Daily budget

Budget: Less than ¥300

● Dorm bed: ¥100

● A bowl of noodles or fast food: ¥15-40

● Metro/bus trips: ¥30

● Free museums

Midrange: ¥400-1,000

● Room in a midrange hotel: ¥400-600

● Dim sum meal: ¥60-120

● Taxis between sightseeing stops: ¥30-50 per journey

● Two drinks at an upscale bar: ¥180

Top end: More than ¥1,000

● Room in a luxury hotel: ￥800-1,600

● Dinner at a high-end restaurant: ¥200-400

● Amusement park ticket: ¥220

● Spa treatment: ¥190

Getting online

Gmail, Google and numerous social media and news sites are inaccessible in China. To access these you’ll need to install a VPN on your device before departure, or use your home carrier’s roaming service.

What to take

● Phrasebook / translation app

● Small day pack

● Sun hat

● Mosquito repellent

● Photo or digital copies of passport

Useful apps and websites

EyeShenzhen (www.eyeshenzhen.com): English-language news and daily life portal, run by Shenzhen Daily

Lonely Planet (www.lonelyplanet.com/china/guangdong/shenzhen): Destination information, hotel bookings, traveler forum and more

That’s Shenzhen (www.thatsmags.com/shenzhen): Up-to-date restaurant, nightlife and event listings

WeChat: Ubiquitous Chinese messaging/social media/mobile payment app

Microsoft Translator: Excellent voice-activated translation app

Pleco: Versatile Chinese dictionary app

Air Pollution (http://aqicn.org/city/shenzhen): Real-time air quality index (AQI) site

Arriving in Shenzhen

Shenzhen Bao’an International Airport

It takes just over 30 minutes to to get to Futian by Metro (¥7), the eastern terminus of Line 11. Trains depart the airport from 6 a.m. to midnight. A taxi into the downtown costs ¥60-120 depending on traffic.

From Hong Kong

High-speed trains arrive downtown at Futian (14 minutes) or Shenzhen North (20 minutes) 10 km north. Hong Kong’s MTR meets Shenzhen’s Metro at Luohu (Line 1) and at Futian Checkpoint (Line 4). Passengers have to disembark and pass border control on foot.

Futian Station

You’ll probably arrive here if taking a high-speed train from Guangzhou. In the center of the city, Futian Station joins up seamlessly with the city’s Metro network.

Shenzhen North Station

High-speed trains arrive here from all over China. It’s about 10 km north of the city center, on lines 4 and 5 of the Metro network.

Shenzhen Station

Slower, over-night sleeper trains stop here from other parts of China. Passengers can also take high-speed trains here if traveling between Guangzhou and Shenzhen. The station is just beside the Hong Kong border crossing in Luohu.