At 00:00 on 23 December, the long-awaited ‘Southbound Travel for Guangdong Vehicles’ (STGV) pilot went live, allowing selected private cars from Guangzhou, Zhuhai, Zhongshan and Jiangmen to venture beyond the Hong Kong–Zhuhai–Macao Bridge (HZMB) port and onto the SAR’s road network for the first time. The debut daily quota is deliberately small—100 vehicles a day, each permitted a three-day stay—to let officials monitor congestion, safety and insurance data before a wider roll-out.
Drivers had to win a computer ballot earlier this month, pass a 15-point inspection on the mainland, install an HKSAR ‘FT’ licence plate, purchase Hong Kong third-party insurance and register an HKeToll account for automatic tunnel payments. All documents are issued electronically, and border officials on both sides run fully digital checks to keep bridge processing times below ten minutes.
Need help coordinating all the paperwork that can accompany a cross-boundary drive? VisaHQ’s Hong Kong team (https://www.visahq.com/hong-kong/) streamlines everything from SAR entry visas for accompanying colleagues to expedited document legalisation, dovetailing neatly with the STGV permit process so travellers can focus on business instead of bureaucracy.
![Southbound Travel pilot lets Guangdong private cars drive into downtown Hong Kong]()
Business groups have hailed the scheme as a breakthrough for Greater Bay Area mobility. Mainland executives attending meetings or trade fairs in Central previously relied on chauffeurs or cross-boundary coaches; the ability to self-drive could shave hours off a round trip and let travellers carry product samples not permitted on public transport. Retailers in the New Territories also expect a sales bump, with government economists estimating each car party could inject HK$6,000–HK$9,000 per visit.
For now, weekday commuter use is minimal, but chambers of commerce are already lobbying for an increased quota and an expansion to the remaining seven Guangdong cities by mid-2026 if the pilot runs smoothly. Transport planners will be watching closely for knock-on effects at sensitive choke points such as the Cross-Harbour Tunnel and the busy Kowloon Tong interchange.
Companies that intend to use the scheme should ensure that the named permit holder matches the driver at the border, book tunnel slots early and remind staff that hazardous goods are prohibited even in private cars.
Drivers had to win a computer ballot earlier this month, pass a 15-point inspection on the mainland, install an HKSAR ‘FT’ licence plate, purchase Hong Kong third-party insurance and register an HKeToll account for automatic tunnel payments. All documents are issued electronically, and border officials on both sides run fully digital checks to keep bridge processing times below ten minutes.
Need help coordinating all the paperwork that can accompany a cross-boundary drive? VisaHQ’s Hong Kong team (https://www.visahq.com/hong-kong/) streamlines everything from SAR entry visas for accompanying colleagues to expedited document legalisation, dovetailing neatly with the STGV permit process so travellers can focus on business instead of bureaucracy.
Business groups have hailed the scheme as a breakthrough for Greater Bay Area mobility. Mainland executives attending meetings or trade fairs in Central previously relied on chauffeurs or cross-boundary coaches; the ability to self-drive could shave hours off a round trip and let travellers carry product samples not permitted on public transport. Retailers in the New Territories also expect a sales bump, with government economists estimating each car party could inject HK$6,000–HK$9,000 per visit.
For now, weekday commuter use is minimal, but chambers of commerce are already lobbying for an increased quota and an expansion to the remaining seven Guangdong cities by mid-2026 if the pilot runs smoothly. Transport planners will be watching closely for knock-on effects at sensitive choke points such as the Cross-Harbour Tunnel and the busy Kowloon Tong interchange.
Companies that intend to use the scheme should ensure that the named permit holder matches the driver at the border, book tunnel slots early and remind staff that hazardous goods are prohibited even in private cars.
