Approximate Border Location
Wait Times
20-60 min (faster with e-channel)
Operating Hours
06:00-01:00
Crossing Types
Pedestrian + vehicle
Border Type
Land border
Peak Times
Holidays & weekends
Daily Crossings
Very high
Currency Exchange
MOP, CNY
Safety Information
Medium; avoid touts at night
Languages Spoken
Cantonese, Mandarin, Portuguese
Accessibility Features
Ramps and elevators
About Portas do Cerco & Gongbei
Portas do Cerco to Gongbei: Macau’s Main Walking Gate to Mainland China
Every day more than 150,000 people stream through the grand old Portas do Cerco arch on the Macau side and emerge into the massive Gongbei Port complex in Zhuhai. This is the busiest and most iconic pedestrian land crossing between Macau SAR and mainland China. You walk under a historic Portuguese gate built in 1870, climb escalators through a gleaming modern hall, and twenty minutes later you are in one of China’s richest coastal cities, surrounded by high-speed trains and shopping malls.
From Colonial Gate to Mega-Port
The original Portas do Cerco (Gate of the Siege) was erected after a 1849 battle when Portuguese troops drove Qing forces off the peninsula. For over a century it was a sleepy checkpoint. When Macau boomed in the 1990s and Zhuhai grew even faster, the old gate became the symbol of a new underground mega-terminal that opened in 2004 and was massively expanded in 2017. Today the historic arch stands on top while millions pass underneath every month.
Before Crossing
Crossing borders gets messy sometimes, think political flare-ups or gates shutting fast. Good travel insurance is a must for handling doctor visits, trip disruptions, or security scares. Don’t get caught unprepared. To find a policy that’s got your back, check out reliable plans today for peace of mind.
Hours That Almost Never Close
The crossing operates from 06:00 to 01:00 the next morning (last entry around 00:45). Only on rare maintenance days or extreme typhoons does it shut earlier. Peak chaos hits 09:00 to 12:00 and 18:00 to 22:00, especially Friday and Sunday nights when mainland shoppers return home.
Macau to Mainland China (The Busiest Flow)
Walk or take free casino shuttles to the Portas do Cerco plaza. Enter the huge departure hall under the arch. Macau exit is on the left side, usually quick for residents and 5 to 15 minutes for foreigners. Ride long escalators up to the joint corridor, then clear China arrival on the right. Most nationalities need a pre-issued Chinese visa; no visa-on-arrival at Gongbei for regular passports (only for certain tour groups). Fingerprints and face scan are mandatory. Once stamped you exit directly into Gongbei underground metro and bus station.
Mainland China to Macau
Enter the massive Gongbei Port from Zhuhai metro Line 2 or intercity train station. Clear China exit first (fast for Chinese ID cards, longer for foreigners), walk the elevated bridge, then descend to Macau arrival. Foreign passports normally receive 30 to 90 days visa-free or visa-on-arrival depending on nationality (British, Australian, EU, etc. get 90 days free; most others pay MOP 100 on the spot). After customs you are in the basement plaza with free casino buses waiting.
Transport That Moves Armies of People
Macau side: free hotel shuttles from every major casino stop right outside. Gongbei side: Zhuhai metro, high-speed trains to Guangzhou (35 minutes), and buses to everywhere in the Pearl River Delta. The underground walkway connects everything without stepping outside.
Hassles and Warnings
Queues can reach 60 to 90 minutes on Sunday nights and Chinese holidays. Unofficial porters in red vests will grab your bag and demand 50 to 100 yuan; refuse and keep walking. Money changers inside the corridor give terrible rates; use ATMs after immigration. Photography is banned in the halls; phones get confiscated if you try.
Weather Does Not Matter
The entire route is air-conditioned and undercover from the moment you enter the building until you reach Zhuhai metro or casino buses. Summer heat and typhoon rain never touch you.
Nearby Once You Clear
Gongbei underground shopping street sells everything cheap the moment you exit China immigration. Real malls and restaurants start one metro stop away. On the Macau side you are minutes from the historic Senado Square or any casino on the peninsula.
Last Thought
Walk under a 150-year-old Portuguese victory arch and emerge into 21st-century China in less than half an hour. Portas do Cerco to Gongbei is loud, crowded, and absolutely addictive once you learn the rhythm. Come early or late, keep your visa ready, ignore the touts, and enjoy the daily dance between two worlds that could not feel more different.
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