Lo Wu Control Point · Lok Ma Chau Spur Line (Futian)Separate-location clearanceRail & pedestrian · No private carstomacao · HK–Macau cross-border charter

Lo Wu Control Point · Rail & pedestrian crossing

Lo Wu Control Point Crossing Guide
Ride the East Rail Line, walk across the Shenzhen River

Lo Wu is historically the busiest land control point, and the fastest choice for travellers without a car who want a direct link to the Shenzhen Metro and Luohu Railway Station. Together with its sister rail crossing, the Lok Ma Chau Spur Line / Futian, it is a boundary station on the East Rail Line — passengers arrive by train, clear Hong Kong formalities, then walk across the footbridge over the Shenzhen River into the Shenzhen side. Below we set out the location, hours, layout, crossing steps and real-time waiting time in one place.

WeChat enquiry · Transfers on both sides See the port layout first

Crossing type

Rail & pedestrianEast Rail boundary station, no private-car lane

Lo Wu

06:30–24:00Daily passenger-clearance hours

Lok Ma Chau Spur Line (Futian)

06:30–22:30Sister rail crossing

Clearance mode

Separate-locationNot co-location; each side checked separately

01 — Port details

Lo Wu Control Point, a rail crossing reached directly by the East Rail Line

Lo Wu Control Point sits in the North District of the New Territories, on the south bank of the Shenzhen River, at the MTR East Rail Line terminus, Lo Wu station. Travellers arrive at Lo Wu by East Rail, clear Hong Kong departure immigration, then walk across the covered footbridge over the Shenzhen River into Luohu Port, connecting to the Shenzhen Metro and Luohu Railway Station. It uses "separate-location" clearance — the Hong Kong and Mainland checks are completed on either bank of the Shenzhen River, unlike the "co-location" model at Shenzhen Bay.

It also has a sister rail crossing: the Lok Ma Chau Spur Line Control Point (called Futian Port on the Mainland side). Travellers take the East Rail branch to Lok Ma Chau station, clear Hong Kong formalities, then cross an enclosed footbridge over the river into the underground Futian Port, connecting to the Shenzhen Metro. Both crossings are rail and pedestrian only, with no private-car lane. The charter's role therefore becomes a "land-side transfer at both ends": on the Hong Kong side we take clients to Sheung Shui or a boundary station, or, once they have walked across, a Mainland-side car meets them at Luohu / Futian.

Hong Kong side

MTR East Rail Line Lo Wu station (terminus); the sister crossing is Lok Ma Chau station (Lok Ma Chau Spur Line, near San Tin / Yuen Long)

Mainland side

Lo Wu Luohu Port, Luohu District, Shenzhen, connecting to the Shenzhen Metro and Luohu Railway Station; the Lok Ma Chau Spur Line connects to Futian Port, Futian District, Shenzhen, linking to the Shenzhen Metro

Clearance mode

Separate-location — Hong Kong and Mainland checks are completed on either bank of the Shenzhen River (not co-location)

Operating hours

Lo Wu 06:30–24:00; Lok Ma Chau Spur Line (Futian) 06:30–22:30 (daily)

Vehicles?

No (rail & pedestrian; no private-car lane) — travellers arrive by East Rail and walk across

Documents needed

Mainland residents: Exit-Entry Permit + valid endorsement; Hong Kong permanent residents and eligible visitors can use e-Channel; foreign nationals use their passport

02 — Layout

How to get through, a single flow schematic makes it clear

Lo Wu uses "separate-location" clearance, so the key point is this: the Hong Kong and Mainland checks sit on either bank of the Shenzhen River. Travellers first clear departure on the Hong Kong side, then walk across the bridge to clear entry on the Shenzhen side. The diagram below is a flow schematic (not an architectural survey), and it also draws in the route for the sister crossing "Lok Ma Chau Spur Line → Futian" to help you get your bearings before you set off.

Lo Wu Control Point separate-location flow schematic: arrive at Lo Wu station by East Rail and clear Hong Kong formalities, walk across the covered footbridge over the Shenzhen River into Luohu Port, connecting to the Shenzhen Metro and Luohu Railway Station; the Lok Ma Chau Spur Line crosses an enclosed footbridge into Futian Port — Lo Wu / Lok Ma Chau Spur Line · Separate-location flow schematicSCHEMATIC · Subject to on-site signage and official notices Official transport & port information

Note: Lo Wu and Lok Ma Chau (Spur Line) are East Rail boundary stations; you must hold valid travel documents to alight and cannot turn back into urban Hong Kong without crossing. Lo Wu passenger clearance runs 06:30–24:00, Lok Ma Chau Spur Line (Futian) 06:30–22:30; neither has a private-car lane. For late-night travel, use the 24-hour Huanggang / Lok Ma Chau (vehicular) crossing instead. The layout and flow are subject to on-site signage and the latest notices from the Hong Kong Transport Department and Immigration Department (see sources at the foot of the page).

03 — Crossing guide

From Hong Kong to Shenzhen, this is how you clear Lo Wu

Under "separate-location" clearance the flow is: clear departure on the Hong Kong side first, then walk across the bridge to clear entry on the Shenzhen side. Below is the typical northbound flow (Hong Kong → Shenzhen) via Lo Wu (or the Lok Ma Chau Spur Line).

STEP 1 · Board
Take the MTR East Rail Line towards Lo Wu (terminus); for the Lok Ma Chau Spur Line, change at Sheung Shui for the Lok Ma Chau direction. Have your valid travel document ready before boarding — these are boundary stations
STEP 2 · Arrive
Alight at Lo Wu (or Lok Ma Chau) station and follow the "Boundary Crossing / 過境" signs up to the departure immigration concourse
STEP 3 · Clear Hong Kong departure
Complete Hong Kong departure immigration; eligible visitors can use e-Channel, otherwise use a staffed counter
STEP 4 · Walk across the river
Walk across the covered / enclosed footbridge over the Shenzhen River into the Shenzhen side (Luohu Port / Futian Port)
STEP 5 · Enter Shenzhen
After clearing Mainland entry immigration and customs, exit the gates: Lo Wu connects to the Shenzhen Metro and Luohu Railway Station; Futian connects to the Shenzhen Metro. Your pre-arranged Mainland charter car waits at the designated port pick-up area

04 — Transport connections

Getting to / from Lo Wu Control Point, what are the options

The Hong Kong side of the crossing is served only by rail and on foot, while the Mainland side is right beside the metro. The main connections are below.

Hong Kong side · MTR

East Rail Line (towards Lo Wu / Lok Ma Chau)

The East Rail Line runs from Hung Hom / Admiralty via Sheung Shui direct to Lo Wu (terminus); Sheung Shui also has a branch towards Lok Ma Chau. Lo Wu and Lok Ma Chau are boundary stations, so you must hold valid travel documents to alight.

Mainland side · Metro / national rail

Lo Wu connects to the metro and Luohu Railway Station

Exit the gates at Luohu Port and you connect straight to the Shenzhen Metro and Luohu Railway Station (national rail) — one of the fastest ways for car-free travellers to reach urban Shenzhen; on the Lok Ma Chau Spur Line side, Futian Port connects to the Shenzhen Metro.

Land side · Charter transfer

Transfers at both ends (city / airport ↔ port)

Because no private cars cross, the charter works both land-side ends: on the Hong Kong side we take you to Sheung Shui / the boundary station, or once you have crossed, a Mainland-side car meets you at Luohu / Futian and drives you straight to your Shenzhen destination.

05 — Real-time waiting / video

Before you set off, check the real-time waiting time and traffic

How busy a crossing is swings widely by time of day and public holidays; you can judge on the spot whether Lo Wu or the Lok Ma Chau Spur Line is smoother using official real-time information (external links, open in a new window).

Real-time waiting · all crossings

TD HKeMobility control-point waiting time

Shows real-time entry and exit waiting times for each land crossing, so you can instantly compare whether Lo Wu or the Lok Ma Chau Spur Line is smoother.

View control-point waiting time ↗

Live video · traffic snapshots

HKeMobility live CCTV

Provides real-time traffic snapshot images of major roads and the areas around the crossings, handy for arranging the land-side transfer.

View live video ↗

Real-time waiting · Easy Boundary

Security Bureau "Easy Boundary" waiting status

Easy Boundary shows the busy / normal entry and exit waiting status at each land crossing.

View waiting status ↗

06 — Charter connection

Via Lo Wu, how a land-side transfer smooths the whole trip

Neither Lo Wu nor the Lok Ma Chau Spur Line has a private-car lane, so crossing means train plus walking only. The charter here is therefore not "one car across" but a "land-side transfer at both ends": on the Hong Kong side a licensed car takes you to Sheung Shui or a boundary station, saving you dragging luggage through changes; after crossing, a Mainland-side car meets you at Luohu / Futian and drives you straight to your Shenzhen destination. It is especially easy for families, elderly travellers and anyone with large luggage.

Lo Wu suits car-free travellers whose destination is Shenzhen Luohu / the city centre, or who need to transfer to national rail; the Lok Ma Chau Spur Line (Futian) is closer to the Futian CBD. For late nights and red-eye flights, switch to the 24-hour Huanggang / Lok Ma Chau (vehicular) crossing.

The tomacao approach

Licensed business cars, transfers on both sides at Lo Wu

Drop-off on the Hong Kong side

Door pick-up in the city / at the airport, straight to Sheung Shui or a boundary station

Meet on the Mainland side

After crossing, met at Luohu / Futian and driven straight to your Shenzhen destination

An easy crossing

Smooth handover on both sides, no repeated taxi-hailing, no dragging luggage through changes

Dragging luggage through changes yourself

Train + walking + taxi transfers
Finding a car yourself at both ends
Hard going with large luggage or elderly travellers

Licensed charter, transfers on both sides

A car on both land-side ends
Your own timing, in private
Suits families / business / elderly travellers

Licensed cross-border business car for a land-side transfer on both sides via Lo Wu Control Point

Once in Shenzhen or Hong Kong, the driver can continue to take you around the city, airport and sights on your itinerary, saving repeated taxi-hailing and dragging luggage.

WeChat enquiry · Custom route

Port facilities · Traveller services

Luohu Port Traveller facilities on the Shenzhen side

The following are the traveller facilities and port guide maps at Luohu Port (Shenzhen side), reproduced from the portal of the Port Office of the Shenzhen Municipal People's Government.

Getting there

Railway station (Shenzhen Station, 4 platforms / 8 tracks) and Luohu Bus Station (51 routes); 2 bus stops (railway station east plaza, west plaza); Metro Line 1 Luohu station (towards Airport East) and Line 9 Renmin Nan station (towards Qianwan); on the Hong Kong side, cross via Lo Wu station and change to the MTR East Rail Line; taxi pick-up / drop-off on 3/F of the transport building (holds 40 cars)

Car park

Public car park (4–7/F of the transport building), 556 spaces (8 accessible, 40 charging points)

Currency exchange

3 counters (Luohu railway station metro transport level, Metro Line 1 Luohu station 003B, Luohu Commercial City 1/F Shop 1101)

Service centre

Traveller information desk (beside the sightseeing lift at the north exit of the ground-floor arrivals hall): enquiries and guidance, first-aid kit, free wifi, emergency charging, wheelchairs, lost and found, hot water

Banks

Bank of China, ICBC, China Construction Bank (railway station metro transport level, east / west sides of Luohu Commercial City 1/F)

Telecoms

China Mobile, China Unicom (railway station metro transport level, Luohu Commercial City 1/F)

Courier services

SF Express / STO / ZTO / YTO (Commercial City along the railway station connecting corridor)

Public toilets

19 men's / women's cubicles, 3 baby-care rooms, 1 gender-neutral toilet, 1 accessible toilet (across the transport building floors, joint-inspection building floors, Luohu railway station transport level, etc.)

Luohu Port layout and wayfinding guide (source: Port Office of the Shenzhen Municipal People's Government) — Luohu Port guide maps (4 in total)Source: Port Office of the Shenzhen Municipal People's GovernmentView official port guide ↗

Luohu Port layout and wayfinding guide (2)

Luohu Port layout and wayfinding guide (3)

Luohu Port layout and wayfinding guide (4)

The Luohu Port facility information and guide maps above are reproduced from the portal of the Port Office of the Shenzhen Municipal People's Government; content is subject to the latest official notices.

Port facilities · Traveller services

Futian Port Traveller facilities on the Shenzhen side

The Hong Kong side of the Lok Ma Chau Spur Line connects to Futian Port in Shenzhen. The following are the traveller facilities at Futian Port (Shenzhen side), reproduced from the portal of the Port Office of the Shenzhen Municipal People's Government.

Getting there

Metro Line 4 (seamlessly linked to the port) and Line 10; bus terminus on the west side of the joint-inspection building (6 routes); ride-hailing pick-up point (opposite the west side), taxi pick-up point (east side); on the Hong Kong side, via Lok Ma Chau station connect to New Territories Green Minibus 75 or bus B1

Car park

Futian Port public car park, 288 spaces

Currency exchange

4 counters (ground floor and mezzanine of the joint-inspection building)

Service centre

Traveller information desk (Gate 11, ground-floor arrivals hall): enquiries and guidance, first-aid kit, free wifi, emergency charging, wheelchairs, lost and found, umbrella loan

Banks

Bank of China (2/F departures hall), ICBC (opposite the north plaza)

Courier services

China Post (ground floor), SF Express / ZTO / Yunda (opposite the north plaza)

Public toilets

5 locations (shaded plaza, east / west of the 2/F arrivals hall, east / west of the 3/F departures hall)

Futian Port ground-floor layout and wayfinding guide (source: Port Office of the Shenzhen Municipal People's Government) — Futian Port guide map (ground floor)Source: Port Office of the Shenzhen Municipal People's GovernmentView official port guide ↗

The Futian Port facility information and guide map above are reproduced from the portal of the Port Office of the Shenzhen Municipal People's Government; content is subject to the latest official notices.

07 — FAQ

About Lo Wu Control Point, the questions people ask most

Can private cars cross at Lo Wu Control Point?

No. Lo Wu is a rail and pedestrian crossing with no private-car lane; travellers can only arrive by MTR East Rail Line and then walk across the footbridge over the Shenzhen River. Its sister crossing, the Lok Ma Chau Spur Line (Futian), is likewise rail and pedestrian only. To drive across, use the Huanggang / Lok Ma Chau (vehicular) or Shenzhen Bay crossings instead.

What are the operating hours of Lo Wu and the Lok Ma Chau Spur Line?

Lo Wu Control Point runs 06:30 to 24:00 (midnight) daily; the Lok Ma Chau Spur Line Control Point (Futian Port) runs 06:30 to 22:30 daily. The hours differ, so for later trips mind each one's closing time and the last East Rail train.

Is Lo Wu "co-location" or "separate-location" clearance?

It is "separate-location". The Hong Kong and Mainland entry/exit checks are completed on either bank of the Shenzhen River — you clear departure on the Hong Kong side first, walk across the bridge, then clear entry on the Shenzhen side, unlike Shenzhen Bay's "co-location" (both done in one go in the same building).

How do I get into urban Shenzhen after crossing?

On the Lo Wu side, the moment you exit the gates you connect to the Shenzhen Metro and Luohu Railway Station (national rail), for quick access to the city or a national-rail transfer; on the Lok Ma Chau Spur Line side, Futian Port connects to the Shenzhen Metro and is closer to the Futian CBD. A pre-arranged Mainland charter car can also meet you at the port and drive you straight to your destination.

Lo Wu or the Lok Ma Chau Spur Line — which should I cross at?

If your destination is Shenzhen Luohu / the city centre or you need a national-rail transfer, pick Lo Wu; if your destination is towards the Futian CBD, pick the Lok Ma Chau Spur Line (Futian). Before setting off, use the TD HKeMobility control-point waiting time or the Security Bureau's "Easy Boundary" to compare how busy each is, then take the smoother one.

With no private cars crossing, what use is a charter?

The value lies in the "land-side transfer at both ends": on the Hong Kong side a licensed car takes you from the city / airport to Sheung Shui or a boundary station; after crossing, a Mainland-side car meets you at Luohu / Futian and drives you straight to your Shenzhen destination. It spares you finding a car yourself at both ends and dragging luggage through changes — especially easy for families and elderly travellers.

Lo Wu Control Point · Rail & pedestrian · Transfers on both sides

Send your pick-up address and vehicle type, a car meets you on both sides of the crossing

Door pick-up on the Hong Kong side to the boundary station, and after crossing a Mainland-side car meets you at Luohu / Futian and drives you straight into urban Shenzhen. No repeated taxi-hailing, no dragging luggage through changes.

WeChat enquiry · Get a quote now