Hong Kong to Macau: Golden Bus, TurboJET, and Cotai Water Jet Guide

When you look up how to get from Hong Kong to Macau, the first thing you may notice is “Golden Bus HKD 65.” But once you make the trip with luggage, you realize that getting from central Hong Kong to central Macau is very different from traveling between the two border checkpoints. To take the Golden Bus, you first need to reach the Hong Kong Port near the airport, clear departure procedures, cross the bridge to the Macau Port, and then transfer to a public bus or taxi to reach your hotel.

TurboJET and Cotai Water Jet depart from the Hong Kong–Macau Ferry Terminal in Sheung Wan. Ferry tickets look more expensive, but if you are staying in Central or Sheung Wan, or you plan to explore the Macau Peninsula, avoiding one transfer can make the trip much easier. Do not compare ticket prices alone. Compare the entire journey from the moment you leave your hotel.

Still stuck between the three options? Use this quick guide: if you are at the airport or Tung Chung, check the Golden Bus first; if you are staying in Sheung Wan and heading to the Macau Peninsula, check TurboJET first; if you are staying in Cotai and want to arrive at Taipa Ferry Terminal, check Cotai Water Jet first. Choosing according to your location and the number of times you must move your luggage is more practical than searching for one fastest route that suits everyone.

Information updated: October 17, 2026.

At a glance: count the fare and the transfers together

The table shows standard adult seats. Booking surcharges are not included, and the Golden Bus fare does not include transport between the ports and the city on either side. For a realistic budget, add the journey from your hotel to the port or ferry terminal, immigration queues, and the onward trip to your hotel after you get off.

Golden Bus: go to the Hong Kong Port first, not Tsim Sha Tsui

This is where travelers most often go wrong: the Golden Bus Hong Kong–Macau route runs between the Hong Kong Port and the Macau Port. It does not stop when you wave from a roadside in Mong Kok, Sheung Wan, or Tsim Sha Tsui. Set your map destination to “Hong Kong–Zhuhai–Macao Bridge Hong Kong Port.” Look for B4 around the airport, B5 at Sunny Bay Station, and B6 near Tung Chung Station; some airport buses also stop at the Hong Kong Port. The Golden Bus itself runs 24 hours, but city buses to the port do not necessarily do the same, so check whether your connecting service is running. Transport Department: access to the Hong Kong Port | HZMB cross-boundary transport

Inside the Passenger Clearance Building, follow the signs for Macau and departures, then clear Hong Kong departure procedures. You can buy a ticket at a counter or ticket machine in the departure hall, or book online in advance. Make sure you select the Hong Kong–Macau route, not the Hong Kong–Zhuhai route by mistake.

The Hong Kong government page states that fares are priced in Hong Kong dollars. The regular Hong Kong–Macau fare is 65 during the day and 70 at night. Daytime is 06:00–23:59, and nighttime is 24:00 to 05:59 the following day. Half-price concession fares are 33 during the day and 35 at night. The Hong Kong page lists children under 12 or shorter than 1.2 meters, people with disabilities, and people aged 65 or above. The Macau Transport Bureau uses the wording “under 12 and shorter than 1.2 meters,” and also says that children aged 3 or under or no taller than 95 centimeters who do not occupy a seat travel free. Because the wording differs, confirm the rule again at the side where you buy your ticket. Hong Kong HZMB authority | Macau Transport Bureau

The Hong Kong–Macau route operates 24 hours a day, with buses about every 5 minutes during busy periods, every 10–15 minutes off-peak, and every 15–30 minutes late at night. These are service intervals, not the total time from leaving your hotel to checking in. If you buy online, first read the instructions in your order about using the QR Code, then follow the prompts at the machine. If you need help, call the shuttle bus Hong Kong line at 3753 3888. Intervals and fares | Operator schedule page

The Golden Bus arrives at the Macau Port, not the Ruins of St. Paul

After crossing the bridge, do not assume you have reached the sights. You are only at the Macau Port. Once you clear immigration, you still need a public bus, taxi, or hotel shuttle into the city. Shuttles often serve only certain hotels at set times and may be limited to hotel guests, so ask the staff before joining a queue. The Macau Peninsula, Taipa, Cotai, and Coloane are all in different directions. Arriving on the Golden Bus does not mean you are standing at the Ruins of St. Paul or outside The Venetian.Transport from the Macau Port to the city

The Hong Kong government also lists cross-boundary coaches from stops including Causeway Bay, Tsim Sha Tsui, Kowloon Station, and Mong Kok to selected hotels in Taipa, Macau. Those coaches are not the Golden Bus. Ask the operator about routes and fares, and do not treat them as the same ticket as the port shuttle bus. Cross-boundary coach information

TurboJET: board in Sheung Wan and arrive at Outer Harbour

TurboJET’s Hong Kong–Macau route mainly connects the Hong Kong–Macau Ferry Terminal in Sheung Wan (Shun Tak Centre, 200 Connaught Road Central) with Outer Harbour in Macau, while some services go to Taipa. Allow time to walk from Sheung Wan Station and find the counter, pass ticket checks, and clear departure procedures. The schedule page gives a sailing time of about 60 minutes, which covers only the sea crossing. Passengers must enter the gate to board 30 minutes before departure. Arrive even earlier if you have a lot of luggage or are taking the ferry for the first time. Services marked with an asterisk do not run every day. TurboJET schedule

From April 25, 2026, adult Economy Class fares are HKD 194 for weekday daytime sailings, 212 for weekend and holiday daytime sailings, and 242 for night sailings. From November 24, 2025, Hong Kong–Macau services departing at or after 18:30 are classed as night sailings. The 175 fare often quoted in older articles is not the current Economy Class fare, so check the date, arrival terminal, and cabin class when booking. Macau residents and children aged 1–11 receive an 18 discount per journey in Economy Class and Super Class. Fare adjustment from April 25, 2026 | Current fare table

If you plan to explore the Macau Peninsula, Outer Harbour usually gives you an easier connection. You can leave your luggage first and then continue to Senado Square and the Ruins of St. Paul with less backtracking. If you are staying in Cotai, however, you will still need another transfer after leaving the ferry. Arriving at Outer Harbour does not make all of Macau walkable.

Cotai Water Jet: direct from Sheung Wan to Taipa

Cotai Water Jet operates between the Hong Kong–Macau Ferry Terminal in Sheung Wan and Taipa Ferry Terminal. If you are staying in Cotai near The Venetian or The Parisian, this route is usually the first one to check. If you want to explore the old streets of the Macau Peninsula, you will still need another ride after leaving the ferry.

The schedule page lists Cotai Class fares of HKD 192 for weekday daytime sailings, 209 for weekend and holiday daytime sailings, and 242 for night sailings. Cotai First and VIP cabins cost more. The start of night fares differs from TurboJET’s 18:30 threshold and also changes by season: from October 1 to January 31, the first night sailing is at 17:10; from February 1 to March 31 and throughout September, it is at 17:40; from April 1 to August 31, it is at 18:00. Cotai Water Jet schedule and fares

China Ferry Terminal in Tsim Sha Tsui used to have services to Macau, but the main current information page covers Sheung Wan to Taipa. Do not plan with a pre-pandemic Tsim Sha Tsui timetable. If you are staying in Tsim Sha Tsui, search using your departure date. If no service appears, take the MTR across the harbor to Sheung Wan first. Services involving SkyPier at the airport are for transfers or charter arrangements, not regular city departures that anyone can buy at any time, so do not confuse them with this Sheung Wan route.

Baggage fees are based on weight. The schedule page states that each item weighing 20 kilograms or less costs 25 Hong Kong dollars or patacas, while an item weighing 20–30 kilograms costs 35, with higher fees above that. A bicycle costs 65. TurboJET and the Golden Bus have their own separate rules. Do not assume a 28-inch suitcase can travel free based on its dimensions alone. Baggage fees

Immigration for Taiwanese travelers: Hong Kong and Macau use different rules

There are two common routes for entering Hong Kong, and they should not be treated as the same document. Eligible Taiwan residents can complete free Pre-arrival Registration for Taiwan Residents (PAR). Once approved, it is valid for two months, can be used for two visits, and allows a stay of up to 30 days each time. Print the notification slip on white A4 paper, check it, and sign it; for anyone under 16, it must be signed by a parent or guardian. When completing the registration and entering Hong Kong, the travel document used for returning to Taiwan must have at least six months of validity remaining. Admission is still subject to inspection by the Immigration Department. If you visit Macau after Hong Kong and then return to Hong Kong for your flight, that counts as your second entry. Make sure the notification slip still has a use available, and keep it after the first entry. Immigration Department: Pre-arrival Registration

The other route is to hold a valid Mainland Travel Permit for Taiwan Residents. The Immigration Department states that travelers who meet the general immigration requirements may stay as visitors for no more than 30 days, whether in transit or visiting. PAR eligibility also requires that you do not hold a travel document issued by an authority outside Taiwan, apart from a Mainland Travel Permit for Taiwan Residents or an entry permit issued by the Immigration Department. Do not use different romanizations across your passport, permit, and PAR notification slip. Entry arrangements for permit holders

For Macau, Taiwan’s Mainland Affairs Council reference page states that Taiwan travelers can generally stay visa-free for 30 days; that page was published in 2014. A Macau government page updated on August 10, 2026 lists the Mainland Travel Permit for Taiwan Residents as an accepted travel document. Entry on an ordinary passport or travel document allows a stay of up to 30 days. Your document must remain valid for your intended stay plus 90 days. You must also hold a return or onward ticket; people who can prove residence in mainland China or Hong Kong may be exempt, but do not assume that exception applies to you. For a planned stay of no more than 7 days, you need proof of at least 5,000 patacas in funds; for 7 to 14 days, the amount is 10,000, and it rises for longer stays. Final admission is decided by the Public Security Police Force. Traveling between Hong Kong and Macau also does not mean you are cleared to enter mainland China. Macau entry and exit for non-residents | Mainland Affairs Council reference

The full process is easier to understand when written out. By Golden Bus: city → clear departure procedures at the Hong Kong Port → board the bus → clear immigration at the Macau Port → continue into the city. By ferry: clear departure procedures at the Sheung Wan terminal → board the ferry → clear immigration at Outer Harbour or Taipa → continue into the city. A ticket gives you a seat, but you must still complete immigration procedures.

Choose your route according to where you are staying

If you are staying in Sheung Wan, visiting Macau for one day, and mainly exploring the peninsula, TurboJET from Sheung Wan to Outer Harbour is the most straightforward option to check first. The return journey is often the tricky part. If you still need to reach your Hong Kong hotel or catch a flight the next day, note the last sailing first and keep an overland backup. “Less than one hour between cities” refers to one segment, not a two-hour round trip.

If you are already at the airport or in Tung Chung, the Golden Bus is usually more convenient and has a lower fare. You will still need to budget time and money for the journey from the Macau Port into the city. If you arrive late, have large luggage, or are traveling with older adults or children, check the port-to-hotel segment before setting off.

If you check out in Tsim Sha Tsui and move to a hotel in Cotai, compare these two routes: “MTR to Sheung Wan + Cotai Water Jet to Taipa + hotel shuttle” and “city to the Hong Kong Port + Golden Bus + transfer from the Macau Port to Cotai.” The route with the more expensive ferry ticket may save you from moving your luggage one extra time. Once taxis at both ends are added, the apparently cheaper route may no longer cost less.

Total cost = Hong Kong hotel to port or ferry terminal + cross-boundary ticket + Macau port or ferry terminal to hotel + baggage or booking surcharges. For two people comparing only 65 with 192–194, the Golden Bus is clearly cheaper. If you need taxis at both ends, however, the full trip costs more than the ticket alone.

If you have a morning flight from Hong Kong the next day, staying in Hong Kong the night before is safer than gambling on the last ferry. Ferries can be suspended because of sea conditions, while the bridge and ports can also face restrictions. The Golden Bus does not run through every typhoon warning. To plan your time in central Hong Kong first, see our first-time Hong Kong itinerary.

Plan B for motion sickness, large luggage, and typhoons

If you are prone to seasickness, ask whether you can sit nearer the middle and lower part of the vessel, although seats on high-speed ferries often cannot be selected. In poor sea conditions, check immediately whether overland services are still running instead of waiting until the ferries stop to seek an alternative.

Large luggage, strollers, and bicycles are the items most likely to cause delays at a ferry terminal, so check the baggage page for your operator before leaving. Cotai Water Jet’s weight-based table appears on its schedule page. If you only discover at the terminal that you must pay extra or even wait for the next sailing, your entire itinerary will be pushed back.

Mobile data in Hong Kong and Macau: brief disconnections are possible on the bridge and at sea

If you buy a Hong Kong-only plan, you will need another plan that explicitly includes Macau once you arrive there. JEKO offers Greater China daily plans, Greater China total-data plans, and Greater China unlimited plans. The unlimited plan page explains speed reductions and fair-use rules. If you are visiting only Hong Kong and Macau rather than mainland China, compare whether you need data coverage for the mainland.

While crossing the bridge or traveling at sea, your phone switches from a Hong Kong network to a Macau network, so briefly seeing “Searching” is common. Data-only plans usually have no local phone number and cannot receive text messages, so keep another SIM that can receive verification codes. Follow onboard announcements and staff instructions for ferry safety information.

1. Install the eSIM while you have Wi-Fi, and activate it at the time specified for that plan so its validity does not begin early.
2. Select the travel eSIM for mobile data and turn off unnecessary mobile data switching to avoid falling back to your Taiwan number.
3. If your order instructs you to enable data roaming or enter an APN, follow those instructions instead of guessing.
4. Take screenshots of ticket QR Codes, ferry schedules, hotel addresses, and immigration documents. See the eSIM installation guide for setup steps.
5. If you have no connection after entering Macau, wait for the phone to select a new network. If necessary, turn airplane mode on for about 10 seconds and then turn it off. Do not repeatedly delete the eSIM profile while waiting in line at the port.

Frequently asked questions

Q1: Does the Golden Bus really run 24 hours?

The Hong Kong–Macau route operates 24 hours a day. Late at night, buses run about every 15–30 minutes, and you may still face queues or restrictions. Transport to the Hong Kong Port and from the Macau Port into the city does not share this round-the-clock timetable. Hong Kong HZMB authority

Q2: How much is a Golden Bus ticket from Hong Kong to Macau?

The adult fare is HKD 65 during the day and 70 at night. This covers the trip from the Hong Kong Port to the Macau Port; city transfers at both ends cost extra. Fares

Q3: Is the Golden Bus faster than the ferry from Sheung Wan?

It depends on the full journey. You can board the ferry near Sheung Wan. For the Golden Bus, you must first travel to the Hong Kong Port and then continue into the city from the Macau Port. Compare the whole trip, not only the crossing by sea or bridge.

Q4: Can I board the Golden Bus directly in Tsim Sha Tsui?

No, you cannot board the Golden Bus there. It departs from the Hong Kong Port. From Tsim Sha Tsui, travel to the port first or check whether a separate cross-boundary coach serves your Macau hotel. That is a different kind of bus. Cross-boundary coaches

Q5: Which ferries run from Sheung Wan to Macau?

Check TurboJET and Cotai Water Jet first. TurboJET mainly runs from Sheung Wan to Outer Harbour, with some services to Taipa, while Cotai Water Jet runs from Sheung Wan to Taipa. Choose the wrong terminal and you will need another transfer in Macau.

Q6: Can I still take Cotai Water Jet directly from Tsim Sha Tsui to Macau in 2026?

The schedule page covers Sheung Wan to Taipa. Cotai Water Jet schedule

Q7: Which is cheaper, TurboJET or Cotai Water Jet?

After April 25, 2026, weekday daytime fares are very close for Economy Class or Cotai Class: 194 on TurboJET and 192 on Cotai Water Jet. Check weekend, holiday, and night fares on the booking page.

Q8: Should I arrive at Outer Harbour or Taipa for the Ruins of St. Paul?

Check Outer Harbour first in most cases. The Ruins of St. Paul are on the Macau Peninsula. Taipa Ferry Terminal is more convenient for travelers staying in Taipa or Cotai, and even from Outer Harbour you cannot explore the entire peninsula on foot.

Q9: Can I buy a Golden Bus ticket with an Octopus card?

The Hong Kong government page states that fares are priced in Hong Kong dollars. At the Macau Port, you can pay in patacas, Hong Kong dollars, renminbi, or with designated electronic payment methods. Keep another payment option available. Hong Kong fare page | Payment at the Macau Port

Q10: Do Taiwanese travelers need visas for Hong Kong and Macau?

Eligible travelers can complete free Pre-arrival Registration for Hong Kong or enter under the rules for a valid Mainland Travel Permit for Taiwan Residents; do not mix the two routes. The Mainland Affairs Council reference page states that Macau generally allows a visa-free stay of 30 days. The current Macau government page lists the permit as an accepted document and allows up to 30 days on an ordinary travel document, which must remain valid for another 90 days. A Taiwan national ID card alone is not enough. PAR | Macau immigration

Q11: If I travel from Hong Kong to Macau and return to Hong Kong for a flight, how many times can I use PAR?

It is valid for two months, can be used twice, and allows a stay of up to 30 days each time. Before returning to Hong Kong, make sure you still have an entry available, bring a printed notification slip that meets the requirements, and ensure that your return-to-Taiwan document has at least six months of validity. Immigration Department

Q12: Will a Hong Kong–Macau eSIM switch networks automatically on the bridge?

It will select a new network while you cross the bridge or travel at sea. Confirm that your plan includes both Hong Kong and Macau, and save offline copies of your tickets and address.