Hong Kong extends Shenzhen Bay crossing hours for Halloween weekend
Hong Kong will extend Shenzhen Bay Port customs clearance by two hours on 30 and 31 October to ease Halloween weekend traffic. The measure, coordinated with Shenzhen authorities, aims to divert late-night travellers from the 24-hour Huanggang crossing.
The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region government has announced extended operating hours at the Shenzhen Bay Port for the Halloween weekend, in coordination with Shenzhen authorities. Passenger and private-vehicle customs clearance will run until 2am on 31 October and 1 November, instead of the usual midnight closure, to ease pressure on the 24-hour Huanggang Port.
The measure responds to expected surges in late-night cross-border travel due to several major events in Hong Kong, including the Hong Kong Wine and Gourmet Festival and large-scale concerts, many ending around midnight. The government forecasts that the busiest period at Huanggang and the New Territories roads will be from 11pm to 2am each night.
To manage traffic flows, cross-border private cars holding Shenzhen Bay Port closed-road permits must use that port during the extended hours (midnight to 2am). Permits for Huanggang and other checkpoints—Man Kam To, Sha Tau Kok and Heung Yuen Tsui—remain valid for Huanggang during those hours. Cross-border bus operators have also extended northbound services from popular city stops such as Causeway Bay, Wan Chai, Central, Tsim Sha Tsui and Mong Kok.
For local public transport, two special overnight bus routes—NB2 and NB3—will run between Shenzhen Bay Port and Yuen Long/Tin Shui Wai and Tuen Mun during the extended hours. Travellers can use the Security Bureau's 'Port Pass' one-stop information platform and the Transport Department's 'Hong Kong Mobility' app to check real-time waiting times and traffic images at land border crossings.
A forward command post at Huanggang Port, the Security Bureau's emergency monitoring and support centre, and the Transport Department's emergency traffic coordination centre will operate over the weekend. They will monitor customs clearance, pedestrian and vehicle flows, and road conditions, issuing timely updates.
A government spokesperson said: 'This special arrangement to extend Shenzhen Bay Port clearance helps divert late-night cross-border traffic and facilitates travel between the two places. It relies on full support from Shenzhen authorities and reflects the close collaboration between Hong Kong and Shenzhen, as well as the high priority placed on convenient cross-border travel for residents and tourists.'
