Getting to Zhuhai from Hong Kong and Macau: the Bridge Bus, Border Hours and 240-Hour Transit
How to reach Zhuhai from Hong Kong on the bridge shuttle bus and what it costs, which Macau crossings into Zhuhai open when, which Zhuhai ports are on China's 240-hour transit list, and how to pay on Hengqin's buses.
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Zhuhai sits across the water from Hong Kong and right next to Macau. From Hong Kong, the shuttle bus over the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge is the direct way. From Macau, you cross on foot or by bus at one of three land ports. Before you go, fill in China’s online arrival card and set up Alipay. Our Shenzhen guide covers the other big crossing from Hong Kong, and the Macau crossings guide covers Macau’s side.
The bridge bus from Hong Kong
Macau’s Transport Bureau publishes one fare table for the bridge shuttle bus, covering both the Hong Kong to Zhuhai line and the Hong Kong to Macau line:
| Time | Fare | Concession |
|---|---|---|
| 6am to 11:59pm | HK$65 or RMB 58 | HK$33 or RMB 29 |
| Midnight to 5:59am | HK$70 or RMB 63 | HK$35 or RMB 32 |
The operator’s own site says buses leave every 5 to 10 minutes from 8am to midnight, every 15 to 20 minutes from 7am, and about every 30 minutes overnight. It sells tickets online, and Macau’s Transport Bureau says you can also buy them at the counters and machines in the Macau port terminal, in patacas, yuan or Hong Kong dollars. Typhoons can stop the service: the operator suspended it on 25 July 2026 and restored it the next day.
From Macau
Macau has three land crossings into Zhuhai:
| Crossing | Hours |
|---|---|
| Border Gate, to Gongbei | 6am to 1am |
| Hengqin | 24 hours |
| Qingmao | 24 hours |
Macau’s tourism office and Public Security Police give the Border Gate hours. Hengqin’s district government says Hengqin port clears travellers 24 hours a day. Guangdong’s provincial government says Qingmao runs 24 hours with joint inspection, so you clear both sides in one go.
240-hour transit
China’s National Immigration Administration added five ports to its 240-hour visa-free transit list from 5 November 2025, including Hengqin port and the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge port. Nationals of eligible countries can enter there and stay up to 10 days on the way to a third country or region. Gongbei is not among the ports that notice names. Our transit guide has the full rules.
Paying in Zhuhai
Hengqin’s district government says its buses charge 1 yuan, or 5 yuan on express routes, and take ride codes on a phone, UnionPay cards, NFC transport cards, and coins and notes. Its page does not mention foreign bank cards, so have Alipay ready.
Ride codes, bus tickets and maps all need a connection the moment you cross. Set up a Saily eSIM before you leave home; Saily’s own China page says to install it before travelling, because its app may be hard to reach once you are in China. On a longer trip, add each country to the same Saily profile. Our China SIM guide covers the other options.
Emergency numbers
In mainland China, dial 110 for police, 119 for fire and 120 for an ambulance. In Hong Kong and in Macau, dial 999.
Saily, a data eSIM you install before you fly and top up per country Our full write-up. (affiliate link)