Hong Kong’s annual Cyclothon returns this Sunday, 11 October, and with it comes an extensive network of road closures and traffic diversions that will affect anyone flying in or out of the city—or catching the high-speed train to the mainland. The Transport Department’s special traffic bulletin issued on 8 October lists phased closures from 1 a.m. covering Lantau Link, Ting Kau Bridge, Cheung Tsing Tunnel, West Kowloon Highway and the Central Kowloon Bypass, among other arteries. Travellers heading to Hong Kong International Airport from the New Territories West will be rerouted via Tsuen Wan Road and Tsing Yi North Coastal Road. Meanwhile, vehicles moving between Kowloon East and West must detour through Kai Tak Tunnel and Gascoigne Road Flyover during the temporary shutdown of the Central Kowloon Bypass. Both tubes of the bypass are scheduled to reopen around 1:15 p.m. Public-transport operators are bracing for delays. Airport bus services will experience longer journey times, and passengers connecting to the Airport Express at Kowloon Station are advised to depart “well in advance.” Rail travellers using West Kowloon Station for the Guangzhou-Shenzhen-Hong Kong Express Rail Link should also plan for congestion around Austin Road. For corporate mobility managers, the key takeaway is contingency planning: reschedule Sunday-morning flights where possible, arrange overnight accommodation near the airport for critical staff, and remind assignees of alternative routes via Tung Chung Line or Tuen Ma Line. Companies with time-sensitive cargo may want to shift shipments a day earlier or use off-peak windows after 2 p.m. Despite the disruption, tourism officials expect the Cyclothon—featuring a 30-kilometre ride over iconic suspension bridges—to draw thousands of overseas cyclists, reinforcing Hong Kong’s image as an events hub. The Transport Department will push live updates via its HKeMobility app and the “iAM Smart” messaging platform.
Source: Hong Kong Transport Department
