back to Hong Kong is not an onward ticket to a third country or region.
- Arrival card. Fill in the China arrival card online before you go.
Photo: Kristoferb · CC BY-SA 3.0 DetailsCan I go via Shenzhen instead?
Yes. The MTR East Rail Line runs to two border stations, and mainland trains continue to Guangzhou from the Shenzhen side.
- Lo Wu. Admiralty to Lo Wu takes about 45 minutes, with trains every 3 to 10 minutes (Transport Department). The control point is open 06:30 to midnight. On the Shenzhen side, Shenzhen station had 60 trains to Guangzhou East (06:12 to 22:28, 57 to 88 minutes, ¥72) and 42 to Guangzhou station on the November 5 sample.
- Lok Ma Chau. The Spur Line control point is open 06:30 to 22:30 (GovHK). From Futian station, 19 high-speed trains ran to Guangzhou South (06:30 to 22:53, 41 to 69 minutes, ¥82). We found no official guide to the walk from the Futian port to Futian station.
Luohu and Futian are not 240-hour transit ports. If you need a 240-hour stay, cross at West Kowloon. Our Guangzhou to Shenzhen train guide covers the Shenzhen stations in the other direction.
Are there coaches or ferries?
Both run, but we found no official timetable that we could read; the details below come from third-party sources.
- Coach. A Wing Tung coach line started on June 27, 2026, with pick-ups in Sheung Wan, Wan Chai and North Point. It takes about 3 hours via Shenzhen Bay. HK01 gave a promotional adult one-way fare of HK$45 on June 26, 2026. Shenzhen Bay is not a 240-hour port.
- Ferry. Ferries run from the China Ferry Terminal in Tsim Sha Tsui to Nansha at 08:00, 13:00 and 17:00, in about 90 minutes. Two sources give different adult fares, HK$220 and HK$252, so check with CKS, the ticketing agent. Nansha is far south of central Guangzhou.
The Hung Hom to Guangzhou East Intercity Through Train is not running. MTR’s July 2022 company overview says the Hung Hom control point has been closed since January 30, 2020 and the service is suspended (MTR, July 2022). MTR’s cross-boundary page, read on October 28, 2026, lists only the East Rail Line and the High Speed Rail.
Where do I arrive in Guangzhou?
Photo: Tim Wu · CC BY-SA 4.0 Details- Guangzhou South (广州南站) is in Panyu, on Metro Lines 2, 7 and 22. See our guide to Guangzhou South Railway Station.
- Guangzhou East (广州东站) is in Tianhe. See the Guangzhou East station guide.
To ride the metro with a foreign card, see paying for the metro with a Visa or Mastercard.
What we could not confirm
- Coach timetables and Guangzhou drop-off points. No operator page we could read lists them.
- The ferry fare and timetable from CKS itself. Its booking site needs a browser.
- The walk from Futian port to Futian station.
- Hong Kong dollar fares for the high-speed train from MTR itself. The MTR chart we read is in yuan. HK01 gave HK$246 one way in second class to Guangzhou on June 26, 2026.
Traps and how to avoid them
- Avoid Reaching West Kowloon less than 30 minutes before your train
The real-name and ticket check on Level B1 stops 30 minutes before departure, and the boarding gates close 5 minutes before (MTR).
- Avoid Expecting 240-hour transit entry at Lo Wu or Shenzhen Bay
West Kowloon and Nansha Port are on the NIA's 240-hour port table. Luohu, Futian and Shenzhen Bay, where the East Rail Line and most coaches cross, are not.
- Avoid Expecting to board with a different passport from the one you booked with
The real-name check uses the identification document you bought the ticket with (MTR). Carry that passport.
- Avoid Expecting a through train from Hung Hom
MTR's July 2022 company overview says the Hung Hom control point has been closed since January 30, 2020 and the Intercity Through Train is suspended. MTR's current cross-boundary page lists only the East Rail Line and the High Speed Rail.
FAQ
How long is the train from Hong Kong to Guangzhou?
48 to 85 minutes from West Kowloon to Guangzhou South, and 91 to 112 minutes to Guangzhou East, on a 12306 sample of trains on November 5, 2026.
How much is the train from Hong Kong to Guangzhou?
¥215 in second class to Guangzhou South or Guangzhou East on the November 5, 2026 sample; one train to Guangzhou East was ¥187. Tickets bought through Hong Kong channels are priced in HK dollars (MTR).
Where do I clear immigration?
Inside West Kowloon station. On Level B3 you pass Hong Kong departure and mainland entry, then board. At Guangzhou South you leave through the exit gates with your travel document (MTR).
Can I start a 240-hour visa-free transit stay from Hong Kong?
Through West Kowloon station or Nansha Port, yes, if your passport and onward ticket qualify: both are on the NIA's 240-hour port table. The Shenzhen crossings at Luohu, Futian and Shenzhen Bay are not.
Is the old Hung Hom through train running?
No. MTR's July 2022 company overview says the Hung Hom control point has been closed since January 30, 2020 and the service is suspended, and MTR's cross-boundary page, read on October 28, 2026, lists only the East Rail Line and the High Speed Rail. Use the high-speed train from West Kowloon.
How far ahead can I buy a ticket?
Up to 15 days before departure, according to MTR. Tickets for trains from West Kowloon go on sale at 08:00.
Sources
- China Railway 12306 left-ticket and price query, Hong Kong West Kowloon to Guangzhou South and Guangzhou East, Shenzhen to Guangzhou East and Guangzhou, Futian to Guangzhou South, trains on November 5, 2026 (queried October 28, 2026)
- MTR High Speed Rail: departure process, 90 minutes, 30-minute real-name cut-off, immigration on B3, gates close 5 minutes before (read October 28, 2026)
- MTR High Speed Rail: ticket purchase channels, 15 days ahead, 08:00 sale start, HK dollar and yuan channels (read October 28, 2026)
- MTR High Speed Rail: Hong Kong West Kowloon Station, links to Austin and Kowloon stations (read October 28, 2026)
- MTR High Speed Rail: RMB fare chart, second class ¥215 to Guangzhou South (trains from October 11, 2026; PDF)
- GovHK: control point locations and opening hours (West Kowloon 06:30–23:30, Lo Wu 06:30–24:00, Lok Ma Chau Spur Line 06:30–22:30, Shenzhen Bay 06:30–24:00; page dated October 27, 2026)
- MTR: to and from Lo Wu and Lok Ma Chau, control point hours (read October 28, 2026)
- Hong Kong Transport Department: access to Lo Wu control point, Admiralty to Lo Wu about 45 minutes (undated)
- MTR company overview, July 2022: Hung Hom control point closed since January 30, 2020, Intercity services suspended (PDF)
- MTR: cross-boundary services, East Rail Line and High Speed Rail only (read October 28, 2026)
- National Immigration Administration: Announcement No. 4 of 2025, attachment 2, 240-hour port table, West Kowloon (row 48) and Nansha Port (row 42) (Chinese)
- HK01: five ways from Hong Kong to Guangzhou, including the Wing Tung coach line and the Nansha ferry (June 26, 2026, Chinese; news site)
- ItiMaker: Nansha Passenger Port, ferry times from China Ferry Terminal (third-party site; ferry times checked on CKS booking, October 23–26, 2026)
Update history
- : First version, from a 12306 sample for trains on November 5, 2026, MTR's departure and ticketing pages, GovHK control point hours and the NIA 240-hour port table.
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