Southbound Travel for Guangdong Vehicles will initially be open to applications from Guangzhou, Zhuhai, Zhongshan, and Jiangmen in Guangdong Province and approved Guangdong vehicles will enter Hong Kong from December 23.

Chief Executive John Lee expressed gratitude for the staunch support of the central government and the Guangdong Provincial Government in jointly taking forward and realising the Southbound Travel Scheme.

He noted that the Southbound Travel Scheme and Northbound Travel for Hong Kong Vehicles complement each other and are important measures to promote the integrated development of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area (GBA), facilitating mutual engagement between residents of Guangdong and Hong Kong.

Mr Lee highlighted that the Southbound Travel Scheme will also achieve a higher level of mutual flow of people and goods and even open up a new model for Mainland residents to visit Hong Kong, which in turn brings opportunities to such sectors as tourism, retail, and catering in Hong Kong.

Under the strategies of ensuring safety, effective diversion, well-equipped supporting facilities and streamlined application, the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government is taking forward the Southbound Travel Scheme in a steady manner, with a view to benefitting Hong Kong residents and society as a whole, as well as sharing the fruitful achievements of the integrated development of the GBA, he added.

Under the Southbound Travel Scheme, eligible and approved private cars from Guangdong may enter Hong Kong directly via the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macau Bridge from December 23, starting with 100 vehicles per day for a stay of up to three days per Guangdong vehicle.

Interested applicants must first register for computer-based balloting through Guangdong's information platform of the Southbound Travel Scheme before formally submitting their applications starting from December 9.

Designated drivers have to hold a valid Hong Kong driving licence, their Guangdong vehicles have to be inspected according to Hong Kong regulations and obtained valid third-party risk insurance.

Also as part of the Southbound Travel Scheme, approved Guangdong vehicles may park at the automated carparks on the artificial island at the Hong Kong Port via the Zhuhai Port of the HZMB, after which the drivers and passengers may transfer to a flight via Hong Kong International Airport or enter into urban area by taking Hong Kong local transportation.

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The Airport Authority Hong Kong's (AAHK) automated "Park & Fly" carpark will start operations from 0.00am on November 15.

Providing 1,800 parking spaces for 24-hour automated parking, drop-off and pick-up services, the carparks will be open for application starting from 9am tomorrow.

The AAHK has launched a one-stop booking platform, allowing eligible applicants from Guangdong to book a parking space for each trip on a first-come, first-served basis.

For vehicles with a successful booking, "Park & Fly" travellers having their documents and air tickets verified, will take a bonded bus to the SkyPier Terminal to check in with their baggage, and then proceed directly to the terminal for boarding without going through the Hong Kong immigration clearance in the process.

Upon their return to Hong Kong, travellers will only need to confirm their booking at Transfer Desk E2 in the restricted area of Terminal 1 before proceeding to the SkyPier Terminal to take the bonded bus bound for the "Park & Fly" carpark to retrieve their vehicles.

As for drop-off or pick-up, designated drivers may, in accordance with the respective booking, drive to the "Park & Fly" carpark to transfer to a flight, or from the "Park & Fly" carpark back to the Mainland, without having to use the automated parking system.

To ensure orderly implementation, both parts of the Southbound Travel Scheme will initially be open to applications from Guangzhou, Zhuhai, Zhongshan, and Jiangmen, to be gradually extended to other cities in Guangdong Province after six months.