Travel to Hong Kong

The major international airline is Cathay Pacific (CX) (website: www.cathaypacific.com).

From London to Hong Kong is 12 hours; from New York is 16 hours 15 minutes.

Hong Kong International Airport (HKG) (Chek Lap Kok) (www.hongkongairport.com) is located on Lantau Island, 34 km (21 miles) from central Hong Kong. To/from the airport: The easiest connection is via the high-speed train, the Airport Express Line (AEL) (journey time - 28 minutes to Hong Kong station, also stopping at Kowloon and Tsing Yi). Free shuttle buses run from Hong Kong and Kowloon station for Airport Express passengers to various hotels. Many bus routes operate between the airport and Hong Kong and Kowloon. High-speed ferries run between Tung Chung's new development pier at Chek Lap Kok and Tuen Mun, with a shuttle bus from the pier to the airport. A bus runs to the Skypier for connections to Dangguan, Macau, Shekou and Shenzen. Taxis to Hong Kong are readily available. Facilities: Tourist information desks and computer kiosks, bank, bureaux de change and ATMs, bars/restaurants, post office, shops, duty-free and medical centre.

Included in the ticket price.

Main port: Hong Kong port.

High-speed ferry services are operated to and from more than a dozen towns and cities in Guangzhou province's Pearl River Delta from the China Ferry Terminal and Hong Kong International Airport's SkyPier by Chu Kong Passenger Transport Co (tel: 2858 3876; www.cksp.com.hk). TurboJET (tel: 2859 3333; www.turbojet.com.hk) operates frequent daily services to and from Shenzhen and Macau by jetfoil and high-speed catamaran craft, with journey times of 55 minutes. High-speed catamaran ferries to and from Macau are also operated by New World First Ferry Services (tel: 2131 8181; www.nwff.com.hk). 

A large number of cruise ships visit Hong Kong.

Services between Shanghai-Kowloon/Hong Kong (journey time - 25 hours) and Beijing-Kowloon/Hong Kong (journey time - 24 hours) both run on alternate days. 

The Kowloon-Canton Railway Corporation (KCRC) (tel: 2929 3399; www.kcrc.com) operates a service between Guangzhou and Kowloon several times a day and a new high-speed line is currently being built. There are also services from Foshan and Dongguan (Changping) to Hong Kong. Restaurant cars are only available if travelling first class. Local KCRC trains run regularly (every 5 to 10 minutes) from Kowloon to Lo Wu, the last stop before the Chinese border. It is then possible to cross the border to Shenzhen, a special economic zone, in China over the border. To go as far as Lo Wu, travellers must hold a visa for China, otherwise it is only possible to get to Sheung Shui. Children under three years old travel free. Children aged three to nine years pay half fare.