National Day begins with rail surge in West Kowloon

On Thursday, the National Day Golden Week holiday kicked off with a surge of mainland tourists heading to Hong Kong, mainly through West Kowloon High-Speed Rail Station. Among them was a traveler from Huizhou, Guangdong, who expressed his intention to witness the National Day fireworks display at Victoria Harbour. He clarified that he would arrive early to secure a spot, even if it meant moving to an alternative location if the initial one became overcrowded. His preferred choice was Golden Bauhinia Square, where he hoped to find a prime position.

Other tourists had their sights set on popular tourist districts such as Mong Kok, Tsim Sha Tsui, Central, and Hong Kong Disneyland. Meanwhile, a woman traveling to Guangzhou and Zhongshan also found her way through West Kowloon station. Additionally, a family stated they were visiting relatives in mainland China.

Secretary for Transport and Logistics, Mable Chan, inspected the operations at West Kowloon station and predicted over 130,000 passengers would flow through on National Day. She informed that there would be two-way traffic, not just southbound visitors, extending from October 3. The transport department had prepared queue management and crowd diversion measures, posted numerous signs, and deployed staff to address travelers' inquiries.

Hong Kong Tourism Association executive director Timothy Chui projected that Hong Kong would receive 100 to 200 tour groups on Thursday, with the number expected to rise in the days ahead.