Macau Hotels - Macau Casino Map and Locations (click to enlarge)
Getting to and from Macau and around once there: Below is a comprehensive guide to transport to from and around Macau covering the Buses, Taxis, Flights, Trains, Cycling, by Car and much more.
Don’t forget to check out our other sections for details on Macau Hotels, Things to Do & Attractions in Macau, plus candid traveler photos and reviews.
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Transport – Macau:
Convenient and well developed transport links make Macau a popular and easily accessible destination in Southeast Asia. Located on the western shore of the Pearl River Delta, Macau is the gateway to mainland China from the South China Sea.
Connections with Guangzhou, Shenzhen, Hong Kong and other centers in southern China as well as countries on the Pacific Rim are provided by numerous domestic and international flights, ferries and buses. However, it should be remembered that Macau’s status as a free port means that there are immigration procedures to be observed prior to entry to the mainland of China.
Below is a comprehensive list of getting to Macau and around once there.
Land
Bus
Macau is an easy gateway into China. Simply take bus 3, 5 or 9 to the Border Gate (Portas de Cerco; 7am-midnight) and walk across. A second, less busy crossing is the Cotai Frontier Post (9am to 8pm), on the causeway linking Taipa and Coloane, which allows visitors to cross over the Lotus Bridge by shuttle bus (HK$4) to the Zhūhǎi Special Economic Zone. Buses 15, 21 and 26 will drop you off at the crossing.
For buses further afield, the Kee Kwan Motor Road Co (933 888) operates from the modest bus station on Rua das Lorchas, 100m southwest of the end of Avenida de Almeida Ribeiro. Buses for Guǎngzhōu (MOP$70, four hours) depart every half-hour and for Zhōngshān (MOP$25, 70 minutes) every 20 minutes between about 8am and 6.30pm. There are buses to Guǎngzhōu (MOP$75) and Dōngguǎn (MOP$80) from Macau International Airport.
Boat
China
A daily ferry run by the Yuet Tung Shipping Co (574 478; adult/child MOP$124/70) connects Macau with the port of Shéku in Shēnzhèn. The boat leaves at 10am, 2pm and 6.30pm and takes 80 minutes; it returns from Shékǒu at 8.15am, 11.45am and 4.45pm. Tickets can be bought up to three days in advance from the point of departure, which is pier 14, just off Rua das Lorchas and 100m southwest of the end of Avenida de Almeida Ribeiro.
Sampans and ferries sail across the Inner Harbour to Wānzái (MOP$12.50) on the mainland from a small pier near where Rua das Lorchas meets Rua do Dr Lourenço Pereira Marques. They depart hourly between 8am and 4pm, returning a half-hour later. A departure tax of MOP$20 is charged.
Hong Kong
Two ferry companies operate services to/from Hong Kong virtually 24 hours a day.
Macau Hotels - getting to and from and around once there with Turbojet Hovercraft Ferry from Hong Kong
TurboJet (790 7039, in Hong Kong 2859 3333 information, 2921 6688 bookings; www.turbojet.com.hk; economy/superclass Mon-Fri MOP$142/244, Sat & Sun MOP$154/260, night crossing MOP$176/275) runs three types of vessels that take between 55 and 65 minutes.
From Hong Kong Island, departures are from the Macau ferry pier at the Shun Tak Centre (2859 3359; 200 Connaught Rd, Sheung Wan), and in Macau from the Macau ferry terminal (790 7240).
New World First Ferry (727 676, in Hong Kong 2131 8181; www.nwff.com.hk) operates high-speed catamarans from the Macau ferry terminal every half-hour or so between 7am and 8.30pm. In Hong Kong they leave the China ferry terminal (Canton Rd, Tsim Sha Tsui) on the half-hour from 7am to 9pm or 10pm.
The trip takes 60 to 75 minutes and tickets cost HK$140/175 on weekdays/nights (ie from 6pm to 9pm or 10pm from Hong Kong and 6.30pm to 8.30pm from Macau), and HK$155/175 on weekends and public holidays. Deluxe class is HK$245/275 on weekdays/nights and HK$260/275 on weekends and public holidays.
Macau is also linked directly to Hong Kong International Airport by the new TurboJet Sea Express (in Hong Kong 2859 3333; www.turbojetseaexpress.com.hk), leaving at 9.45am, 1pm, 3pm, 4.30pm and 8pm. It costs MOP$200/155/110 per adult/child/infant and takes 45 minutes.
A pier at Macau International Airport is due for completion by the time you read this and will probably be serviced by TurboJet. Apart from direct trips between the airport and Hong Kong, Hong Kong International Airport (HKIA) and some cities in China, passengers should be able to transit straight through to Hong Kong without passing immigration in Macau.
Tickets can be booked up to 28 days in advance and are available at ferry terminals, CTS branches and travel agents. There is also a stand-by queue before each sailing. On weekends and public holidays, book your return ticket in advance.
Air
Macau Hotels - getting to and from and around once there - Airlines & Airports
One and possibly two new low-cost airlines based in Macau are set to make the ultramodern Macau International Airport (861 111; www.macau-airport.gov.mo), on the east coast of Taipa, much busier. For the details of who’s flying where check the airport’s comprehensive website.
For now, Air Macau (NX; 396 5555; www.airmacau.com.mo; Ground fl, 398 Alameda Doutor Carlos d’Assumpção) has the lion’s share of that traffic. International destinations include Bangkok, Busan, Manila, Seoul and dozens of flights a week to Taipei and Kaohsiung in Taiwan.
Together with Shanghai Airlines and Xiamen Airlines, both found at the China National Aviation Corporation (CNAC; 788 034; fax 788 036; Iat Teng Hou Bldg, Avenida de Dom João IV) office, Air Macau has at least one flight a day to mainland cities including Běijīng, Fúzhōu, Guìlín, Hángzhōu, Kūnmíng, Nánjīng, Shànghǎi, Shēnzhèn and Xiàmén.
New long-haul budget airline Viva Macau (www.vivamacau.com) started operating in September 2006 and is expected to service destinations including Milan, Moscow, Mumbai, Delhi, Jakarta, Manila and Abu Dhabi by late 2007. The website www.gomacau.com is a good place to look for cheap fares.
Other airlines with flights from Macau to destinations in the region:
AirAsia (FD; in Hong Kong 3167 2299; www.airasia.com)
EVA Airways (BR; 726 848; www.evaair.com)
Tiger Airways (TR; www.tigerairways.com) Trans Asia Airways (GE; 701 556; www.tna.com.tw)
East Asia Airlines/Heli Hong Kong (727 288, in Hong Kong 2108 9898; www.helihongkong.com) runs a 16-minute helicopter shuttle between Macau and Hong Kong (HK$1700 Monday to Thursday, HK$1800 Friday to Sunday) up to 27 times a day from 9am to 10.30pm (9.30am to 11pm from Hong Kong).
Some more detail on your transport options:
Macau International Airport
Tourists can use the Macau International Airport for travelling to several destinations in the region on direct flights or catch connecting flights to different ports of Asia, Europe or America. The airport is located on Taipa Island and is 15 minutes away from the Macau Ferry Terminal, 20 minutes from the Barrier Gate and only 10 minutes away from the COTAI Frontier Post. It operates 24 hours a day. For detailed information on flight schedules, please dial (853) 2886 1111 or visit http://www.macau-airport.com
Learn more about the Regulation on Liquids Carried on Passengers coming to Macau with Hand Baggage.
For detailed information on immigration and customs formalities, you can visit http://www.fsm.gov.mo and http://www.customs.gov.mo
Airline information:
Transportation Service at the Macau International Airport
All major hotels provide pick-up service which can be booked in advance or arranged on arrival.
Taxis are air-conditioned and inexpensive, they are freely available at the taxi station outside the Airport. There will be a surcharge of five patacas and each piece of luggage carried in the trunk will cost three patacas.
There are special bus service (marked AP1, MT1, MT2, N2, 21 & 26) serving the airport. These buses cross the city and stop at the major hotels.
Helicopter Service
When you are arriving Macau from Hong Kong or Shenzhen, helicopter will provide a speedy option.
Macau – Hong Kong
Sky Shuttle Helicopters Limited (Sky Shuttle) operates aircraft between the helipads on the Macau and Hong Kong Ferry terminals. Each flight takes only approximately 16 minutes. Macau to Hong Kong service operates from 9:00 a.m. to 10:30 p.m. and the Hong Kong to Macau service operates from 9:30 a.m. to 10:59 p.m.
Macau – ShenZhen
The helicopter service between Macau Ferry Terminal and Shenzhen Baoan International Airport, PRC is also provided. The journey takes about 15 minutes at day and approximately 25 minutes at night. Macau to Shenzhen service operates at 9:45 a.m., 1:15 p.m., 2:45 p.m., 4:45 p.m. and 7:45 p.m. and the Shenzhen to Macau service operates at 11:45 a.m., 1:45 p.m., 3:15 p.m., 5:15 p.m., and 8:30 p.m.
Passengers can enquire for flight details from their Hotline: Macau (853) 2872 7288; Hong Kong (852) 2108 9898, Shenzhen: (86) 755-2777 8333 or visit the website: http://www.skyshuttlehk.com
Hong Kong International Airport
Hong Kong International Airport – Macau
If you are arriving via Hong Kong International Airport, the airport ferry service is available. Passengers can transit into or out of Macau via Hong Kong International Airport without the need to go through HK Customs and Immigration formalities and also without the hassle of carrying their luggage to the ferry terminal. The trip to Macau Route is approximately 45 minutes.
TurboJET
For enquiries please call Hong Kong (852) 2859 3333, Macau (853) 8790 7039. E-mail: reservation@turbojet.com.hk Website: http://www.turbojet.com.hk
The Cotai Strip CotaiJet™
Enquiries for schedule and booking please call Hong Kong (852) 2359 9990, Macau (853) 2885 0595, or visit the website: http://www.cotaijet.com.mo
Hong Kong International Airport – Hong Kong-Macau Ferry Terminal (Shun Tak Centre) – Macau
The following public transportation from Hong Kong Chek Lap Kok International Airport to Macau-Hong Kong Ferry Terminal is available:
Alternative a) – Airport Express
First, take the Airport Express to the Hong Kong Station in Central.
Fare: HK$100 (Single Trip)
Frequency: Every 12 minutes
Journey Time: 24 minutes
Operating Hours: 5:54 AM – 00:48 AM
Then, take a taxi to the Hong Kong-Macau Ferry Terminal (Shun Tak Centre) at Sheung Wan.
Fare: HK$15-20
Journey Time: 10-15 minutes
Alternative b) – Public Bus No. A11 (air-conditioned)
Passenger should get off at the “Macau Ferry, Connaught Road, Central” bus stop.
Fare: HK$40
Operating Hours: 06:10 AM – 00:30 AM
Frequency: Every 20-25 minutes
Journey Time: 30-40 minutes
Alternative c) – Taxi
Taxi service from HKIA to Hong Kong-Macau Ferry Terminal
Fare: HK$350-400
Journey Time: 30 minutes
Ticket fares are for reference only.
Getting around Macau once here:
Macau Hotels - Macau Casino Map and Locations (click to enlarge)
Getting around Macau is convenient with the public transportation system that connects the city with Taipa, Cotai Strip, and Coloane.
Many of the large casinos also have shuttle bus services to and from major entry ports such as the Barrier Gate and the ferry pier. If you want to see the city at a more relaxed pace, try the pedicabs for a sightseeing trip around the city!
Bus Service
Macau is covered by a host of bus routes that bring passengers from the Macau peninsula to Taipa, Cotai Strip, and Coloane. The bus routes have great coverage and fare is cheap.
The only consideration is which bus to hop on. Bus stops display information in Chinese and Portuguese, and some include descriptions of nearby scenic spots and important buildings. Most tourist destinations are accessible by public bus.
Taxis
In Macau, there are two types of taxis for rent: yellow and black. They charge the same starting rate of MOP13 for the first 1,600 meters. Each additional 230 meters costs MOP1.5. Waiting incurs a charge of MOP1.5 per minute.
There is also a luggage fee of MOP3 per bag. An additional MOP5 is applicable for taxis coming from the Macau International Airport and those leaving Macau for Coloane.
The best places to hail a taxi are at the Border Gate, the ferry pier, Macau International Airport, and outside casinos and hotels, such as Hotel Lisboa, Wynn Macau, Sands Casino, and StarWorld Hotel. Most casinos will have taxi stands. Alternatively you can call for a cab at no extra charge using the following telephone numbers:
Black Cab Hotline: +853 2893 9939
Yellow Cab Hotline: +853 2851 9519
Shuttle Buses
Many hotels offer free shuttle rides to and from the Border Gate and ferry pier. Hop on a shuttle bus if your destination is a hotel or someplace nearby.
Public transport
Macau Hotels - City and Transport Map of Macau for buses, trams, trains, car, shuttles, ferry, hovercraft, and Street map (click to enlarge)
Public buses and minibuses run on 40 routes from 6.45am till just after midnight, with destinations displayed in Portuguese and Chinese.
Fares – MOP$2.50 on the peninsula, MOP$3.30 to Taipa, MOP$4 to Coloane Village and MOP$5 to Hac Sa Beach – must be paid into a box; there’s no change.
The Macau Tourist Map has a full list of both bus companies’ routes, and a pamphlet listing all bus routes is worth picking up from MGTO outlets.
Useful services on the peninsula include buses 3 and 3A, which run between the ferry terminal and the city centre.
Bus 3 continues up to the border gate, as does bus 5. From the ferry terminal, bus 12 runs past the Hotel Lisboa and then goes up to the Lou Lim Ioc Garden and Kun Iam Temple.
Buses 21, 21A, 25 and 26A run to Taipa and Coloane.
Car & motorcycle
Car
The brightly coloured, open-sided Mokes that have so long been the mainstay of Macau’s humble car-hire industry might be on their last lap. Laws forbidding vehicles older than 10 years being hired mean the rental companies are being pressured to retire their fleets in 2007. It’s not, however, a fait accompli, so ask around when you get there.
Avis Rent A Car (726 571; www.avis.com.mo; Ground fl, Macau ferry terminal) hires out cheap Suzuki Vitaras for MOP$550 a day during the week and MOP$700 at the weekend.
Local transport
Taxi
The taxi flag fall is MOP$10 for the first 1.5km and MOP$1 for each additional 200m. There is a MOP$5 surcharge to go to Coloane; travelling between Taipa and Coloane will cost MOP$2 extra.
Journeys starting from the airport cost an extra MOP$5, and large bags an extra MOP$3. For a yellow radio taxi call 519 519 or 939 939.
Bicycle
Bikes can be rented in Taipa Village. You are not allowed to cross the Macau–Taipa bridges on a bicycle.
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