Transportation In Macau

Macau, with links to the mainland at Zhuhai and to Hong Kong, enjoys good transportation facilities and services with an International airport and efficient boat and hovercraft services operating out of the main port. Don’t forget however that Macau has free port status and so you will need to pass through immigration procedures when arriving and leaving Macau to/from the Chinese mainland and Hong Kong.

By plane:
The Macau International airport is located on Taipa Island. There are flights between Macau and Bangkok (4 flights per week), Beijing (daily), Shanghai (daily), Singapore (2 flights per week), Taipei (daily), Xiamen (daily) and other destinations. There are also flights to Hong Kong which take twenty minutes. From the airport it takes about a 15-minute drive to reach the Macau Ferry Terminal or city center (Rue Almeida Ribeiro) and a 20-minute drive to the Barrier Gate.

Airport transport:
> Express Link Bus: Direct bus links the airport and ferry terminal for passengers using Macau as a direct transfer point. Click here for more information.

> Bus: Airport buses will take you to the Barrier Gate, or outlying island of Coloane. There are also Cross-Boundary bus services available offering direct services to major cities in Guangdong Province.

By boat:
Ferries travel frequently between Macau, Hong Kong and Shenzhen.

By bus:
Macau can be reached by bus from China, by crossing the Barrier Gate on the Chinese border immigration checkpoint between Macau and Zhuhai (Guangdong province, China). This crossing point is open daily from 7a.m. until midnight. All bus services operating between Macau and Guangzhou pass through this gate. Buses by Kee Kwan Motor Road Co. operate from 7:15 to 21:30, departing from the bus stop near to the Masters Hotel (end of Av. Almeida Ribeiro and Rua das Lorchas). Tel: (853) 933888

You can also cross the COTAI Frontier Post (Lotus Bridge) at the Taipa-Coloane Reclaimed Area, which is open from 9am to 8pm. (Starting from September 17, 2005, this checkpoint will be closed for maintenance for about one year.)

City transport:

The buses here are generally reliable and cover most of Macau, the outlying islands of Taipa and Coloane. Trips within the Macau peninsular cost MOP$2.5. Bus lines traveling to the islands charge MOP$3-5. You need to have the correct change before getting on a bus. The operating hours are generally 6:00 to 24:00.

English versions of the local map including bus routes can be obtained from the counters of the Macau Tourist Bureau on Senado Square in the downtown area, or at the Macau Ferry Terminal.

Taxis can be a convenient mode of transportation in the city. Yellow taxis can be ordered by telephone booking – you can ask your hotel to arrange this or call (853) 519519. The fares for all taxis start at MOP$11.00 for the first 1500m and then MOP$1.00 is added for every additional 180m. MOP$3 is also added for each piece of luggage carried in the boot of the taxi. A taxi trip from the Macau Peninsular to the popular Hac Sa Beach on Coloane costs about MOP$80.

You should also be aware of some surcharges added for different journeys – MOP$5 added for boarding the taxi at the airport, and if traveling from the Macau peninsular to Coloane island; MOP$2 added if traveling from Taipa – Coloane; No surcharge from Macau to Taipa, and the islands back to the Macau peninsular.

If you would like the flexibility of driving your own car, there are two hire companies operating in Macau:

Avis-Rent-a-Car (located in the car park of the Mandarin Oriental Hotel - Tel: (853)336789; 701786/ Fax: (853) 314112; information or reservations in Hong Kong - Tel: (852)25766831)

Happy Mokes (office in Macau Ferry Terminal / Arrivals, room 1025 - Tel: (853) 439393; 726868; Fax: (853) 726888.)

You will have to provide your ID or passport, valid driving license (or international driving license for some countries), a credit card for deposit and be 21 years of age.