Monthly Update (October 2026):
In October 2026, Hengqin Port continues to operate around the clock with one joint check for Macau exit and mainland entry. Expect heavy traffic during China's National Day Golden Week (1-7 October) and at weekends. Check whether you need a Chinese visa before you cross.
About this crossing
Location and Connections
The port stands at the Hengqin end of the Lotus Bridge, across the Shizimen channel from Cotai. It replaced the old Cotai (Lotus) frontier post, which closed when the new port opened. The easiest way to get there from Macau is the Light Rapid Transit: the Hengqin Line, opened in December 2024, runs from Lotus station on the Taipa Line to Hengqin station beneath the port in about two minutes, with trains every few minutes. Buses and hotel shuttles also serve the Lotus area. On the Hengqin side, taxis and buses run into Hengqin and on to central Zhuhai.
One Queue, One Check
Hengqin Port uses a joint inspection system, known as "cooperative inspection, one-time release". Macau and mainland officers work in the same hall, so you clear Macau exit and mainland entry in a single queue, and the same in the other direction. Eligible residents use automated e-channels. Foreign passport holders go to the staffed counters.
Nearby Border Crossings
Documents and Visas
Macau and mainland China have separate immigration systems. To enter Hengqin you must be allowed into mainland China: either your nationality is visa-exempt or covered by China's visa-free entry schemes, or you need a Chinese visa. A Macau entry permit or visa does not cover the mainland. Hengqin is part of the Guangdong-Macao In-Depth Cooperation Zone and has its own customs arrangements, but for immigration it is mainland China.
Hours and Waits
The port is open 24 hours a day. Waits are usually short, but queues build in the evenings, at weekends and during Chinese public holidays, especially the National Day Golden Week in early October and Chinese New Year. The LRT gets you to the hall quickly, but the inspection queue is the same for everyone.
Customs
Macau is a free port, while the mainland applies its own customs limits on goods, cash, tobacco and alcohol. Declare anything above the allowances, and check the current limits before you carry larger purchases into Hengqin.
Money and Payments
Macau uses the pataca, and Hong Kong dollars are widely accepted. On Hengqin you pay in renminbi, mostly by mobile payment (WeChat Pay or Alipay). Both apps now accept many foreign bank cards, so set one up before you cross.
On the Other Side
Hengqin has resorts, the Chimelong Ocean Kingdom theme park and a growing number of offices and shopping centres built for Macau residents. Cotai, on the Macau side, is the area of large casino resorts on reclaimed land between Taipa and Coloane.
Final Planning Notes
Check your mainland visa status before you go, take the LRT to the port, avoid the Golden Week and weekend evening peaks, and have a mobile payment app ready for Hengqin.
View all border crossings between Macau and ChinaPractical information
Fuel
Macau: <1 km - China: <1 km
Currency
MOP, CNY
Safety information
Low-medium; well-policed
Connectivity
Strong mobile data; public Wi-Fi at crossings
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