Hong Kong Expands Southbound Travel Scheme for Guangdong Vehicles, Enhancing Cross-Boundary Connectivity

Expansion arrangements of Southbound Travel for Guangdong Vehicles announced

The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) Government today (June 8) announced the expansion arrangements of Southbound Travel for Guangdong Vehicles (Southbound Travel Scheme).

The Guangdong and Hong Kong governments implemented the Southbound Travel Scheme in end-2025, launching the part concerning the entry into the Hong Kong urban area by Guangdong vehicles (entry into urban area), and the "Park & Fly" service of the automated car park (port carpark) at the Hong Kong Port of the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge (HZMB). Alongside Northbound Travel for Hong Kong Vehicles, the scheme enables mutual engagement through cross-boundary self-driving.

Southbound Travel for Guangdong Vehicles, Photo source: Xinhua News

Since its implementation half a year ago, the scheme has been operating in a smooth and orderly manner. The numbers of applications and travel bookings have been on the rise. As at end of May 2026, for entry into urban area, around 8 400 applications have been approved, with a total of around 6 700 travel bookings. During the past Labour Day Golden Week of the Mainland, the bookings were oversubscribed by two to three times. As for the "Park & Fly" service of the port carpark, over 8 600 user registration applications have been received, with a total of over 4 000 bookings. These numbers are expected to continue to rise.

Taking into account the port operations, overall road traffic conditions, user feedback and public adaptation, the Guangdong and Hong Kong governments agreed to gradually expand the Southbound Travel Scheme to all of Guangdong Province. As the first step, in the middle of this year, the scheme will be expanded to all the nine Mainland cities of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area (GBA) (i.e. adding Shenzhen, Foshan, Dongguan, Huizhou and Zhaoqing) (new cities); the travel booking quota of entry into urban area will be increased from 100 to 200 vehicles per day (each vehicle shall remain to stay in Hong Kong for up to three days); and the "Park & Visit" service of the port carpark will be launched.

Guangdong and Hong Kong will first allow Guangdong vehicles of the new cities to use the "Park & Fly" service of the port carpark starting from June 15 this year. Guangdong vehicles of the new cities will be allowed to enter Hong Kong via the HZMB and the travel booking quota will be increased starting from July 25, and at the same time the "Park & Visit" service for Guangdong vehicles of all the nine Mainland cities will be launched. Guangdong and Hong Kong will continue to monitor the implementation arrangements, and subject to the implementation situation, target to expand the scheme to all 21 cities in Guangdong Province by the first quarter in 2027.

The Secretary for Transport and Logistics, Ms Mable Chan, expressed her heartfelt gratitude for the staunch support of the Central Government and the Guangdong Provincial Government in jointly taking forward the Southbound Travel Scheme in a prudent manner. "The northbound and southbound travel arrangements have opened up a new model for residents to travel between the two places by self-driving, fostering a new ground for the connectivity within the GBA through the HZMB. The Southbound Travel Scheme has been implemented in a prudent and orderly manner, and has achieved readiness for further gradual expansion. Under the strategies of ensuring safety, an effective diversion, well-equipped supporting facilities, and streamlined application processes, the HKSAR Government will continue to take forward the Southbound Travel Scheme, enabling the inflow of additional tourists from more Mainland cities, including individuals and families with higher purchasing power, to help drive Hong Kong's economic growth, and promote the integrated development of Guangdong and Hong Kong to a new level," Ms Chan said.

Implementation details

The key dates of opening of application, booking, and travel for users of the new cities are as follows:

Entry into urban area

Starting from 9am on June 9

To register for balloting with the Mainland authorities

Starting from 9am on June 29

Successful balloting applicants to submit applications to the Mainland authorities

Starting from 0.00am on July 25

To travel to Hong Kong via the HZMB according to the designated date of the successful booking

Port carparks

"Park & Fly"

Starting from 9am on June 9

To submit booking application

Starting from 0.00am on June 15

After parking at the carpark via the HZMB, travellers to transfer to flight at Hong Kong International Airport

"Park & Visit"*

Starting from 9am on July 16

To submit booking application

Starting from 0.00am on July 25

After parking at the carpark via the HZMB, travellers to go through immigration formalities at the HZMB Passenger Clearance Building and then transfer to local public transportation to travel to various districts in Hong Kong

* The "Park & Visit" service will be made available for all nine Mainland cities in the GBA at the same time.

For information regarding the specific application and travel booking guidelines under the Southbound Travel Scheme, please visit the following websites:

• Guangdong's Southbound Travel for Guangdong Vehicles Information System(Chinese only)(ycnx.singlewindow.gd.cn)
• The Transport Department's dedicated webpage for the Southbound Travel Scheme (www.td.gov.hk/en/public_services/licences_and_permits/southboundtravel/stfgveiua/index.html)
• The dedicated webpage jointly developed by the Insurance Authority and the Hong Kong Federation of Insurers (Chinese only) (sbt.hkfi.org.hk)
• Hong Kong International Airport automated car parks online booking system (autoparking.hkairport.com)

Southbound Travel for Guangdong Vehicles, Photo source: FB@Xinhua HK

DH reminds public to take precautions against heat-related illnesses during very hot weather

The Centre for Health Protection (CHP) of the Department of Health (DH) today (July 23) reminded members of the public to take appropriate precautions against heat-related illnesses, such as heat cramps, heat exhaustion and heat stroke, during very hot weather.

In a high-temperature environment, excessive sweating and difficulty in heat dissipation can cause stress to the body. Members of the public should take the following precautions:

• Hydrate in a timely manner to prevent dehydration;
• Wear light-coloured, loose-fitting and breathable clothing to minimise heat absorption and facilitate perspiration and heat dissipation;
• Keep indoor areas well ventilated and maintain appropriate temperature and humidity, e.g. by opening windows or using a fan or air-conditioning;
• Avoid strenuous exercise and prolonged activities such as hiking or trekking;
• Arrange outdoor activities in the morning or the late afternoon, if possible, and bring enough water; and
• Avoid beverages containing caffeine, such as coffee and tea, as well as alcoholic beverages, which may speed up water loss through the urinary system.

In addition, infants and children, the elderly, pregnant women, individuals with chronic illnesses such as heart disease or high blood pressure, overweight people and outdoor/manual workers are more susceptible to heat stroke. These groups should pay special attention to the following:

• Infants and young children: Avoid going outside when the temperature is high. If they must go outside, adults should ensure they stay in places with moderate temperatures and good ventilation or air-conditioning. Infants and young children should never be left unattended in a confined space such as a vehicle;
• The elderly, pregnant women, individuals with chronic illnesses and overweight people: Pay close attention to health conditions and seek help as soon as possible if experiencing any abnormalities in health indicators such as blood pressure, heart rate, etc or if there are fluctuations in health conditions. Avoid going out when the temperature is high. Make sure there is good ventilation, or turn on a fan or air-conditioner to keep an appropriate temperature indoors. High temperatures can also worsen the condition of people with chronic illnesses (such as cardiovascular and respiratory diseases). Therefore, they should have an ample supply of their usual medication and keep in contact with family members, neighbours and the community. People should seek immediate help if they feel unwell.
• Outdoor/manual workers: Reschedule work to cooler hours as far as feasible. If working in a hot environment is unavoidable, provide shade where practicable and use ventilation and heat dissipation equipment. Once work has begun, gradually adjust the pace of work and take breaks in the shade to regain strength.

The DH reminded the public that heat stroke is one of the most common health risks in hot weather. Over the past five years, there have been over 200 hospital admissions due to heat stroke each year in Hong Kong, with two to five fatal cases occurring mainly during the summer months from May to September. Vulnerable groups are more susceptible to heat stroke. Symptoms include dizziness, headache, nausea, shortness of breath or confusion. In severe cases, patients may suffer from convulsions or become unconscious, which can be life-threatening if they are not cooled down and resuscitated in a timely manner.

Members of the public are also advised to pay attention to the latest weather, as well as the real-time and forecasted ultraviolet (UV) index released by the Hong Kong Observatory (HKO). When the UV index is high (6 or above), the public should note the following:

• Avoid direct sunlight exposure to the skin and the eyes;
• Apply broad-spectrum, water-resistant sunscreen liberally, with a sun protection factor (SPF) of at least 30 or higher, when participating in outdoor activities. Reapply every two hours if staying outdoors for long periods, or after swimming, sweating or towelling off;
• While using DEET-containing insect repellents for personal protection against mosquito-borne diseases, apply sunscreen before insect repellent;
• Seek shade;
• Wear UV-blocking sunglasses;
• Wear loose-fitting clothing with long-sleeves; and
• Wear a wide-brimmed hat or use an umbrella.

If symptoms develop, such as dizziness, headache, nausea, shortness of breath or confusion, rest and seek help immediately, and seek medical advice as soon as possible.

For more health information, the public may visit theCHP's heat strokepage andUV radiation page; the HKO's Dial-a-Weather (1878 200),latestweather report and forecast,UV Indexand weather information forhiking and mountaineering; andpress releasesof the Labour Departmenton precautions against heat stroke for outdoor workers and their employers when the Heat Stress at Work Warning is in force.

Source: AI-found images