Payment
Alipay & WeChat Pay in Shenzhen: Pay With a Foreign Card (2026)
Link a foreign Visa or Mastercard. No Chinese bank account needed.
8 min read
Written by someone who grew up in Shenzhen
The insider
guide to Shenzhen
Border crossings, electronics, payment setup, the real information most travel sites get wrong.
By Xiangan, who grew up in Shenzhen.
LatestPlanning
APEC 2026 Shenzhen: Visitor Guide to Dates, Visas & Getting Around
Venue, dates, entry rules, and how to get in from Hong Kong.
12 min readRead the guide →
Start here
Connectivity
Best eSIM for Shenzhen (and China) in 2026
Keep Google, WhatsApp and Instagram working. No VPN required.
11 min read
Border Crossing
Hong Kong to Shenzhen: Which Border Crossing, MTR & Cost (2026)
Every crossing compared: which is fastest, what it costs, how long it takes.
9 min read· Updated
Electronics
Huaqiangbei Electronics Market: Complete Guide for Foreigners (2026)
Which buildings to walk, what to buy, how to bargain, what to avoid.
13 min read· Updated
More guides
View all →Border Crossing
The New Huanggang Port: When It Opens and What Changes (2026)
Finished, waiting for a date. What changes when it opens.
5 min read
Shopping
Shopping in Shenzhen (2026): Where to Go and How to Bargain
The first shops you see are the worst value in the city. Here's where to go instead.
6 min read
Border Crossing
Hong Kong Airport to Shenzhen (2026): Bus, Coach or Ferry
Decide before immigration. Then pick the crossing by where in Shenzhen you're going.
8 min read
Getting Around
Shenzhen Airport to the City: Metro, Business Class & Taxi (2026)
Line 11 goes straight to Futian. The business carriage is the part nobody mentions.
7 min read· Updated
Accommodation
Where to Stay in Shenzhen for APEC 2026: Areas, Metro Lines and Costs
Two stations sound identical. Only one is near the venue.
9 min read
Planning
Shenzhen in One Day or Three: Where I Actually Take Friends
One day from Hong Kong, or three. Where I actually take friends.
7 min read· Updated
Accommodation
Where to Stay in Shenzhen: Best Areas for First-Time Visitors
Futian, Nanshan or Luohu. Pick by what you came here for.
6 min read
Visa & Transit
China's 240-Hour Visa-Free Transit: How to Visit Shenzhen Without a Visa
Ten days in China without a visa, if you qualify.
6 min read· Updated
Getting Around
How to Use DiDi in Shenzhen: A Foreigner's Complete Guide (2026)
China's Uber. Set it up with a foreign card before you land.
8 min read
Getting Around
Shenzhen Metro Guide for Foreigners (2026): Payment, Lines, and Key Stations
Pay with your phone, not a ticket machine. The lines that matter.
9 min read
Why trust SZGuide?
Local knowledge
Grew up in Shenzhen and still lives here. Not a travel blogger guessing from abroad.
Kept up to date
Visa policies and payment rules change fast. Guides updated when things change.
No fluff
Just the information you need, without the padding that most travel sites add.