Travelers walk at Shenzhen Bay Port Hong Kong Port Area on Feb 8, 2020. (PHOTO / AFP)

HONG KONG – To ensure the smooth travel of visitors during the Spring Festival, bus operators will provide additional overnight cross-boundary coach services between downtown Hong Kong and the Shenzhen Bay Port during the holidays, the Transport Department said Thursday.

The department said in a statement that the additional coach services will be made available to travelers since the Shenzhen Bay Port immigration control point will provide a 24-hour passenger clearance service from 6:30 am on Feb 9 to midnight of Feb 14.

New Lantao Bus and Citybus will also operate special overnight routes NB2 (Yuen Long/Tin Shui Wai-Shenzhen Bay Port) and NB3 (Tuen Mun-Shenzhen Bay Port) for commuters, the department said

The additional overnight cross-boundary coach services will cover routes between the city’s urban areas--including Prince Edward, Yau Ma Tei and Wan Chai--and the Shenzhen Bay Port from midnight to 6:30 am from Feb 10 to Feb 14.

New Lantao Bus and Citybus will also operate special overnight routes NB2 (Yuen Long/Tin Shui Wai-Shenzhen Bay Port) and NB3 (Tuen Mun-Shenzhen Bay Port) for commuters, the department said.

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"The government encourages visitors to carefully plan their itinerary, which includes considering an overnight stay in Hong Kong and avoiding departure via land boundary control points in the small hours, to enjoy a more diversified travel experience in Hong Kong," said a TD spokesperson.

With the Lok Ma Chau control point maintaining open 24 hours, short-haul cross-boundary coach routes between Hong Kong’s urban areas--including Prince Edward, Jordan, Wan Chai and Kwun Tong--and Huanggang Port, as well as the Yellow Bus plying between Lok Ma Chau (San Tin) Public Transport Interchange and Lok Ma Chau/Huanggang Port will enhance services.

The terminus of the short-haul cross-boundary coach route plying between Jordan and Huanggang Port at the Austin Road Cross Boundary Coach Terminus will temporarily be relocated to the coach pick-up and drop-off area at Wui Man Road outside Hong Kong West Kowloon Station from 8 pm to midnight on Feb 10 and Feb 11.

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On the other hand, the terminus of the short-haul cross-boundary coach route plying between Wan Chai and Huanggang Port at Exhibition Station Public Transport Interchange will temporarily be relocated to Hennessy Road (Westbound) near Southorn Centre from 4:30 pm on Feb 11 until the reopening of the roads.