The Mid-Autumn Festival main day falls on September 25 (Friday), while the National Day holiday runs from October 1 to 7. The Shenzhen port authorities released their latest passenger flow forecast on September 16. This article skips the guesswork and helps you pick your checkpoint and departure time based on official figures.
In one sentence: over the three-day Mid-Autumn period, Luohu Port is the most crowded (about 240,000 passengers per day on average), and the National Day peak falls on October 3 (Saturday), with a projected 983,800 two-way passenger trips in a single day. If you want a bit more breathing room, Shenzhen Bay Port is the least busy of the big three.
1. The Three Mid-Autumn Days: How Many People Each Port Expects
For the Mid-Autumn Festival holiday, the Shenzhen port authorities expect Luohu Port, Futian Port and Shenzhen Bay Port to remain travellers' top choices for crossing:
| Port | Average daily passenger flow during Mid-Autumn | Location and connections |
|---|---|---|
| Luohu Port | About 240,000 trips | Renmin South Road, Luohu District, next to Shenzhen Railway Station; directly above MTR East Rail Line Lo Wu Station, and once you clear customs you connect to Shenzhen Metro Line 1 Luohu Station |
| Futian Port | About 210,000 trips | Yuheng Road, Futian District; connects with MTR East Rail Line Lok Ma Chau Station, and on the Shenzhen side links to Line 4 and Line 10 Futian Checkpoint Station |
| Shenzhen Bay Port | About 180,000 trips | Dongbin Road, Nanshan District; on the Shenzhen side connects to Line 13 Shenzhen Bay Checkpoint Station, mainly served by cross-border buses and taxis |
Note that the three ports have different opening hours, and these may be adjusted temporarily during the holiday. Check the official announcements before you set off (our other article, "Shenzhen Border Crossing Guide 2026 Mid-Autumn and National Day", has the full timetable for all eight ports).
2. The Seven National Day Days: October 3 Is the Two-Way Peak
During the National Day holiday (October 1 to 7), Shenzhen's land ports are expected to handle an average of 870,700 passenger trips per day. The day-by-day forecast is as follows:
| Date | Forecast passenger flow | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| October 1 (Thu) | 845,000 trips | National Day itself, outbound travel concentrated in the morning |
| October 2 (Fri) | 846,800 trips | — |
| October 3 (Sat) | 983,800 trips | Two-way passenger peak, busiest of the seven days |
| October 4 (Sun) | 938,000 trips | Second peak |
| October 5 (Mon) | 869,400 trips | — |
| October 6 (Tue) | 748,400 trips | Quietest of the seven days |
| October 7 (Wed) | 863,200 trips | Return-trip peak, busiest from afternoon to evening |
Broken down by port, during National Day Luohu Port averages about 240,000 trips per day, Futian Port about 210,000, and Shenzhen Bay Port about 160,000 — Shenzhen Bay is 20,000 fewer than at Mid-Autumn, making it the easiest of the big three to navigate.
3. 26 Extra High-Speed Rail Services: 13 a Day from West Kowloon to Futian
To handle the holiday crowds, the Hong Kong West Kowloon high-speed rail (Hong Kong section) will run additional temporary trains:
- Hong Kong West Kowloon Station → Futian Station: on September 25, 26 and October 1 to 4, extra services G5834, G5836, G5838, G5840, G5842, G5844, G5846, G5848, G5850, G5852, G5854, G5856 and G5868 — 13 in total; on September 27, extra service G5866
- Hong Kong West Kowloon Station → Shenzhen North Station: on September 27, extra service G5680
- Futian Station → Hong Kong West Kowloon Station: on September 25, 26 and October 1 to 4, extra services G5833, G5835, G5837, G5839, G5841, G5843, G5845, G5847, G5849, G5851, G5853, G5855 and G5867; on September 27, extra service G5865
- Shenzhen North Station → Hong Kong West Kowloon Station: on September 27, extra service G5679
West Kowloon to Futian takes only about 14 minutes, making it the most sought-after short-haul service during the holiday. Extra trains are booked just like regular services on 12306 or the high-speed rail app, with fares based on the class you choose and no surcharge; book at least 3 to 5 days ahead.
4. Beating the Peak: The Best Times to Cross
Officials have not published hourly passenger figures, but based on past holiday patterns, the outbound peak usually falls between 08:30–11:30, while the inbound (return to Hong Kong) peak is 16:00–21:00; the evening of Mid-Autumn main day, September 25, and all of October 3 are the busiest. The times below are for reference only — go by what you see on the ground.
- To dodge the crowds: cross before 7am or after 9pm; Shenzhen Bay Port sees relatively fewer people
- Check your documents first: the validity of your Home Return Permit / endorsement and whether your electronic Exit-Entry Permit for Travelling to and from Hong Kong and Macao has expired — the port authorities specifically remind travellers to check before the holiday, as same-day processing is not possible once expired
- Travelling with elderly relatives or children: use the manual inspection lanes rather than squeezing through the self-service gates
- Mid-Autumn main day, September 25: Hong Kong Light Rail is free to ride that day (the "Huatai Light Rail Ding Ding Lok" event organised by Huatai International together with the Strive and Rise Programme), so you can save on transfers around Tuen Mun and Yuen Long
5. After You Cross: Same-Day Itineraries Near the Three Ports
If you don't want a long journey after clearing customs, the exit areas around the three ports are enough for a full day out:
| Port | Same-day itinerary from the exit area |
|---|---|
| Luohu Port | Dongmen Pedestrian Street (Metro Line 1 Laojie Station) for street food and lunch, then head to Guomao SPRING for exhibitions and shopping |
| Futian Port | Two stops on Line 4 to Convention and Exhibition Center: the newly opened Elephant Supermarket at Link CentralWalk, Huangting Plaza and COCO Park, all along one route |
| Shenzhen Bay Port | Line 13 straight into Nanshan: Coastal City, Shenzhen Bay MixC and Talent Park, all by metro with no transfers |
6. FAQ: What Hongkongers Ask Most
Is October 3 really the busiest? Should I change my dates?
Officials forecast 983,800 two-way passenger trips on October 3, the highest of the seven days. If your plans are flexible, switching to October 6 (forecast 748,400 trips) will be much easier — a difference of more than 230,000 trips between the two days.
Which of the three ports is least crowded?
Based on the forecasts, Shenzhen Bay Port averages about 160,000 trips per day during National Day, a third fewer than Luohu. However, after crossing at Shenzhen Bay you mainly rely on Line 13 and buses, so if your destination is around Luohu or Futian it's actually out of the way — not worth the detour just to avoid crowds.
Do the extra high-speed rail services cost more?
No. Extra trains count as regular services, with fares calculated by class — just book on 12306 or the high-speed rail app.
Are Liantang / Heung Yuen Wai Port crowded?
The ports specifically named in this official forecast are Luohu, Futian and Shenzhen Bay; Liantang / Heung Yuen Wai is generally less busy than Luohu, but the MTR doesn't reach it, so you'll need to transfer to a bus — factor in the connection time yourself.
Practical Tips
- Outbound crowds surge early on the day before the holiday (September 24 and September 30) in the evening, so don't assume "the main day is when it gets busy"
- If you're driving to Shenzhen Bay Port yourself, the public car park will be full during the holiday, so arrive early; car park charges are subject to the operator's official announcements
- On your return day, set off 3 hours early — the afternoon and evening of October 7 are the return peak
- Exchange rates for RMB near the ports are usually poor, so change money in Hong Kong beforehand or use electronic payment
The figures in this article come from the passenger flow forecast published by the Shenzhen port authorities on September 16, 2026. Actual port operations and extra train schedules may be adjusted — please refer to the latest official announcements before you travel.
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