Arrival Guide
Shenzhen Arrival Checklist
A timeline-ordered list of what to sort before you fly, on the day you land, and during your first 24 hours in Shenzhen. Skip these and you lose hours at the border, with broken payment apps, or stranded without working data. Do them in sequence and Shenzhen becomes straightforward.
A Month Before You Fly
Start the things that take days to verify. Skip these and you arrive with broken payment apps.
01. Start Alipay verification now — not later
Identity verification takes 24-48 hours if smooth, 3-7 days if Alipay requests extra documents. Do this from your couch, not from a Shenzhen taxi rank.
App setup guide →02. Buy a VPN subscription and test it
You cannot download VPN apps from inside China. Subscribe, install on every device, and confirm it connects before you fly.
03. Check your visa status
Many nationalities now qualify for visa-free entry to mainland China for stays under 30 days, but rules vary by passport. The Shenzhen 240-hour transit visa-free policy is also an option from Hong Kong.
China visa & entry guide →04. Tell your bank you are going to China
Banks auto-block transactions from China as suspected fraud. One phone call now prevents your card silently failing at the SIM counter.
Two Weeks Out
Lock in tour bookings, transport, and the apps you will need to use immediately on landing.
01. Book your tech tours in advance
Our most popular tour (Inside Shenzhen Technology) sells out 7-10 days ahead during peak season. Use code LAROJA10 for 10% off direct bookings.
Browse all 8 tours →02. Order your eSIM (or plan a SIM purchase at the airport)
A China-compatible eSIM gives you data on landing without queueing at China Mobile. For Pony.ai robotaxi DIY booking, you also need a Chinese phone number — covered in our tours.
Stay connected guide →03. Decide your border crossing route (if coming from Hong Kong)
West Kowloon high-speed rail is fastest (14 min to Futian Station). Lo Wu MTR is cheapest. Lok Ma Chau is least crowded weekday mornings. Each suits different itineraries.
Hong Kong → Shenzhen complete guide →
This Week
Final research so you know what you are looking at when you arrive.
01. Read about robotaxi DIY vs guided
Independent Pony.ai booking requires a Chinese phone number and Mandarin literacy. Decide upfront whether you will DIY or join a guided tour — it changes your packing list.
DIY vs guided breakdown →02. Plan which districts you want to visit
Nanshan is tech (DJI/robotaxi/drones). Futian is electronics + business (Huaqiangbei). Luohu is the Hong Kong gateway. Each is a 30-45 min metro ride from each other.
Browse Shenzhen destinations →03. Save offline metro maps + key addresses
Google Maps does not work in mainland China without a VPN. Save the Shenzhen metro PDF and any meeting points (e.g. our tours start at 3019 Houhaibin Road).
Shenzhen metro guide →
The Day Before You Fly
Last 24 hours: verify everything is installed, charged, and accessible.
01. Confirm all apps are installed and logged in
Alipay logged in. WeChat logged in (cannot easily register a new account from inside China). VPN logged in and tested. Translation app downloaded.
App checklist →02. Top up Alipay with at least ¥200
Initial card top-ups inside China sometimes fail with international banks due to fraud filters. Top up from home where your bank can authorize the transaction normally.
03. Print or screenshot your tour confirmations
WiFi at Bao'an Airport is patchy until you connect via Chinese phone number. Have your meeting point and guide WhatsApp number on a screenshot, not buried in email.
Your First 24 Hours in Shenzhen
The order matters. Do these in sequence and your first day is smooth.
01. Buy a Chinese SIM at the airport (if not on eSIM)
China Unicom and China Mobile counters at Terminal 3, ¥150 for 30 days. Bring your passport — required by law for SIM registration. Daytime English-speaking staff usually present.
02. Take Metro Line 11 to Houhai Station
35 minutes direct from Bao'an Airport to the Nanshan tech corridor. ¥7 with Alipay metro QR. No transfers needed. This drops you at the heart of Shenzhen Bay.
Shenzhen transport guide →03. Test your payment apps at a convenience store
Buy water at any 7-Eleven or Lawson. If Alipay scan-to-pay fails here, fix it before you need to pay for dinner. Cash is increasingly hard to use.
04. If you booked a tour today: head to the meeting point
All La Roja tours meet at 3019 Houhaibin Road, Nanshan District. Look for the red La Roja sign. Your guide handles app friction for the rest of the day.
View tour meeting points →
Once You Are Settled
Now you can explore — knowing what is worth your time and what most tourists waste hours on.
01. Read the Huaqiangbei scam guide before you go
The world's largest electronics market sells genuine, refurbished, fake, and stolen — all next to each other. Knowing what is OK to buy where matters.
Huaqiangbei insider guide →02. Try a robotaxi if you have not yet
Pony.ai robotaxis cover 60 km² in Nanshan and Qianhai. ¥8-15 per ride DIY, included in our tech tour if you want a guide to handle the booking.
Robotaxi complete guide →03. Order coffee via drone delivery at Talent Park
Meituan drones deliver food to designated landing pads at Talent Park (人才公园). Order through the Meituan app — most foreigners need a guide to navigate the Chinese-only interface.
Drone delivery guide →04. Pick a tech experience cluster for tomorrow
Five clusters worth a day each: Nanshan tech corridor, Huaqiangbei electronics, Dapeng heritage, Hong Kong cross-border tech, or food + light show evening.
5 must-see tech experiences →
The simplest way to skip the friction
Half of this checklist disappears if you book a guided tour. Your English-speaking guide handles app registration, robotaxi pickup, drone delivery ordering, and Mandarin-only menus on the day.
View Shenzhen tech toursUse code LAROJA10 for 10% off direct bookings.