The departure hall at West Kowloon high-speed rail station was packed with cross-border travelers on Wednesday as many began their return journeys on the final day of the National Day Golden Week.
Real-time ticketing boards in the morning showed that most of the short-haul and long-haul train tickets had sold out.
Some tourists said they arrived in Hong Kong only on the holiday’s last day for a “flash visit” to avoid the crowds.
More than 277,000 mainland Chinese visitors entered Hong Kong on National Day (Oct 1), setting a single-day record since the city fully reopened its borders in 2023.
The Culture, Sports and Tourism Bureau expects about 1.29 million mainland Chinese visitors during the seven-day Golden Week, with average daily arrivals up more than 5 percent year-over-year.
