- Around 9.5 million of the trips will be land border crossings, while another 1.5 million are expected by air and sea
- MTR will boost services on most of its lines over the break; company also estimates larger crowds generated by the Art@Harbour initiative
Hong Kong is bracing for 11 million trips back and forth across the border for Easter break and the Ching Ming Festival. Photo: May TseHong Kong residents and visitors are estimated to make 11 million inward and outbound trips over the Easter weekend and the Ching Ming Festival, with the city’s Immigration Department expecting numbers to peak on Good Friday.
The department said on Monday, after discussions with mainland Chinese counterparts, that they anticipate about 9.5 million trips will be made through land checkpoints between Thursday and April 7.
About 1.5 million more people are expected to depart or arrive by land and sea.
Officials said the number of outbound people using land border checkpoints would account for 601,000 trips on Friday and 589,000 inbound journeys next Monday as Hongkongers returned.
The department said it expected heavy traffic, with about 207,000 people using the Lo Wu crossing, 169,000 at Lok Ma Chau Spur Line and 143,000 at the Hong Kong-Zhuhai- Macau Bridge.
Easter Sunday falls on March 31 this year and the Ching Ming Festival, the ancient traditional Chinese tomb-sweeping day to honour ancestors, is on April 4.
Where to travel in 2024 – and where to avoid
A total of 2.7 million residents left Hong Kong last year and about 760,000 visitors came to the city.
Department figures showed about 580,000 of inbound travellers – 76.5 per cent – were from the mainland.
Train operator the MTR Corporation will boost services on most of its lines over the break, including the Island, Tsuen Wan, South Island and Disneyland Resort routes, at peak times, with 300 extra train trips scheduled to cope with demand.
The company said it would also increase services in support of the government’s Art@Harbour initiative, a festival designed to attract visitors from around the world.
“Train frequency on the Island line and Tsuen Wan line will be increased during the evening and at night to provide convenient access to the Central harbourfront for citizens and tourists to enjoy illuminated art installations and participate in various art and cultural activities during the holidays,” it said.
The Hong Kong Tourism Board has predicted 46 million people will visit Hong Kong in 2024, 35 per cent more than last year, but still only 70 per cent of the 65 million who flocked to the city in 2018.