Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge to open Wednesday

The world's longest sea crossing, the 55-km Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge, is set to be officially open to public at 9 am on Wednesday, Oct 24, the Bridge Authority has announced. The opening ceremony will be held in Zhuhai on Oct 23.

Bridge ride tickets can be booked through WeChat by adding the public WeChat ID: kouanbashi, clicking the "ticketing service （购票服务）" and choosing the departure and destination depot, for instance, from Guangzhou-Zhuhai Intercity MRT Zhuhai Station to Bridge Port Hub.

The promotion fare for shuttle coaches between Zhuhai and Hong Kong is 29 yuan ($4.20) with operation service round the clock. The border crossing between Zhuhai and Macao is open from 8 am to 10 pm.

Customs clearance between Zhuhai and Macao will be carried out on a "Joint Inspection and One-time Release" principle in order to make the process efficient for travelers using the bridge. It takes merely 30 seconds to complete customs inspection procedures to Macao.

Single- and double-decker coaches will be in service. Engineered to be steady even in 6-gale winds, the double-decker bus has 79 seats plus one wheelchair space, and the single-story bus has 35 seats and one wheelchair spot. A wheelchair passenger can enter through the barrier-free connection of the door.The first-batch duty-free commodities, mostly cigarettes and wines valued at HK$1.29 million ($164,500), to be operated by Zhuhai Duty-Free Enterprises Group Co Ltd were shelved at HZMB Zhuhai Port on Oct 20. The duty-free shop featuring a variety of products such as perfume, cosmetics, watches, accessories and more, will open concurrently with the bridge on Oct 24.