Once you cross the border to LuoHu, take the escalators straight down to the Metro. You'll need small Chinese money such as 1 yuan coins or 5 or 10 yuan notes to use the ticket machines - otherwise go to the service counter to change money first. Take the metro to Huaqiao cheng - about 13 stops/30 minutes.

drumbrake & zhuhai2007--thanks for info. It's a plus that metro will go to Cultural Village from Shenzhen Train Station; will use it.

Have multiple-entry China visa good till 2010; expect no problems here.

Have couple questions you might clarify.

1. Is immigration process crossing into & out of Shenzhen a routine process or is it lengthy and cumbersome?

2. Can I buy the metro ticket for return to HK ahead of time and use it hours later? Some metros issue blank tickets that must be stamped when used.

3. Better half wants to shop also, is there a preferred shopping mall or such--if so, want name how to get there from train station.

thanks in advance.

This was our day-trip experience to Shenzhen in 2008.

The KCR train (part of the MTR system) starts from East Tsim Sha Tsui station (near Peninsula Hotel) - about 45 mins journey, fare HK$36 one-way.

The train go into the Immigration check point building at LoWu (in Cantonese, on the HK side), for all the immigration checks/passport stamps etc, walk through and out into LuoHu (in Chinese on China side); you are in East Shenzhen. It was a painless process on a week day when there are less crowds.

There is a big piazza shopping square immediate here at LuoHu with a big mall here.

Go down an escalator for the Shenzhen MTR - 2 stops to Lao Jie ("Old Street") which is a huge shopping prescinct. The first McDonald's outlet in China is still doing a roaring trade here.

Bring China currency.

Hope this is helpful.