If you ever find yourself in Hong Kong, China, then take the opportunity to visit the nearby Macao, too, which is a former Portuguese enclave. According to Rome2Rio, a renowned transport platform, there has been four ways to travel between the two cities, which are by ferry, bus, train, or plane.
The most common mode is by ferry, but this has a lot of waiting time and processes at the port, checking your passports, visas, and whatnot.
This time, with the opening of the super-convenient Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macau Bridge a few years ago, land travel has become viable. However, mostly, when you own your private car. Travelers going from Hong Kong to Macao can now ride cross-border on Uber. That’s right.
Uber just unveiled its newest Intercity Trip between Hong Kong and Macao. With this, travelers can make use of the Uber app to pre-book direct transfers from addresses in Hong Kong to Macao.
However, the process is quite different. Unlike hailing an Uber, such as stepping out of your building’s elevator, rides to Macao should be pre-booked at least 24 hours in advance, and up to 90 days ahead of your departure.
So far, this is the only long process, but you won’t need to buy tickets online or line up on a queue to the ticketing booth.
However, immigration rules still apply, such as when crossing the Canada border to New York City. Authorities will be checking your valid IDs, passports, and visas when necessary at immigration booths, and you may be required to disembark the car. But your Uber driver is more than glad to assist you with these processes.
The travel time may be longer than that of the ferry trip, but it will be more convenient since there are no early arrivals at ports, and there’s the newly-constructed bridge.
As for fares, a one-way Uber trip from Hong Kong to Macao ranges from $2,900 to $3,500, depending on your pick-up or drop-off location in Hong Kong. Tolls and additional surcharges are already included in the estimated trip fare displayed on the app. Cancellations of trips are free, but must be done up to six hours before the scheduled pick-up time, very flexible, indeed.
In Hong Kong, you could Ride the Star Ferry across Victoria Harbour, enjoy skyline views from Victoria Peak, visit Tian Tan Buddha on Lantau Island, shop in Tsim Sha Tsui, and explore Temple Street Night Market for street food and local culture.
Meanwhile, in Macao, Hong Kong’s sister city, what you can do is to explore the Ruins of St. Paul’s, stroll Senado Square, try Portuguese-inspired cuisine, visit The Venetian Macao, and enjoy panoramic views or bungee jumping at Macau Tower. Uber is back in Macao after a nine-year hiatus. For more ridesharing news, stay tuned in on Ridesharing Forum. Sign up for that account!