Hong Kong–Zhuhai–Macau Bridge (港珠澳大桥)
The world's longest sea bridge connects Zhuhai, Hong Kong and Macau in under an hour — ride the 24-hr Golden Bus for around ¥58 ($8).
Duration
1-2 hours for the crossing plus port clearance; allow half a day if combining Zhuhai and Macau in one trip
Cost
Shuttle bus HK$65 (~¥58/$8) daytime, HK$70 (~¥63/$9) night; bridge itself is crossed by bus, not walked
Hours
Bridge and shuttle bus run 24 hours daily; bus headway 5-10 min daytime, 15-30 min late night (00:00-05:59)
Booking
No booking needed
The Hong Kong–Zhuhai–Macau Bridge (港珠澳大桥, Gǎng Zhū Ào Dà Qiáo) is the world's longest sea crossing at roughly 55 kilometers, slashing the drive between Hong Kong and Zhuhai from five hours to under one. Opened in October 2018, it links the three Greater Bay Area cities across the Pearl River estuary — and for the independent traveler it's both a genuine engineering sight and the fastest, cheapest way to hop between them.
Ride the Golden Bus. There's no walkway on the bridge, so you cross on the HZMB Shuttle Bus (金巴, Jīnbā), which runs 24 hours a day between the Zhuhai, Hong Kong, and Macau ports. The ride takes about 40–50 minutes; fares are HK$65 (¥58/$8) by day and HK$70 (¥63/$9) at night (00:00–05:59). Buy at the Zhuhai Port ticket counter or in advance via the official WeChat account or hzmbus.com.
Plan for the borders, not the bridge. You clear immigration separately at each end — exit at your starting port, entry at your destination — so add 30–60 minutes to the schedule. You need the right documents for both cities: a valid Chinese visa for Zhuhai (unless you qualify for visa-free transit), and separate clearance if you continue on to Macau.
Timing. Departures run every 5–10 minutes during the day and 15–30 minutes late at night. Weekends and public holidays are heaviest (waits can top 30 minutes); a weekday morning is calmest. From Zhuhai Port, buses and taxis connect to the city center in about 20–30 minutes.
Practical tips
- You ride the bridge on the shuttle bus — there is no pedestrian walkway, so this is a transport experience more than a viewing platform. Buy tickets at the Zhuhai Port counter or online via the official WeChat / hzmbus.com; fare is HK$65 (~¥58/$8) day and HK$70 (~¥63/$9) night (00:00-05:59). Bring your passport and the right entry documents for BOTH endpoints — a valid Chinese visa is required to enter Zhuhai, and separate border clearance happens at each port. Expect to clear immigration twice (exit and entry), so budget 30-60 minutes at the port beyond the ~40-minute ride. Buses run 24h with 5-10 min frequency in the day; weekends and holidays can push waits past 30 minutes.