3rd October 2023 – (Hong Kong) The Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge experienced a continued surge in passenger traffic during the Mid-Autumn Festival and National Day Golden Week. According to the border checkpoint station at the bridge, on 2nd October, the Zhuhai Port of the bridge saw a peak in returning travellers from Hong Kong and Macao, with over 107,000 inbound and outbound passengers. This marked the third time since the bridge’s opening that daily passenger traffic surpassed 100,000, reaching a new four-year high. Additionally, the number of vehicles crossing the border surpassed 14,000 for the first time, setting a new record since the bridge’s inauguration.
According to the border checkpoint station at the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge, during the “double holiday” period, there was a strong demand for inbound travel and family visits from Hong Kong and Macao residents. In just the three days before the Mid-Autumn Festival and National Day (29th September to 1st October), over 130,000 inbound passengers were recorded, resulting in a difference of nearly 54,000 between inbound and outbound passengers.
As the public holidays in Hong Kong and Macao were coming to an end on October 2, the Zhuhai Port of the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge encountered a peak in outbound traffic. From 2pm to 11pm, the passenger and vehicle flow remained high at the border checkpoint, with the passenger flow peaking at over 10,000 per hour during the evening rush hour and the vehicle flow peaking at over 1,300 per hour.
The increasing number of Hong Kong and Macao single-plate vehicles accounted for the main factor behind the peak in border crossings at the bridge. On 2nd October, over 8,300 Hong Kong and Macao single-plate vehicles crossed the border, constituting 60% of the total vehicle clearances. Among them, the number of Hong Kong single-plate vehicles exceeded 3,700 for the first time in a single day, setting a new historical record. From 29th September to 2nd October, the total number of Hong Kong single-plate vehicles cleared at the border exceeded 11,400.
In response to the high volume of returning passengers and vehicles, the checkpoint station had proactively analyzed the patterns of instant inspections at the border and promptly set up additional vehicle lanes with blue guide lines, ensuring sufficient lanes were open and operational. Simultaneously, they conducted visits to joint inspection units at the border, refined emergency traffic diversion mechanisms for vehicles, and coordinated with various departments to deploy additional manpower in advance during peak periods, collectively maintaining order at the border crossings.