Quarantine-free cross-border travel resumes after three years

HONG KONG - Hong Kong's four border control points at Lok Ma Chau, Man Kam To, the Hong Kong-Macao Ferry Terminal in Sheung Wan and China Ferry Terminal in Tsim Sha Tsui saw thousands of travelers converging in the early morning of Sunday to cross over to the mainland without the need to quarantine for the first time in three years.

Thousands were already waiting when the Lok Ma Chau point opened for service at 6:30 am and when the first batch of visitors from mainland crossed over to Hong Kong at Futian Port in Shenzhen, the two-way flow had firmly established that three years of separation was definitely a thing of the past now.

The Lok Ma Chau Spur Line Control Point opened on Sunday for the first time since February 2020.

Starting Sunday, 60,000 people a day will be allowed to travel each way between Hong Kong and the mainland via seven border ports.

The passengers will not be subject to quarantine, but need to provide a negative COVID-19 test result taken within 48 hours.

From 9 am on Friday, mainland residents were able to make reservations for entering Hong Kong through an online booking system operated by the Shenzhen authorities. Each reservation allowed for up to four travelers.