Shenzhen Bao'an International Airport Explained

Nativename-A:Chinese: {{nobold|深圳宝安国际机场
Image2-Width:250
Iata:SZX
Icao:ZGSZ
Type:Public
Owner-Oper:Shenzhen Airport Company Ltd.
City-Served:Pearl River Delta
Location:Bao'an, Shenzhen, Guangdong, China
Focus City:Air China
Elevation-M:4
Metric-Elev:yes
Coordinates:22.6394°N 113.8108°W
Image Map Caption:CAAC airport chart
Pushpin Map:China Guangdong#China
Pushpin Label:SZX/ZGSZ
Pushpin Map Caption:Location in Guangdong##Location in China
R1-Number:15/33
R1-Length-M:3,400
R1-Surface:Concrete
R2-Number:16L/34R
R2-Length-M:3,800
R2-Surface:Concrete
R3-Number:16R/34L
R3-Surface:under construction
Metric-Rwy:yes
Stat1-Header:Passengers
Stat1-Data:52,734,934
Stat-Year:2023
Stat2-Header:Aircraft movements
Stat2-Data:393,073
Stat3-Header:Tonnes of cargo
Stat3-Data:1,600,348
Footnotes:Source: List of the busiest airports in China
P:Shēnzhèn Bǎo'ān Guójì Jīchǎng
J:sam1zan3 bou2on1 Gwok3zai3 Gei1coeng4
W:Shen1-chen4 Pao1-an1 Kuo2-chi4 Chi1-chʻang3
Myr:Shen1 jen4 Gwo2 ji4 Ji1 chang3
Order:st

Shenzhen Bao'an International Airport — formerly Shenzhen Huangtian Airport — is an international airport serving the city of Shenzhen in South Central China’s Guangdong province. It is on the east bank of the Pearl River in Bao'an District, 32km (20miles) northwest of the city centre. It is a hub for Shenzhen Airlines and Donghai Airlines and for cargo airline SF Airlines, China Southern Airlines and Hainan Airlines. The airport also serves as an Asian-Pacific cargo hub for UPS Airlines. The airport underwent major expansions in the 2010s, with a second runway opening in 2011, and a new terminal in 2013.

It is one of the three largest airports serving the Pearl River Delta, alongside Hong Kong International Airport and Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport. The airport has direct ferry routes to Hong Kong International Airport, where passengers can transit without going through immigration and custom checks.[1]

History

The airport was opened on 12 October 1991. It occupies an area of 10.8km2. Its first runway is 3400 m long and 45 m wide, and it has 53 parking spaces on its apron. Shenzhen airport handled 52,734,934 passengers in 2023, according to Civil Aviation Administration of China, making it the fourth-busiest airport in mainland China. The airport was also the world's twenty-fourth busiest and the twentieth-busiest airport in terms of cargo traffic, registering 1,600,347.7 tonnes of freight in 2023. In terms of passenger movements, Shenzhen airport was the 5th busiest airport in China in 2018. Air China launched the first intercontinental air route out of Shenzhen, to Frankfurt Airport, Germany, on 21 May 2016.[2]

Former terminals

Terminal A and B primarily served domestic flights. Terminal D, the international terminal, was opened in December 2008. It had no air gates of its own, just airside bus service to distant positions around the airport. These terminals covered an area of 152000m2 and consisted of 24 jetways.[3] All three former terminals were closed on 27 November 2013, with the brand new replacement Terminal 3 opening the following day.[4]

Current terminal

At the beginning of 2008 the 1.6km (01miles) long new terminal commenced being built as one of main works for the 2011 Summer Universiade. This new terminal building was called "Terminal 3" from the beginning of construction until its formal opening. Soon after the decision of the closure of Terminals A, B and D, "Terminal 3" was renamed as it was the only terminal building in operation. The terminal was opened on 28 November 2013 after 4 years of planning and construction.

Further expansions

A new satellite concourse, designed by Aedas, opened in December 2021. It is located directly to the north of the existing Terminal 3 building and is designed with a capacity of 22 million passengers per year. It is directly connected to the main terminal by an Automated People Mover (APM) system.[5]

Passenger transport facilities

The passenger transport facilities are divided into three parts: a main terminal building and two large corridors—1050m (3,450feet) long and 650m (2,130feet) wide—that form a cross shape. The current terminal is three times the size of former Terminals A and B, with 450000m2 of floor space, 62 boarding gates and the ability to accommodate any type of plane in the world. The main building has four floors above ground and two floors underground. A connecting Ground Transport Center adjoins the terminal to the south. The main building's third floor is the waiting area for domestic and international flights, which depart from the east wing.

Airlines and destinations

Cargo

Ground transportation

Ground Transportation Center

The baggage areas are a short walks away from the Ground Transportation Center (GTC), where passengers can take buses, taxis and Shenzhen Metro trains. The transportation center offers local and long-distance bus services on the first floor, with taxi and Airport Express Shuttle 330 bus services on the second floor. The underground floor connects with Airport Station on Metro Line 11. Bus M416 also provides a shuttle service to Hourui Station on Line 1. In the future, it will also connect to the Guangzhou-Dongguan-Shenzhen Intercity Railway, which is under construction.Regular bus and minibus services links the Airport with the rest of the city. Intercity bus services to some other nearby cities such as Hong Kong and Dongguan are also available.

Local taxis, and often some taxis from Dongguan, can pick up passengers there from three designated waiting areas. These areas have the capacity to handle 21 taxi cabs picking up passengers simultaneously.[6]

Metro / Rail

Airport station on Line 11 has direct link to the Ground Transport Center of the current Terminal, with eastbound service from the airport via Bao'an and Nanshan to Futian station, connecting with Futian railway station High Speed Rail services, and westbound service via Fuyong, Shajing and Songgang to Bitou.

There are also shuttle services connecting with Line 1 of the Shenzhen Metro. Non-stopping service M416 runs between Hourui Station and the new terminal.

Airport North Station on Line 11 is also built, under the site of future new Terminal project - "Terminal 4". However, Airport North Station is inaccessible to or from any of the airport facilities. Line 20 (Shenzhen International Exhibition Center Conveyance Project) links Airport North Station on Line 11 with services to Chongqing Road, International Exhibition Center South, International Exhibition Center North and International Conference Center stations. Line 20 opened in December 2021.

Guangzhou–Shenzhen intercity railway is currently under construction, and planning to provide services from Shenzhen Airport Station and Shenzhen Airport North Station. In the future, Shenzhen–Maoming High-Speed Railway and Hong Kong–Shenzhen Western Express Railway are planned to stop here.

Ferry

Fast ferries are available to Outer Harbour Ferry Terminal and Taipa Ferry Terminal in Macau plus to the Skypier Ferry Terminal at Hong Kong International Airport via the nearby Fuyong Pier. Free shuttle buses connect the Pier and the Airport.

Direct services to Hong Kong Island and Kowloon were suspended because the Terminals A & B's long distance from the ferry terminal made it unpopular for commuters. However, with the opening of Terminal C, direct services may be resumed because it is much closer.

Airport express shuttle bus

There are many bus routes between the airport and the urban area, most of them via expressways and only cost ¥10 yuan. A future service connecting the airport with Shenzhen North station is expected to start when the new Terminal 3 opens as part of 5 new major airport express shuttle buses.

Cross-border buses

Buses currently run mostly via Shenzhen Bay Control Point to many destinations across Hong Kong, Kowloon and the New Territories. Coach service is provided by Trans Island Limousine Service Ltd[7] serving SZIA and Hong Kong, including Sheung Wan, Causeway Bay, Mong Kok (Prince Edward), Tsim Sha Tsui and Hong Kong International Airport.

A direct coach service, operated by Chinalink Bus Company, is available at Elements Mall in Hong Kong. Passengers may check-in for their flights at the bus terminal but luggage must still be carried to the airport by the passengers. The service operates from Kowloon station on the Airport Express (MTR) line direct to the Shenzhen International airport.[8]

Shenzhen–Zhongshan Bridge

The planned Shenzhen–Zhongshan Bridge will directly connect Shenzhen Baoan International Airport on the eastern side of the Pearl River Delta with the city of Zhongshan on the western side. It will consist of a series of bridges and tunnels and will cut travel time from Shenzhen to Zhongshan to less than 30 minutes. Construction of the proposed 51km (32miles) eight-lane link started in 2017, with completion scheduled for 2024.[9] [10]

Other facilities

Shenzhen Airlines is headquartered on the grounds of the airport.[11] Jade Cargo International was headquartered on the sixth floor of the Shenzhen Airlines Flight Operations Building on grounds of Shenzhen Baoan International Airport.[12] Shenzhen Donghai Airlines has its head office in the Shenzhen Airlines facility on the airport property.[13]

SF Airlines has its headquarters in the No.1 Freight Depot of the International Shipping Center.[14]

Accidents and incidents

See also

Further reading

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Shenzhen Baoan International Airport . Chinatour.net. 6 May 2017.
  2. Web site: New direct connection from Frankfurt to Shenzhen with Air China. Traveldailynews.Asia. 23 June 2019.
  3. Web site: Primary facilities - Shenzhen International Airport . 2010-07-16 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20100529192202/http://eng.szairport.com/catalog_518.aspx . 29 May 2010 . dmy-all .
  4. Web site: 25 November 2013 . New terminal opens Thursday-szdaily多媒体数字报刊平台 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20131203032412/http://szdaily.sznews.com/html/2013-11/25/content_2695809.htm . 3 December 2013 . 25 November 2013 . Szdaily.sznews.com . dmy-all.
  5. Web site: 2023-01-31 . Shenzhen Bao'an International Airport Satellite Concourse . 2023-12-04 . Aedas . en.
  6. Web site: Changes to address airport's commuting woes-szdaily多媒体数字报刊平台 . Szdaily.sznews.com . 3 December 2013 . 3 December 2013 . https://web.archive.org/web/20131205140803/http://szdaily.sznews.com/html/2013-12/03/content_2705995.htm . 5 December 2013 . dead . dmy-all .
  7. Web site: Til Chinalink Powered by GoByBus.hk . 2024-01-09 . til.gobybus.hk.
  8. Web site: zh:香港九龙机铁站往深圳机场 . http://www.chinalink.hk/co_service_routes16.html . https://web.archive.org/web/20071121111613/http://www.chinalink.hk/co_service_routes16.html . dead . 21 November 2007 . zh . Airport Railway Kowloon Station to Shenzhen Airport . 20 July 2011 . Chinese: 香港九龍機鐵站往深圳機場 (全程行車時間:車程約75分鐘).
  9. [The Wall Street Journal]
  10. Web site: Chief Executive - My Blog - Laying foundation for Shenzhen-Zhongshan Bridge yesterday and joining Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge together today. www.ceo.gov.hk. en. 2018-05-14.
  11. "Contact Us." Shenzhen Airlines. Retrieved on 9 September 2009.
  12. "Contact Us ." Jade Cargo International. Retrieved on 11 July 2010.
  13. "联系我们 ." Shenzhen Donghai Airlines. Retrieved on 24 February 2014. "Address:Shenzhen Baoan International Airport, Shenzhen Airlines. Post code:518128" – Chinese address: "Chinese: 地址:深圳市宝安区宝安国际机场航站四路3009号东海航空基地 邮政编码:518128"
  14. "Contact Us." SF Airlines. Retrieved on 24 February 2014. "SF Airlines Co., Ltd. Address: No.1 Freight Depot, International Shipping Center of Baoan International Airport, Shenzhen, Guangdong Province, 518128, P.R.C." – Chinese address: "Chinese: 地 址:中国广东省深圳市宝安国际机场国际货运中心1号货站 邮 编:518128"