Hong Kong mega bridge’s popularity takes toll on helicopter, ferry services: lawmaker
The number of vehicles using a mega bridge linking Hong Kong with Zhuhai and Macau hit a record high last year, the South China Morning Post has learned, with a lawmaker saying the boom has taken a heavy toll on ferry services and a long-running helicopter service. Transport Department figures obtained by the SCMP showed that vehicle flow via the popular Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macau Bridge reached a…
A record-breaking number of vehicles utilized a mega bridge connecting Hong Kong with Zhuhai and Macau last year, according to the South China Morning Post. This surge has reportedly strained ferry services and the longstanding helicopter service operating between the territories. Transport Department data revealed that vehicle traffic on the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macau Bridge reached a peak of 5.21 million vehicles in 2025, a 19% increase from 4.36 million in 2024.
The bridge, inaugurated in 2018, continues to be the busiest in the past five years, with June's average daily vehicle flow already surpassing that of last year.
The bridge's unparalleled popularity coincided with the announcement by Sky Shuttle, a helicopter service operator, that it would discontinue its flights between Hong Kong and Macau. Sky Shuttle cited the upcoming relocation of Macau Heliport and the exclusion of its Macau-Shenzhen route from the suspension, opting for a charter-only model operating five days a week.
The service, which had operated since 1990, was initially established as a joint venture by Sociedade de Turismo e Diversoes de Macau, led by the late Macau casino tycoon Stanley Ho.
Lawmaker Mark Chong Ho-fung attributed the decline in Sky Shuttle's business, as well as the 6.5% year-on-year drop in Hong Kong-Macau ferry services, to the bridge's growing appeal. He argued that commuters were increasingly drawn to the bridge's advantages over other transportation methods, including the Sky Shuttle and Hong Kong-Macau ferry services.
Chong noted that the helicopter service was more expensive and susceptible to weather disruptions, while ferry services were constrained by fixed schedules. He suggested that bridge commuters could still opt for luxury services like limousine pick-ups or rides. Macau government data indicated that 1,112 tourists arrived via the Outer Harbour heliport in the first seven months of 2026, a 1.7% increase from the previous year but a 84.4% decrease from 7,121 in 2019, pre-pandemic. Annual helicopter arrivals peaked at 43,218 in 2013 during Macau's gaming boom.
Written by urgent.news from South China Morning Post - Hong Kong's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
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