Updated: Local residents to be able to apply for medical observation exemption when entering Zhuhai, special ferry service to HKIA set

Secretary for Social Affairs and Culture Elsie Ao Ieong U announced today (Wednesday) that starting tomorrow local residents with “business or practical travel needs” will be able to apply to the Health Bureau to be exempt from medical observation when entering Zhuhai.

More details on the policy are expected to be announced on Friday, as more details need to be discussed with Guangdong authorities.

Local residents will have to apply five days before their intended entry. If the request is accepted they will have to take a nucleic acid test two days and before entry. If the result is negative they will be granted a seven-day exemption to Zhuhai quarantine restrictions.

The application does not include people wanting to cross the border with a vehicle.

A special ferry service between Macau and the Hong Kong International Airport will also be set up to bring local residents between June 17 and July 16 or for people in Macau needing to travel to other countries and regions.

The special ferry service will be operated by TurboJet and Cotai Water. The ships will be able to carry 400 people per trip.

Children under the age of 7 must be accompanied by an adult with a Macao resident status to board the boat, and children aged 7 to 12 years without an adult will be required to pay an additional fee.

The special service is expected to cost MOP4 million to the Macau government.

Ferry services for people in Macau wanting to leave to other destinations will depart from Macau Taipa Ferry Terminal to Hong Kong International Airport at 9:00am and 7:00pm twice a day.

In order to comply with the relevant provisions of the transfer service of the Hong Kong International Airport, people who intend to travel to other places will have to hold airline tickets that meet the following conditions:

The departure date of the ticket needs to be from June 17 to July 16, with the following airlines covered:

Airlines covered in the ferry scheme

The special ferry service is not applicable to flights with some destinations in the United States.

Ticket sales will start on June 12 with tickets costing MOP270. Tickets can be purchased at the Outer Harbour Terminal and Venetian Hotel.

For residents who intend to return to Macau via the Hong Kong International Airport the special ferry service will depart from the Hong Kong International Airport to Macau Taipa Ferry Terminal at 2:00pm and 11:00pm Hong Kong time.

Macao residents must log in to the Higher Education Bureau website 48 hours before the flight arrives in Hong Kong to complete the registration before returning to Macau via the special ferry service.

Upon arrival in the HKIA, Macau residents can buy tickets at the ticket counters until three hours before the ship’s departure, between 11:00am and 8:00pm. The flat fare is HK$270.

After arriving in Macau, residents must go to a designated location for 14 days of medical observation.