Hong Kong to ramp up cross-border bus services, train trips with 800,000 mainland Chinese tourists expected for ‘golden week’

Hong Kong will increase cross-border bus services by 40 per cent and extend public transport operating hours along with a string of other measures to welcome more than 800,000 mainland Chinese tourists during the Labour Day “golden week” holiday.

The Transport Department had allocated an additional 40 per cent quota for cross-border bus operators to increase service frequencies during the mainland holiday between May 1 and May 5, a government spokesman said on Saturday.

He added that shuttle bus services at the Lok Ma Chau checkpoint and Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macau Bridge, both of which operate around the clock, would also be increased.

While authorities said operating hours of other border crossings would remain unchanged, they had increased the number of frontline workers for the flexible deployment of staff to cope with the expected increase in visitors.

The spokesman said extra inspection counters and channels would be opened to ease passenger flow and additional security guards would be deployed at checkpoints to maintain order.

Rail giant the MTR Corporation said it would add 540 trips along seven lines to shorten waiting times on May 1 and over the weekend on May 4 and 5.

Hong Kong leader John Lee Ka-chiu said earlier that 5.9 million people were expected to cross border checkpoints over the holiday with the city gearing up for at least 800,000 mainland visitors.

A 10-minute fireworks display at 8pm on May 1 over Victoria Harbour will be a highlight to kick off the golden week.