In short
Shenzhen North (telecode IOQ) is Shenzhen’s main high-speed hub. Getting there from the airport by day means the metro: Line 11 from Level B1 of Terminal 3 toward Hongling South, then Line 5 from Qianhaiwan to Shenzhen North, or Line 11 to Futian and a change there. No official door-to-door time or fare is published for either route; the only published figures are about 30 minutes and ¥7–8 in a standard car as far as Futian. Between 00:00 and 04:00 there is a third option: buy a ticket at the counter beside GTC Gate 17 for the A2 / NA2 Longhua coach, ¥25 straight to the North Station West Square emergency car park, departing every 30–60 minutes. That coach no longer runs by day, so daytime travellers should stay on the metro. The 60–70 minute journey time quoted locally comes from Shenzhen media, not the operator, so no duration is asserted here. Inside the station you connect to high-speed services along the Guangzhou–Shenzhen–Hong Kong and Beijing–Guangzhou lines.
- Daytime route
- Line 11, then Line 5 at Qianhaiwan
- Overnight coach
- A2 / NA2, ¥25, 00:00–04:00
- Coach boarding
- Counter beside GTC Gate 17
- Direct coach by day
- No — take the metro
- Last metro
- 00:02 toward Hongling South
- Shenzhen North telecode
- IOQ
How to take each option
Metro: Line 11 then Line 5 (the daytime route)
Fare By distanceFirst 05:36Last 00:02
- Find the Line 11 platform on Level B1 of Terminal 3 and buy a single ticket through to Shenzhen North — the machines let you pick the destination station.
- Board toward Hongling South; Qianhaiwan comes before Futian, so you do not ride to the end of the line.
- Change at Qianhaiwan to Line 5 without leaving the paid area, following the interchange signs.
- Ride Line 5 to Shenzhen North and follow railway or high-speed signs up to the station concourse.
- Enter the departure hall, check the board for your train and go through the gates with plenty of time to spare.
You can also ride Line 11 to Futian and change there. No official total journey time or fare to Shenzhen North is published; what is published is about 30 minutes and ¥7–8 as far as Futian, and Qianhaiwan is nearer than that, so pay whatever distance-based fare the gates charge.
Airport Express A2 / NA2 (00:00–04:00)
Fare ¥25First 00:00Last 04:00
- From arrivals, follow signs for the Ground Transportation Center (GTC).
- Go to the Airport Express counter next to Gate 17 and ask for Shenzhen North; the fare is ¥25.
- Board on the GTC west platform; departures come every 30–60 minutes and suitcases go in the hold.
- Ride to the terminus at the North Station West Square emergency car park, then cross to the station entrance.
This is the only coach running direct from the airport to Shenzhen North, and only between 00:00 and 04:00; the reverse direction toward the airport runs 05:00–07:00. Local media quote 60–70 minutes, but the operator publishes no journey time.
Taxi and ride-hailing
Fare Metered
- Queue at the official taxi platform outside Gate 13 of the GTC and board nowhere else.
- Show the driver the name of the station written in Chinese, or a screenshot from your booking app.
- Pay the metered amount plus any tolls; trips leaving between 23:30 and 06:00 also carry the ¥15 airport surcharge.
There is no published taxi fare for this trip, only the tariff: ¥10 for the first 2 km and ¥2.70 per km after. For a very early high-speed train, or for a family travelling together, a taxi is still the most dependable choice after midnight.
Late-night and early-morning arrivals
The last Line 11 train departs at 00:02 toward Hongling South. Between 00:00 and 04:00 the A2 / NA2 coach takes over; after it finishes there is a gap until the first metro at 05:36, and during that window only taxis run (Gate 13 of the GTC, 24 hours). In reverse, for an early flight, the coach from Shenzhen North toward the airport runs only 05:00–07:00, so otherwise use Line 5 and change to Line 11.
Questions travellers ask
How do I get from Shenzhen Airport to Shenzhen North railway station?
By day take Line 11 from Level B1 of Terminal 3 toward Hongling South, change to Line 5 at Qianhaiwan and ride to Shenzhen North. Between 00:00 and 04:00 take the A2 / NA2 coach direct for ¥25.
Is there a direct bus from Shenzhen Airport to Shenzhen North?
Yes, but only overnight: the A2 / NA2 Longhua coach leaves the airport between 00:00 and 04:00, ¥25, terminating at the North Station West Square emergency car park. There is no daytime direct coach, so take the metro.
How long is Shenzhen Airport to Shenzhen North?
The operator publishes no door-to-door time. What is known is about 30 minutes on Line 11 to Futian, with Qianhaiwan before that, so the Line 11 leg alone is well under half an hour; allow the Line 5 leg and walking time on top. Local media quote 60–70 minutes for the coach, which is not an official figure.
How much does the metro cost to Shenzhen North?
The metro charges by distance and no official figure is published for this journey; the useful reference is ¥7–8 in a standard car to Futian, and Shenzhen North is farther than that, so let the gates compute the fare.
Which metro lines do I take to Shenzhen North?
Line 11 (the Airport Express) to Qianhaiwan and change to Line 5; riding Line 11 to Futian and changing there also works. Both appear in the operator’s interchange guidance.
What time is the last metro from the airport?
00:02 toward Hongling South and 00:03 toward Bitou on Line 11, plus half-route trains to Songgang at 00:22 and Airport North at 00:57 — none of which helps this particular journey.
Can I take a taxi to Shenzhen North, and what does it cost?
Yes, from the official rank outside Gate 13 of the GTC, staffed 24 hours. There is no published fare for the run; you pay the meter — ¥10 for the first 2 km and ¥2.70 per km after — plus tolls.
Where does the overnight coach drop me at Shenzhen North?
It terminates at the North Station West Square emergency car park on the western side of the complex; from there walk across to the station entrance, allowing time if you have heavy bags.
Does the railway station inside the airport serve Shenzhen North?
No. The station underground west of Terminal 3 is the Suishen intercity station, whose trains run toward Guangzhou (Xintang South 53 minutes, Guangzhou East 71 minutes); there is no service from it to Shenzhen North.
Where can I go by high-speed train from Shenzhen North?
Shenzhen North (IOQ) is Shenzhen’s primary high-speed hub, with trains to Guangzhou South, Hong Kong West Kowloon, Changsha South, Beijing West and beyond; check times and fares and book on this site.
How early should I leave the airport to catch a train?
International arrivals usually need 45–60 minutes from touchdown to the arrivals hall; add the interchange, security and finding your gate, so allow 1.5–2 hours in total, and for a very early train simply take a taxi.