To and From HONG KONG
Hong Kong has many facilities for Macau-bound travellers.
By Sea & Air
A.The main sea terminal and heliport are located in Shun Tak Centre, on the waterfront West of Central District on Hong Kong Island. It stands over the Sheung Wan station of the MTR (Mass Transit Railway) and adjoins a terminus for public buses and minibuses from many parts of Hong Kong, including the A2 Airbus from the airport. The terminal has passenger wharves and helipad, booking offices for current and advance sailings and flights, reservation offices of Macau hotels and travel agents, a branch of China Travel Service, and a Macau Government Tourist Office Information Counter.
The following public transportation from Hong Kong Chek Lap Kok International Airport to Macau-Hong Kong Ferry Terminal is available:
Airport Express
First, take the Airport Express to the Hong Kong Station at Central.
Fare: HK$100 (Single Trip)
Frequency: Every 10 minutes
Journey Time: 23 minutes
Operating Hours: 5:50 AM - 00:48 AM
Then, take a taxi to the Hong Kong-Macau Ferry Terminal at Sheung Wan.
Fare: HK$15-20
Journey Time: 10-15 minutes
Public Bus No. A11 (air-conditioned)
Passenger should get off at the third stop after departing the airport, press the bell when "Hong Kong-Macau Ferry Terminal" is announced.
Fare: HK$40
Operating Hours: 05:00 AM - 00:48 AM
Frequency: Every 15 minutes
Journey Time: 30-40 minutes
Taxi
Fare: HK$350-400
Journey Time: 30 minutes
B.The China Ferry Terminal is located on the Tsimshatsui waterfront alongside Harbour City, on the Kowloon side of the harbour. It is used for TurboJET and Catamaran sailings to and from Macau, and is convenient for visitors staying in Tsimshatsui hotels. It contains booking offices for current and advance sailings.
The Macau Ferry Terminal and heliport is situated in the Outer Harbour, close to the New Yaohan Department Store. It contains booking offices for sailings and flights to Hong Kong, travel agencies, restaurants and duty-free shops selling alcohol and cigarettes which are cheaper than in Hong Kong, as well as local cookies and other delicacies.
Passengers are advised to be at the terminal at least 30 minutes before the scheduled departure time, in order to complete immigration formalities.
Tourists can find quite a number of ferries available, from TurboJET or First Ferry, which differ in speed, comfort and price.The most rapid are the vessels of the TurboJET.
Vessels will take one hour from Hong Kong to Macau or vice versa and they operate almost 24 hours. Drinks and snacks are available on board. The ticket price ranges from HK$141 in Economy class on weekdays for day service to HK$162 also in Economy class for night service. Tickets in Super class ranges from HK$232 to HK$261, VIP cabins for 4 to 6 persons are available at prices from HK$928 to HK$1,566. Trips are made between the Hong Kong Ferry Terminal (located in the Shun Tak Centre at Sheung Wan) and the Macau Ferry Terminal (located in the Outer Harbour). For senior (60 years old or above) and children (under 12 years old) may enjoy a HK$15 off per ticket.
Each passenger is allowed to carry on board, free of charge, one piece of handcarry luggage not exceeding 10 kg in weight and 60 cm X 20 cm X 25 cm in dimension and one piece of golf bag not exceeding 20 kg for Super class passenger.
Catamarans from the First Ferry offer roundtrip sailings to and from Macau and Kowloon, arriving at the China (HK) Ferry Terminal in Tsim Sha Tsui. The journey takes about 70 minutes.
Bookings
Tickets can be booked 28 days in advance. Return tickets can be purchased at the same time, and should be if returning on a holiday.
Standby
In the Shun Tak Centre and Macau Ferry Terminal, there are special lines for standby passengers who want to leave earlier than their ticketed sailings. Except on holidays and weekends, there is a good chance of getting a seat.
Seat allocation
In Hong Kong and Macau, seats are allocated after check-in and immigration.
A new brand "TurboJET Sea Express" will be introduced to run 3 new service routes between HKIA and Shenzhen, Macau SAR and Guangzhou. Macau and Shenzhen routes have already been in service since 29 September 2003 while the Guangzhou route is targeted to be operational in the second stage. With the introduction of these new links, popular airports in the Pearl River Delta region, HKIA, Macau International Airport and Shenzhen Baoan International Airport will be linked up.
Passengers can transit into or out of the Pearl River Delta region via HKIA without the need to pass through HK Customs and Immigration formalities and also hassle free from delivering their luggage to the ferry terminal. The Macau Route is approximately 45 minutes. Ticket Prices: HK$180-300 (Adults).
East Asia Airlines and Helicopters Hong Kong Limited co-operates aircraft between the helipads on the Macau and Hong Kong Ferry terminals. Each flight takes only approximately 16 minutes. Macau to Hong Kong service operates from 9:00 a.m. to 10:30 p.m. every half an hour, and the Hong Kong to Macau service operates from 9:30 a.m. to 10:59 p.m.
By Air helicopter
The helicopter service between Macau Ferry Terminal and Shenzhen Baoan International Airport, PRC is also provided. The journey takes about 20 minutes. Macau to Shenzhen service operates at 9:45 a.m., 1:15 p.m., 2:45 p.m. and 4:15 p.m. and the Shenzhen to Macau service operates at 11:45 a.m., 2:15 p.m., 3:45 p.m. and 5:15 p.m..
To and from Shenzhen
TurboJET has launched a route between Macau and Shenzhen Fu Yong Ferry Terminal. The company offers 8 single trip service (9:45 a.m., 12:30 p.m., 3:30 p.m. and 5:30 p.m. departing from Macau;9:30 a.m., 11:00 a.m., 2:00 p.m.and 5:00 p.m. departing from Shenzhen). The distance between both terminals is approximately 36 nautical miles, and the journey is just over 1 hour. Regular fares varies from HK$171 to HK$271.
The Yuet Tung Shipping Co. offers a ferry service departing from Macau (at the end of Av. Almeida Ribeiro, Rua das Lorchas, near the Master Hotel, pier 14) at 10:00 a.m., 2:00 p.m. and 5:30 p.m. Tickets cost MOP$100 for adults and MOP$57 for children.
Passengers departing from She Kou (Shenzhen) can travel at 8:15 a.m., 11:45 a.m. and 3:45 p.m Reservations can be made three days ahead and the trip takes about one hour and twenty minutes.
There are two gateways available, the Barrier Gate and the COTAI Frontier Post. The Barrier Gate operates from 7:00 AM to midnight. The COTAI Frontier Post at the Taipa-Coloane Reclaimed Area operates from 9:00 AM to 8:00 PM.
To and from Guangzhou
The Kee Kwan Motor Road Co. offers an air-conditioned bus service between Macau and Guangzhou during 8:00 a.m. to 6.30 p.m., approximately every hour. Buses depart from the bus stop near the Master Hotel in Macau (at the end of Av. Almeida Ribeiro and Rua das Lorchas) and will stop at the major hotels in Guangzhou. The trip costs HK$55.00 per person and takes about two and a half hours.
When departing from Macau, tourists are advised to get the bus after the Gongbei Border (take the elevator at the Frontier Post Building to the UG2 Floor), because the time taken for immigration formalities may vary from Chinese to foreign tourists and the company does not take any responsibility for the visa which foreigners have to hold in order to cross the border from Macau to Gongbei.
International By Air
Tourists can use the Macau International Airport for travelling to several destinations in the region (direct flights) and they can also get connection flights to Asia, Europe or America. The airport is located on Taipa Island and is 15 minutes away from the Macau Ferry Terminal, 20 minutes away from the Barrier Gate and only 5 minutes away from the COTAI Frontier Post. It operates 24 hours a day.
There are approximately 20 companies flying to and from Macau, connecting to several cities in Mainland China, Taiwan, Korea and Southeast Asia. (For detailed information on immigration and customs formalities, you can visit the Immigration Services website at http://www.fsm.gov.mo).
