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Katie Genter is a digital nomad who has traveled full time since June 2017. She writes and edits stories about points and miles, and loyalty programs, often letting her personal experiences color these stories.
December 2, 2018 • 7 min read
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Quick summary
High-speed ferries connect Hong Kong and Macau frequently, with departures every 15 minutes on some routes and journey times of about one hour.
Two main operators, each with multiple routes and classes, serve both Macau's historic center and casino district, as well as several Hong Kong terminals including the airport.
Booking can be done online or at the terminal, with options to pay by card or cash; official windows are recommended for convenience and security.
The ferry experience is similar to flying, featuring assigned seating, baggage storage, seatbelts and even duty-free shopping.
What to consider
Schedules do not specify which sailings use Boeing jetfoils, so vessel type cannot be guaranteed in advance.
Octopus cards are accepted for boarding but can only be reloaded with cash, while ticket resellers may offer lower prices but typically require cash payment.
Arrive at least 10 minutes before departure to ensure your seat, and request window or group seating at the ticket check if desired.
What you'll miss from the article
Details on choosing the best terminal, booking tips and what to expect during the ferry journey between Hong Kong and Macau.
Generated by AI with support from our editorial team.
Update: Some offers mentioned below are no longer available. View the current offers here.
Did you know Boeing makes jetfoil boats? Say hello to the Boeing 929 Jetfoil, a water jet-propelled hydrofoil designed by Boeing. And, once up to speed, the Boeing 929 essentially flies across the water at speeds of up to 52 miles per hour.
The world's largest operator of Boeing jetfoils is Hong Kong-based TurboJet. TurboJet operates Jetfoils and Premier Jetfoils, both of which are manufactured by Boeing, as well as four other types of equally impressive high-speed vessels. Unfortunately, there isn't an easy way to determine which sailings use Boeing jetfoils based on the schedules posted online.
A TurboJet Boeing 929 between Hong Kong and Macau. Photo by Universal Education/Universal Images Group via Getty Images.
There are various high-speed ferry routes worldwide, but the route between Hong Kong Sheung Wan and Macau Outer Harbour is particularly noteworthy because (1) boats run every 15 minutes in each direction for most of the day and (2) prices start from just 174HKD (about $22) each way for the one hour journey. So, while I was in Hong Kong I tried out TurboJet's TriCat catamaran on this route for a day-trip to Macau.
Routes
There are two main ferry terminals in Macau: Macau Outer Harbour and Macau Taipa. Macau Outer Harbour is generally better for visiting historic sites, while Macau Taipa is better situated to visit casinos like The Venetian — so if you have a particular destination in Macau, be sure to check which ferry terminal is more convenient.
Arrival in Macau
Likewise, there are three main ferry terminals in Hong Kong that offer service to Macau: Hong Kong Sheung Wan, Hong Kong Kowloon and Hong Kong HKG. Sheung Wan is on Hong Kong Island south of Victoria Harbour, Kowloon is north of Victoria Harbour and HKG is at Hong Kong's airport. (You can actually fly into HKG and connect to Macau by ferry without ever entering Hong Kong, but you can only use the HKG ferry terminal when you have a flight to or from HKG.)
Two companies operate high-speed ferries between Hong Kong and Macau. The first, TurboJet, offers the following routes between Hong Kong and Macau:
To and from Hong Kong Sheung Wan and Macau Outer Harbour (departures every 15 minutes for most of the day)
To and from Hong Kong Kowloon and Macau Outer Harbour (15 to 16 departures daily each way)
To and from Hong Kong HKG and Macau Outer Harbour (4 to 5 departures daily each way)
To and from Hong Kong Sheung Wan and Macau Taipa (4to 5 departures daily to Macau; 2 departures daily to Hong Kong)
The other company, Cotai Water Jet, offers the following routes between Hong Kong and Macau:
To and from Hong Kong Sheung Wan and Macau Taipa (departures every 30 minutes for most of the day)
To and from Hong Kong Kowloon and Macau Taipa (6 departures daily each way)
To and from Hong Kong HKG and Macau Taipa (6 departures daily each way)
Additional routes are also offered by both companies to and from China.
How to Book
Both companies offer online booking. But, unless you are taking advantage of one of their current promotions, there's usually no reason to book online or ahead of time. Instead, just show up at the ferry terminal shortly before you want to board.
A promotion during my visit. Check TurboJet's webpage for similar promotions before your trip.
At the ferry terminal, the most straightforward way to book a trip is at one of the official ticket windows for the ferry company. You can pay by credit card at the ticket windows, so make sure to use a card with a broadly-defined travel bonus category such as the Chase Sapphire Reserve, Citi Premier® Card or Chase Sapphire Preferred.
If you have an Octopus card (which you should get if you're visiting Hong Kong and planning to ride public transportation, including buses, trams and the metro) you could also simply tap to board the next ferry from Hong Kong to Macau. But since the Octopus card can only be reloaded with cash, I'd rather wait a few minutes in line to buy a ticket using my credit card and earn points or miles for the purchase.
Alternatively, you could purchase a ticket from a reseller in the ferry terminal. The prices are usually a little cheaper and you can often get on an earlier sailing, but most vendors will only take cash. Plus, purchasing a ferry ticket from resellers seems shady, although I didn't have any issues when I did this once.
There are also a few different booking classes (on TurboJet, for example, there's Economy, Super Class, Premier Grand Class and the Premier VIP Cabin) but I've personally only traveled in economy. After all, it's just a one hour trip.
The Experience
Once you've purchased your ticket, you'll head through exit immigration (unless you're leaving HKG, in which case you wouldn't have entered Hong Kong) and follow signs toward the departure area for your ticketed departure time. As long as you show up by the stated time — usually 10 minutes before departure — you're guaranteed a seat on your sailing.
When you get to the ticket check for boarding, be sure to ask for a window seat if you want one. If you don't say anything, they'll apply a seat assignment sticker to your ticket and you'll be stuck with that seat. Likewise, if you want to sit with any travel companions, be sure to say so before you're assigned a seat.
About 10 to 15 minutes before departure, the boarding gate will open. Unlike boarding an aircraft with multiple aisles, no one will automatically tell you how to get to your seat, but there are workers that you can ask if you're confused.
Find your seat, put your larger baggage in the baggage storage area and fasten your seatbelt. I smirked at the seatbelt before my first trip, but the waves can in fact cause some pretty significant "turbulence" during the trip.
Workers will direct you to put your larger luggage in a particular area of the boat.
The TurboJet TriCat that I took on my most recent trip has 3-4-4-3 economy seating on the bottom level.
Economy seating is available on the lower level.
Each economy seat has 33 inch pitch and an 18.75 inch width. At the back of the economy cabin there are four lavatories.
There's free Wi-Fi onboard, although it frequently disconnected and generally wasn't usable. Just like on an airplane, travelers can purchase duty free goods, drinks and snacks onboard.
The Bottom Line
Although the new 34-mile bridge connecting Hong Kong and Macau to the mainland Chinese city of Zhuhai provides another option for traveling between Hong Kong and Macau, I'd still recommend taking the high-speed ferry at least one way for the experience. Especially if you consider yourself a veritable AvGeek. From boarding to the seats, immigration and the air sickness bags, the experience resembles flying in many ways.
Comments
By commenting, you agree to our Community Guidelines to help create a positive space for conversation. The responses below are not provided or commissioned by the bank advertiser, our partners, or The Points Guy (“TPG”). They have not been reviewed, approved, or otherwise endorsed by any of these parties. All responses are submitted by individual contributors, and neither the bank advertiser, our partners, nor TPG are responsible for ensuring that all posts and/or questions are answered.
