After years of discussion, the opening date of the new Huanggang Port has finally been confirmed. The Security Bureau of the Hong Kong SAR Government and the Port Office of the Shenzhen Municipal People's Government issued a joint announcement on 9 October 2026: following consultation between the Guangdong and Hong Kong governments, Huanggang Port is set to officially open at 6:30 am on 12 October 2026, providing 24-hour clearance services for passengers and passenger vehicles; at the same time, passenger clearance services at the temporary passenger terminal of the old Shenzhen Huanggang Port and the Hong Kong Lok Ma Chau Control Point will be suspended. The opening ceremony was held on the morning of 11 October in the Shenzhen side port area.
For Hong Kong residents who frequently head to Shenzhen, the biggest significance of the new Huanggang Port is: 24 hours, co-location, 5-minute clearance, and you can take a bus directly into the port interchange — no more transferring to the "Huang Bus".
Officially confirmed: opening 12 October at 6:30, 24-hour operation
The new port redevelopment project covers a site area of about 87,500 square metres and a total gross floor area of 689,700 square metres (of which the Hong Kong side port area is about 250,000 square metres), equivalent to about 97 standard football pitches — currently the largest single modern land port in the world. Both sides have completed system testing, trial runs and emergency drills, confirming that conditions for opening are met. The designed daily clearance flow rises from about 40,000 passengers at the old port to 200,000 passengers, and at peak times it can handle 300,000 passengers and 15,000 cross-boundary passenger vehicles.
Special arrangements on opening day (12 October)
- From 4:45 am, 5 cross-boundary bus routes (B10, B11, B12, B13, B14) and 3 green minibus routes (44B, 44B1, 78) depart successively from urban termini; opening day falls on a Monday, so Citybus B15 (weekends and public holidays only) will not operate.
- After the new port opens at 6:30, the first franchised buses and green minibuses from the new Huanggang Port to the urban area depart at about 6:45.
- The temporary passenger terminal of the old Huanggang Port and the Hong Kong Lok Ma Chau Control Point stop passenger clearance services from 6:30 the same day; the last Huang Bus departs from the San Tin Public Transport Interchange between 6:15 and 6:20.
- The port continues to operate a restricted-area management system, with entry limited to designated public transport vehicles; there is no private car park and no ride-hailing pick-up/drop-off area within the port area, so drivers should take note.
- After private cars reach the L1 drop-off area, ordinary departing passengers must take all their luggage and get off to complete departure procedures on the 1M level; passengers aged 70 or above, children under 7, pregnant women and people with reduced mobility are exempt from alighting and can use the "joint one-stop" manual lane.
Four major upgrades at the new port
For vehicles, the port has 28 "five-in-one" vehicle joint inspection channels, the first time the regulatory processes of five authorities — Shenzhen Customs, Shenzhen Border Inspection, the Hong Kong Immigration Department, the Hong Kong Department of Health and Hong Kong Customs — have been integrated into a single set of equipment; the channels use three-gate smart linkage, and drivers submit documents, complete temperature checks and collect biometric data in one go via the in-vehicle "information collection all-in-one machine", cutting vehicle inspection time from the traditional roughly 10 minutes to about 2 minutes. For passengers, the arrival passenger clearance hall has 134 "joint inspection" self-service channels and 68 manual channels, all equipped with infrared temperature screening and smart health declaration devices.
| Item | New Huanggang Port |
|---|---|
| Clearance mode | Co-location, joint inspection with single release (queue once, tap your document once) |
| Clearance time | Cut from about 30 minutes now to about 5 minutes |
| Designed daily passenger flow | Raised from about 40,000 to about 200,000 passengers |
| Number of channels | 134 "joint inspection" self-service channels + 68 traditional manual counters |
Clearance process: three gates, face recognition for ages 14 and over only
The new port uses the "joint inspection, single release" model. When using self-service channels, passengers pass through three gates: the first gate "reads the document" or "scans the face" to confirm eligibility; the second gate collects facial features and fingerprints; the third gate verifies identity and completes both sides' immigration checks at the same time. Face recognition mode is limited to people aged 14 or above — those travelling with children must use the traditional manual counters.
7 franchised bus routes (from $10.5)
| Route | Operator | Destination | Fare |
|---|---|---|---|
| B10 | KMB | Kwai Chui Estate (via Tai Lam Tunnel Interchange, Tsing Yi, Kwai Fong) | $12.1 |
| B11 | KMB | Tin Fu (via San Tin, Yuen Long town centre, Tin Shui Wai) | $10.5 |
| B12 | NLB | Wu Kai Sha Station (via Tai Po, Science Park, Ma On Shan) | $21.0 |
| B13 | Citybus | Siu Sai Wan (Island Resort) (via North Point, Sai Wan Ho, Chai Wan) | $27.6 |
| B14 | Citybus | Kai Tak Olympic Avenue (peak hours only) | $20.8 |
| B15 | Citybus | Castle Peak Bay (via Hung Shui Kiu, Tuen Mun town centre; holidays only) | $15.5 |
| NB73 | KMB | Sha Tin town centre (overnight route, via Sheung Shui Station, Tai Po) | $22.6 |
Among them, B13 is the first bus route running directly from eastern Hong Kong Island to Huanggang, with boarding points at North Point, Sai Wan Ho and Chai Wan; B11 has the cheapest fare — just $10.5 for a direct ride from Tin Shui Wai or Yuen Long to the port. Secretary for Transport and Logistics Mable Chan said the journey from the new Huanggang Port to the Tai Lam Tunnel Interchange takes about 25 minutes, and she believes it will become an important interchange hub.
6 green minibus routes (cheapest $9.7)
| Route | Service hours | Destination | Fare |
|---|---|---|---|
| 44B | Daytime | Tuen Mun Station | $15.7 |
| 44B1 | Daytime | Tuen Mun Ferry Pier | $15.7 |
| 78 | Daytime | Pat Heung Road (near Tai Lam Tunnel) | $9.7 |
| 79S | Overnight | Tin Shui Wai (Chun Wang Court) | $14.6 |
| N44B | Overnight | Tuen Mun Ferry Pier | $15.7 (early hours $21.7) |
| 616S | Overnight | Mong Kok | $28.5 |
Route 78 minibus is the cheapest option of all public transport. Currently, going from Pat Heung Road to Huanggang requires taking route 78 to San Tin first, then transferring to the "Huang Bus", costing about $19.7 one way; in future, a direct single journey will cost just $9.7 — nearly half the price.
Huang Bus retires, taxis can drive straight in
The new port allows vehicles to drive directly into the public transport interchange inside the joint inspection building, so the long-serving "Lok Ma Chau–Huanggang cross-boundary shuttle bus (Huang Bus)" will officially retire. Urban taxis (red) and New Territories taxis (green) can both drive directly into the interchange in the Hong Kong side port area; there is a fleet taxi stand inside the port, and you can scan a QR code after alighting to book a taxi.
After clearance: direct connection to Shenzhen Metro Line 7
The basement of the new port's joint inspection building will connect seamlessly to Shenzhen Metro Line 7; the Guangzhou–Dongguan–Shenzhen intercity railway (airport front section), expected to open by the end of the year, will also have a station at Huanggang, allowing direct travel from Huanggang to Qianhai, Nanshan, Bao'an Airport, and even Dongguan and Guangzhou. Once the MTR Northern Link spur line opens, authorities expect daily passenger flow to rise further to 300,000.
What's still undecided? Extended port opening hours under study
Beyond the new Huanggang Port, Hong Kong's first "five-year plan" proposes seeking to extend land port opening hours. Tang Ping-keung noted that Shenzhen Bay Port currently offers 24-hour clearance only on special days such as New Year's Eve, and the two sides are studying room to expand the arrangement; as for the Liantang/Heung Yuen Wai Port, which currently operates from 07:00 to 22:00, there are public calls for earlier opening to help cross-boundary students, or for extended service hours, and Hong Kong and Shenzhen will continue discussions.
How is it different from the current Lok Ma Chau/Huanggang Port?
Currently, crossing via Huanggang from Hong Kong means taking a bus to Lok Ma Chau (San Tin) first, then transferring to the "Huang Bus" to enter the Shenzhen side — the whole journey involves queuing twice and one transfer. With co-location at the new port, passengers only need to queue once and tap their document once in the same joint inspection building to complete both sides' procedures, cutting clearance time from about 30 minutes to about 5 minutes, and buses drive directly into the port interchange so you step off right at the building. For daily cross-boundary commuters, or those rushing to Shenzhen for a weekend meal, what's saved is not just time but also the effort of transferring.
What to note for overnight clearance?
The new port operates 24 hours, but that doesn't mean all connecting transport runs overnight: of the 7 franchised bus routes, only NB73 is an overnight route, and among green minibuses only 79S, N44B and 616S run overnight — after the other routes stop, you'll have to rely on taxis or ride-hailing. For overnight clearance, it's advisable to check the last departure time of each route first, or scan the QR code at the port to book a fleet taxi.
FAQ
When does the new Huanggang Port officially open?
The Policy Address said the fourth quarter of this year, and some reports suggest a target of as early as 12 October, but this is not officially confirmed — the actual date is subject to government announcement.
Is the new port open 24 hours?
Yes. The new Huanggang Port is positioned as the only 24-hour, passenger-only land port between Hong Kong and Shenzhen, and offers 5 short-haul cross-boundary bus services running 24 hours.
How do I get to the new Huanggang Port from eastern Hong Kong Island?
You can take Citybus route B13, departing from Siu Sai Wan and passing through North Point, Sai Wan Ho and Chai Wan, with a fare of $27.6.
Can children use the self-service face recognition channels?
Face recognition mode is limited to people aged 14 or above; those under 14 must use the traditional manual counters.
Routes, fares and the opening date are subject to the latest announcements by the Transport Department and the respective port operators.
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