Hong Kong will enhance public transportation services and conduct road closures and traffic diversions on Tuesday and Wednesday — Christmas Eve and Christmas Day — to minimize congestion and delays.
Residents are urged to use public transport during the holidays and to keep informed about traffic control measures through radio, TV and passenger notices displayed by public transport operators to avoid disruptions.
Hong Kong has prepared celebratory events for residents and visitors to enjoy during the Christmas and New Year holidays, and the special administrative region's government forecasts that around 13.07 million passengers will pass through the city's checkpoints from Dec 21 to Jan 1.
The government estimates that the number of outbound travelers using land boundary control points will peak on Wednesday, and the summit of inbound passengers will be on Sunday.
At a news conference on Monday, police revealed their plan to close roads in phases in Central's Lan Kwai Fong nightlife hot spot, Tsim Sha Tsui, and the West Kowloon Cultural District, from Tuesday afternoon to tackle the expected surge in holiday crowds.
The closures will temporarily suspend certain bus stops, including Tsim Sha Tsui East (Mody Road) Bus Terminus, the Star Ferry Bus Terminus, and the China Ferry Terminal Bus Terminus. Affected buses and green minibusses will be rerouted or halted.
The MTR Corp will increase train services on all lines except the Airport Express and the Disneyland Resort Line from 3 pm on Tuesday.
Most of the MTR lines and some Light Rail routes will offer overnight services on Tuesday, apart from the Airport Express, the Disneyland Resort Line, and the East Rail Line section between Sheung Shui and Lok Ma Chau or Lo Wu.
Three special bus routes, N64P, N243, and N272 — of Kowloon Motor Bus — will operate in the small hours of Wednesday to transport people returning home. Many bus routes across the city and the tram will extend their service hours on Tuesday.
The operating hours of the Central to Mid-Levels Escalator and Walkway System on Tuesday and Wednesday will be extended to 1 am on the following day.
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