The first ferry operated by Chu Kong Passenger Transport Company to set sail after quarantine-free travel resumed between the HKSAR and the Chinese mainland leaves Hong Kong's China Ferry Terminal for Shenzhen Airport Terminal on Jan 8, 2023. (ANDY CHONG / CHINA DAILY)
Cross-boundary public transportation services for visitors were upgraded as quarantine-free travel between the Hong Kong and Shenzhen resumed on Sunday.
The MTR in Hong Kong and the Shenzhen Metro introduced a mutually recognized QR-code-based fare payment system on Jan 8. Passengers using Shenzhen Metro, AlipayHK and Alipay mobile phone applications can pay metro fares both in Shenzhen and Hong Kong. But the service doesn’t cover trams in Shenzhen or light rail and airport express trains in Hong Kong.
The Shenzhen Airport Ferry Terminal on Jan 8 opened a new route to Tsim Sha Tsui and resumed its ferry route to Macao Outer Harbor Ferry Terminal. Shenzhen Baoan International Airport plans to restart the routes to Hong Kong International Airport soon.
Venetia Lee, general manager of Ant Group Greater China International Business, said the company hopes to play a bigger role in building digital infrastructure to enhance connectivity in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area as the demand for travel between the Chinese mainland and the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region increases and cross-boundary activities begin to normalize.
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Besides metro services, other public transportation services like buses and taxis have also resumed normal operations. According to Shenzhen authorities, 5,630 bus passengers used the Lok Ma Chau checkpoint while 9,918 people came in using Shenzhen Bay as of 6 pm on Sunday.
Moreover, the Shenzhen Airport Ferry Terminal on Jan 8 opened a new route to Tsim Sha Tsui and resumed its ferry route to Macao Outer Harbor Ferry Terminal. Shenzhen Baoan International Airport plans to restart the routes to Hong Kong International Airport soon.
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Ferry services between Shekou Cruise Homeport and Hong Kong were also back to normal with about 300 passengers from Hong Kong arriving at the Shekou port yesterday.