First wave of mainland cars set to roll into Hong Kong just before Christmas

Hong Kong roads will see their first mainland Chinese private vehicles as early as December 23; after all, 1,700 slots in the inaugural batch of the long-awaited “Southbound Travel for Guangdong Vehicles” scheme were snapped up within days.

Guangdong authorities revealed that 2,388 drivers entered the lottery for the initial December quota, with the lucky winners now able to submit formal applications from December 9.

Successful applicants will then be allowed to drive across the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macau Bridge into the city after booking their entry slot.

The scheme covers around 6.6 million eligible private cars registered in Guangzhou, Zhuhai, Jiangmen, and Zhongshan.

Drivers had to register through the official Guangdong online system earlier this month, providing identity documents, vehicle papers, and both mainland and Hong Kong driving licenses.