Hong Kong’s Secretary for Transport and Logistics Mable Chan announced on Saturday, 19 September 2026, a raft of initiatives aimed at making it quicker and easier for people and vehicles to move between Hong Kong and the rest of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area (GBA). Speaking at a media briefing, Chan confirmed that the Government will expand both the “Northbound Travel for Hong Kong Vehicles” and the reciprocal “Southbound Travel for Guangdong Vehicles” schemes. Applications for northbound private-car permits have already exceeded 21 000 since the programme’s launch last year. Chan said an online quota-top-up mechanism will go live next month so that business users whose permits are close to expiry can renew without the current eight-week wait. For maritime leisure traffic, the Marine Department and the Guangdong Maritime Safety Administration will sign two working arrangements in early October to allow Guangdong-registered yachts to sail directly into Hong Kong waters under simplified filing rules. Captains will soon be able to sit the required knowledge test at examination centres in Nansha instead of travelling to Hong Kong, while Hong Kong yachts will be given greater flexibility to anchor at six designated sites rather than being confined to fixed marinas. Rail connectivity is also being accelerated. Chan revealed that construction of the Northern Link spur connecting San Tin to Shenzhen’s Huanggang Port has been given final approval and is now slated to open in 2034, while the Hung Shui Kiu–Qianhai section of the Hong Kong–Shenzhen Western Rail Link is expected in 2035. A preliminary study on extending that western corridor southwards toward West Kowloon will be published next year. Analysts say the package shows Hong Kong doubling down on its ambition to become the “super-connector” for talent and capital flows within the GBA. For corporate mobility managers the big takeaway is shorter door-to-door journey times: northbound car permit-holders will soon be able to drive straight to Guangdong factories without changing vehicles, while expatriate yacht owners will have a legal pathway for weekend trips up the Pearl River estuary. Rail improvements promise faster commutes for cross-border staff once the new lines open. Companies are advised to monitor permit-renewal windows and to update cross-border insurance policies in line with the new schemes.
Source: RTHK
