Action stations in Lo Wu race

Trial runs were conducted for train crews to reacquaint them with operations at Lo Wu station in the early hours of yesterday as MTR Corp and authorities gear up to the reopening of Luohu, Huanggang and Liantang ports on Monday.

This comes as sources said the compulsory Covid PCR test requirement for travelers crossing over from the north will be scrapped Monday at the earliest, following criticisms that the policy has deterred mainlanders from coming.

An officer at Shenzhen People's Government Port Office confirmed plans to reopen Luohu next week, but said the exact launch date and possible quota will be announced soon.

In a reply to the media a SAR spokesman did not confirm or deny the date, but said the administration "is confident a full reopening can be achieved shortly."

"News will come very soon, including the cancellation of PCR test requirement, opening more border points and lifting of quota," he said.

Officers from police, customs and immigration departments were spotted pulling an all-nighter at Lo Wu crossing, ahead of opening.

However, Roundtable Legislative Council member Michael Tien Puk-sun said East Rail line trains to Lo Wu station will not run as frequently due to renovations at the Luohu immigration tower.

"Refurbishment works are still going on, meaning it can only open for partial operation," he added. "It will create a big problem for the mainland if the [trains] run as frequently as before."

He expects the MTRC to arrange one Lo Wu-bound train to run for every four to five East Rail Line trains, with the others stopping at Sheung Shui also or Lok Ma Chau.

Property managers at Luohu Commercial City - a hot spot for Hongkongers - put up a notice mid-week asking shop operators to make sure they are open for business on the first day of Luohu's reopening. Cleaners were seen disinfecting escalators and elevators.

Sources said Huanggang port will reopen, but since its immigration tower is undergoing renovation, travelers will be diverted to a temporary facility.

The makeshift tower is designed to cater to 30,000 travelers and 3,000 vehicles a day, less than half of its prepandemic capacity of 68,000 travelers and over 10,000 vehicles.

The leader of a non-franchised bus association, Eddie Choi Shun-kei, said many drivers have changed their fields of work during the pandemic and bus companies can only run a bus every 30 minutes, which is only 30 percent of pre-Covid capacity.

He expects cross-border routes from Kwun Tong and Tsim Sha Tsui to resume first, but buses will only run between 6am and 11pm in the initial stages of the restart.