Cross-border ticket rush for some Hongkongers as policy allowing those with expired travel permits to enter mainland China takes effect

New policy by Beijing aimed at easing crunch since border between city and rest of country reopened in February after years of pandemic shutdown

Visa issuing offices in city had been flooded with applications before new move extending use of expired permits until end of year

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Counters set up for passengers to use their expired home return permit to buy high-speed rail tickets at the West Kowloon terminus. Photo: Sam Tsang

Published: 11:54am, 8 May 2023Updated: 9:41pm, 8 May 2023

Some Hong Kong residents with expired mainland China travel permits on Monday rushed to make cross-border plans as such bookings opened for the high-speed rail, following Beijing’s earlier announcement that locals could continue to use their old documents until the end of the year.

The West Kowloon terminus in Jordan for the Guangzhou-Shenzhen–Hong Kong Express Rail Link was moderately busy on Monday morning. While most passengers in line were mainland visitors heading home following the May 1 “golden week” holiday, some were locals attempting to buy tickets on the first day of the new measure taking effect.

The MTR Corporation, the city’s rail giant, earlier said it would deploy additional manpower to help passengers at the station during this period.

Among residents eyeing a trip up north was Chan Chi-king, who successfully bought tickets at the station for his entire family to travel to Jiangxi on May 17.

While his own permit was still up to date, his daughter and wife’s documents had expired in 2020.

“I personally came to the station because I wasn’t sure if I’d run into problems buying tickets online,” he said. “We are really glad to be able to head up for my niece’s wedding.”

A staff member guides passengers on using home return permits to buy train tickets. Photo: Sam Tsang

Asked whether he anticipated running into issues across the border with expired passes, he said while he was “a little worried”, he would tackle the problems if and when they came.

Cross-border ticket rush for some Hongkongers as policy allowing those with expired travel permits to enter mainland China takes effect

New policy by Beijing aimed at easing crunch since border between city and rest of country reopened in February after years of pandemic shutdown Visa issuing offices in city had been flooded with applications before new move extending use of expired permits until end of year

New policy by Beijing aimed at easing crunch since border between city and rest of country reopened in February after years of pandemic shutdown

Visa issuing offices in city had been flooded with applications before new move extending use of expired permits until end of year