The Government announced today (January 28) the following special arrangements for cross-boundary transport services in order to reduce the risk of the spread of the novel coronavirus in the community.
      
Cross-boundary railway
      
     The services of Hong Kong section of the Guangzhou-Shenzhen-Hong Kong Express Rail Link and the Intercity Through Train will be suspended from January 30. West Kowloon Station will also be closed for extensive cleansing until further notice. Those passengers who bought the tickets should retain the tickets or receipts. Full refund will be arranged. MTR Corporation Limited would announce the refund arrangement.
      
     For the cross-boundary arrangements via Lo Wu and Lok Ma Chau Spur Line of the East Rail Line, the Government understands that there is still a travelling need for some members of public and thus there is no immediate plan to suspend its service.
      
Land-based cross boundary transport
      
     Due to the suspension of immigration clearance service for passengers and cross boundary private cars at Sha Tau Kok and Man Kam To Control Points, cross boundary coaches using these two control points will also suspend the service at the same time. Besides, cross boundary private cars and hire cars also cannot use the control points concerned.
      
     With effective from January 30, cross boundary coach and shuttle bus services (including the short-haul cross boundary coach service at Huanggang Port, Yellow Bus and Gold Bus) using crossings other than the Sha Tau Kok and Man Kam To Control Points (i.e. the Lok Ma Chau Control Point, Shenzhen Bay Port and Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge Hong Kong Port) will reduce the service frequency, passengers should pay attention to the Government's latest announcement about the cross boundary transport news and approach the operators concerned enquiring about the service arrangement.     
      
Aviation services
      
     From January 30, four local airlines, including Cathay Pacific Airways, Hong Kong Airlines, Cathay Dragon and Hong Kong Express, will gradually reduce their scheduled passenger flights between Hong Kong and 24 Mainland destinations from about 480 flights weekly to about 240 flights until further notice. 
      
     The airlines will announce details of the arrangements on their websites and assist the affected passengers to rebook, cancel and reroute their tickets. All flights between Hong Kong and Hubei Province have been suspended since January 24. 
      
     The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government has also contacted the relevant Mainland authority and airlines for reducing gradually about half of the passenger flights between Hong Kong and the Mainland destinations. The relevant airlines will announce details of the arrangements.
      
Cross-boundary ferry
      
     From January 30, the cross-boundary ferry services of China Ferry Terminal at Tsim Sha Tsui and Tuen Mun Ferry Terminal of the Marine Department will be suspended until further notice.
      
     Meanwhile, there may be frequency adjustments to the services going to and from Hong Kong-Macau Ferry Terminal at Sheung Wan. Please refer to announcements which may be made by the operators from time to time.

Ends/Tuesday, January 28, 2020
Issued at HKT 21:15

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