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With the Buddha's Birthday long weekend approaching, the Transport Department is urging residents planning trips to Shenzhen and other Greater Bay Area cities to schedule their cross-border journeys well in advance.
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To help travelers navigate the expected surge in holiday crowds, authorities have coordinated increased public transport services, and highlighted three convenient digital tools that provide real-time updates on traffic at border control points.
Enhanced services
Anticipating a massive influx of cross-border travelers, the Transport Department has collaborated with public transport operators to significantly boost service frequencies.
The MTR East Rail Line will increase train services between Admiralty and both the Lo Wu and Lok Ma Chau stations to meet the surging passenger demand.
Additionally, during peak periods, the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macau Bridge and the Lok Ma Chau-to-Huanggang shuttle buses will operate at an exceptionally intensive frequency, with departures scheduled approximately every one to two minutes.
Despite these major service enhancements, transport officials warned waiting times may still be prolonged due to the sheer volume of travelers.
Residents are strongly advised to begin their journeys during non-peak hours, remain patient while waiting for transit, and strictly follow the instructions of on-site police and operational staff.
Those planning to take cross-boundary coaches are also reminded to book their tickets well in advance to secure their seats and avoid disruptions to their travel plans.
Real-time digital tools for border monitoring
To assist travelers in avoiding heavy congestion, they are recommended to utilize three highly accessible digital platforms to monitor real-time passenger traffic at major border crossings, including Lo Wu, Futian, and Shenzhen Bay.
The official mobile application of the Hong Kong Immigration Department features a dedicated function displaying estimated waiting times at eight land boundary control points.
The system updates every fifteen minutes and utilizes a simple three-color visual code, where green indicates a wait of less than fifteen minutes, yellow signifies a wait under half an hour, and red alerts users to waiting times exceeding thirty minutes.
For users familiar with WeChat, the messaging platform offers a specialized mini-program that covers real-time conditions across 13 Shenzhen border checkpoints.
This tool provides live surveillance broadcasts of the crossing halls that refresh every thirty seconds, allowing travelers to visually assess queue lengths and crowd density with virtually no delay.
Alternatively, travelers who prefer not to download additional applications can directly access the Security Bureau's dedicated web-based information portal, Easy Boundary.
This website delivers immediate updates on passenger waiting times, helping both public transit users and those driving across the border to select the smoothest and most efficient route for their northbound holiday journeys.
