HKSAR Government unveils Southbound Travel Scheme
Infrastructure readied for November rollout as groups express support.
The Southbound Travel for Guangdong Vehicles (the Southbound Travel Scheme) is set to be implemented in November 2025, with the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government calling the initiative "an important measure" that it will closely monitor.
"Since its successful launch in July 2023, Northbound Travel for Hong Kong Vehicles (the Northbound Travel Scheme) has become increasingly popular among Hong Kong citizens," said Hong Kong's Secretary for Transport and Logistics Mable Chan. "The Northbound Travel Scheme is a mutual arrangement with the Southbound Travel Scheme.
"Eligible single-plate private cars of Guangdong can apply to travel to Hong Kong via the HZMB (Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge) through an innovative and simple route, which facilitates mutual visits between residents of the two places and meets the expectations of mutual engagement.
"Not only will it attract different types of travellers but also facilitate visits by relatives, friends, and business partners in Guangdong, which in turn promote social exchanges, benefit many trades and sectors in Hong Kong, as well as promote the integration of the Greater Bay Area."
According to the territory's Transport and Logistics Bureau, part of the Southbound Travel Scheme are the automated carparks of the Airport Authority Hong Kong (AAHK) at the HZMB Hong Kong Port. AAHK, which fully supports the policy, will be undertaking the phased commissioning of these automated car parks.
Explaining the process, AAHK noted: "At the initial stage starting in November, the fully automated 'Park & Fly' facility will provide about 1,800 parking spaces. Transfer passengers who arrive from HZMB can simply leave their vehicles at the designated location in the car park, without parking the cars themselves.
"AAHK's shuttle buses will then take them directly to the airport’s restricted area for check-in and boarding, without the need to clear immigration procedures to enter Hong Kong and then depart for their flights."
The next phase, meanwhile, is slated for the first half of 2026 and will feature an automated “Park & Visit” car park. This will be for Mainland residents visiting the facilities on the Airport Island as well as other parts of Hong Kong.
Detailing the scheme further, the Transport and Logistics Bureau added: "For entry into the urban area, it will start with a small-scale 100 daily booking quota to test the system and procedural arrangements.
"We will closely monitor the operation, as well as take into consideration the traffic at the port and nearby roads, users' adaptation, social responses, etc., and take it forward in a prudent and manageable manner, i.e., to take a 'small-and-quick step' approach for accumulating implementation experience, and then increasing the number of quota."
Welcoming the programme, Ocean Park Corporation believes the Southbound Travel Scheme will "inject robust new momentum" into the tourism sector of Hong Kong. The group also expressed its commitment to work together with the industry and the government in advancing integrated development.
“The Southbound Travel for Guangdong Vehicles policy is a crucial measure that will effectively promote interconnectivity and facilitate personnel and vehicle flow within the Greater Bay Area (GBA)," commented Ocean Park Corporation Chairman Paulo Pong.
"A significant proportion of our non-local visitors originate from the GBA; with the accelerated implementation of these measures, they will gain a more direct and convenient route to the Ocean Park resort area."
Also keen to see the scheme's results is the Hong Kong Exhibition & Convention Industry Association (HKECIA), which represents more than 100 company members.
HKECIA Chairman Stuart Bailey pointed out: "Exhibitions are pivotal to driving the growth of supporting industries such as hotel, food and beverage, retail, entertainment, design and advertising, legal, and other professional services.
"We look forward to the implementation of this initiative together with well-planned supporting measures later this year as a new option to facilitate the ease of travel of the Mainland visitors and hence to bring even more overnight high-spending Mainland visitors to the many events staged by our members."
In the meantime, management arrangements, system interface, construction works, facilitation measures, port clearance, monitoring measures, insurance placements, publicity work, and full-scale drills are being actively worked on by the governments of Guangdong and Hong Kong ahead of the planned rollout.
