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

CFS urges public not to consume batch of imported spread product suspected to be contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes

The Centre for Food Safety (CFS) of the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department today (August 18) urged the public not to consume a batch of spread product imported from France due to possible contamination with Listeria monocytogenes. The trade should stop using or selling the affected batch of the product immediately if they possess it.

The Centre for Food Safety, Photo source: reference image

Product details are as follows:

Product name: Ktipiti Extra Red Pepper & Feta Cheese Spread

Brand: L'atelier Blini

Place of origin: France

Net weight: 175 grams

Batch number: 12262661

Use-by date: August 30, 2026

Importer: City Super Limited

Ktipiti Extra Red Pepper & Feta Cheese Spread, Photo source: online image

"The CFS, through its Food Incident Surveillance System, noted a notification from the Rappel Conso of France that the above-mentioned product is being recalled as it might be contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes due to suspected issue with the cold chain. Upon learning of the incident, the CFS immediately contacted local importers to follow up. A preliminary investigation found that the above-mentioned importer had imported into Hong Kong the affected batch of the product concerned," a spokesman for the CFS said.

As a precautionary measure, the importer concerned has stopped sales and removed from shelves the affected batch of the product and has initiated a recall according to the CFS's instructions. Members of the public may call the importer's hotline at 2736 3866 during office hours for enquiries about the recall.

"Listeria monocytogenes can be easily destroyed by cooking but can survive and multiply at refrigerator temperatures. Most healthy individuals do not develop symptoms or only have mild symptoms such as fever, muscle pain, headache, nausea, vomiting or diarrhoea when infected. However, severe complications such as septicaemia, meningitis or even death may occur in newborns, the elderly and those with a weaker immune system. Although infected pregnant women may just experience mild symptoms generally, the infection of Listeria monocytogenes may cause miscarriage, infant death, preterm birth, or severe infection in newborns," the spokesman added.

"In order to reduce the risk of listeriosis, susceptible populations such as pregnant women should consume freshly prepared hot food where possible, reheat chilled food until it is hot all the way through, and avoid high-risk foods, including ready-to-eat food such as cold cuts, cold smoked seafood, soft cheeses, salads, etc, or cook them thoroughly before consumption, even if they are presented as part of a dish."

The spokesman advised members of the public to stop consuming the affected batch of the product and seek medical treatment if they feel unwell after consuming the product concerned.

The CFS has contacted the French authority over the incident and will continue to follow up on the incident and take appropriate action to safeguard food safety and public health. The investigation is ongoing.

Spread product, Photo source: online image