Bridge offers faster bus route to Zhongshan

Cross-border bus operators are ready to launch new routes to Zhongshan city in Guangdong province after the commission of the Shenzhen-Zhongshan Bridge.

The tourism sector said the opening of the bridge will boost the number of inbound and outbound travelers.

After the 24-kilometer sea crossing is opened to traffic this month, it is expected to reduce the travel time between Shenzhen and Zhongshan from two hours to 25 minutes.

Eddie Choi Shun-kei, chairman of the Non-Franchised Public Bus Association of Hong Kong, said about 50 cross-border buses travel between Hong Kong and Zhongshan daily.

The industry had conducted trial runs on the new Shenzhen-Zhongshan Bridge and found that it could help to shorten the bus journey by some 45 minutes to an hour.

By arranging some buses to use the new bridge, the industry expects to attract more Hongkongers traveling to Zhongshan during weekends or even making day tours.

Despite a shorter bus journey helping to lower operation costs, there is little room for cross-border bus operators to further lower the fare.

However, Choi expected operators to launch discounts to promote the new routes after the bridge opens to traffic.

Choi also said the roles of the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge and Shenzhen-Zhongshan Bridge were different and they "substitute for each other."

"The Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge will be more convenient for travel to the west of Guangdong Province, while the Shenzhen-Zhongshan Bridge will be faster for travel to Panyu and Nansha," he said.

Travel Industry Council chairwoman Gianna Hsu Wong Mei-lun said the new bridge is expected to attract more mainland tourists to Hong Kong, and the council has been promoting "multi-destination travel" packages that allow overseas tourists to visit Hong Kong and other mainland cities in one trip.

"If a tourist had visited Macau or Zhuhai during their previous multi-destination trips, they can visit Hong Kong again before they visit Zhongshan," Hsu said.

Willy Lin Sun-mo, chairman of the Hong Kong Shippers' Council, said the new link would bring a positive impact on the logistics industry in the Greater Bay Area, but the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge still has the advantage of its proximity to Hong Kong Airport and the Kwai Tsing Container Terminals.

"The manufacturing industry is mainly centered in Shenzhen and Dongguan, while Zhongshan focuses on the processing industry and those goods may not come to Hong Kong directly."