Hong Kong’s latest attempt to deepen Greater Bay Area integration is already proving popular. Transport Secretary Mable Chan revealed that, in the first eight weeks of the Southbound Travel for Guangdong Vehicles (Entry into Urban Area) pilot, about 600 private cars from neighbouring Guangdong province have driven into Hong Kong’s urban areas, most of them during the Lunar New Year golden-week break. The city has so far received some 3,000 applications and 1,700 confirmed bookings for the scheme, which is presently capped at 100 vehicles per day.(scmp.com)
Launched on 28 December 2025, the programme allows approved Mainland motorists to enter via the Hong Kong–Zhuhai–Macau Bridge and remain for up to three days without having to buy Hong Kong third-party insurance in advance; cover is automatically arranged and charged online when the permit is issued. Applicants must hold a Mainland driving licence, a Home Return Permit and proof of at least one year’s safe-driving record, while their vehicles must meet Euro 5 emission standards or above. Authorities say a separate lane at the bridge checkpoint and the city-wide adoption of electronic vehicle permits have kept clearance times to about ten minutes.(scmp.com)
Motorists navigating the permit process can streamline their paperwork through VisaHQ, which provides fast, bilingual assistance for Hong Kong entry documents and vehicle permissions. The Hong Kong portal (https://www.visahq.com/hong-kong/) offers step-by-step guidance and real-time tracking, making it easier for both corporate mobility teams and individual travellers to secure the necessary approvals.
![Guangdong motorists flock to Hong Kong under new Southbound Travel scheme]()
Business groups such as the Chinese General Chamber of Commerce welcome the move, noting that the vast majority of Guangdong’s 127,000 cross-border business travellers currently rely on shuttle buses or freight trucks. Being able to drive directly into Hong Kong’s industrial parks and logistics hubs cuts transit times by up to 90 minutes and enables firms to transport samples, high-value components and executives more flexibly. Hotel chains in Kowloon East report a 15 per cent rise in Mainland self-drive bookings over the holiday period, indicating early tourism spill-overs.
For now, quotas are still tight at weekends and public holidays. Chan said the Transport and Logistics Bureau will “consolidate operational data for at least three months” before deciding whether to raise the daily cap or extend the stay period. The Administration also intends to launch a mirror northbound scheme that would allow Hong Kong cars to drive into Guangdong’s urban areas, potentially as early as Q3 2026, once discussions on insurance reciprocity and vehicle-inspection exemptions are concluded.
Companies with frequent cross-border movements should prepare compliance check-lists for Mainland drivers, including Hong Kong road-sign differences and local parking rules. HR and mobility managers are also advised to monitor any future quota-adjustment announcements and to book slots well in advance for peak seasons such as Golden Week and Christmas.
Launched on 28 December 2025, the programme allows approved Mainland motorists to enter via the Hong Kong–Zhuhai–Macau Bridge and remain for up to three days without having to buy Hong Kong third-party insurance in advance; cover is automatically arranged and charged online when the permit is issued. Applicants must hold a Mainland driving licence, a Home Return Permit and proof of at least one year’s safe-driving record, while their vehicles must meet Euro 5 emission standards or above. Authorities say a separate lane at the bridge checkpoint and the city-wide adoption of electronic vehicle permits have kept clearance times to about ten minutes.(scmp.com)
Motorists navigating the permit process can streamline their paperwork through VisaHQ, which provides fast, bilingual assistance for Hong Kong entry documents and vehicle permissions. The Hong Kong portal (https://www.visahq.com/hong-kong/) offers step-by-step guidance and real-time tracking, making it easier for both corporate mobility teams and individual travellers to secure the necessary approvals.
Business groups such as the Chinese General Chamber of Commerce welcome the move, noting that the vast majority of Guangdong’s 127,000 cross-border business travellers currently rely on shuttle buses or freight trucks. Being able to drive directly into Hong Kong’s industrial parks and logistics hubs cuts transit times by up to 90 minutes and enables firms to transport samples, high-value components and executives more flexibly. Hotel chains in Kowloon East report a 15 per cent rise in Mainland self-drive bookings over the holiday period, indicating early tourism spill-overs.
For now, quotas are still tight at weekends and public holidays. Chan said the Transport and Logistics Bureau will “consolidate operational data for at least three months” before deciding whether to raise the daily cap or extend the stay period. The Administration also intends to launch a mirror northbound scheme that would allow Hong Kong cars to drive into Guangdong’s urban areas, potentially as early as Q3 2026, once discussions on insurance reciprocity and vehicle-inspection exemptions are concluded.
Companies with frequent cross-border movements should prepare compliance check-lists for Mainland drivers, including Hong Kong road-sign differences and local parking rules. HR and mobility managers are also advised to monitor any future quota-adjustment announcements and to book slots well in advance for peak seasons such as Golden Week and Christmas.
