Zhuhai-Macao crossing hits 100 mln trips two weeks earlier than in 2025

ZHUHAI/MACAO, Oct. 12 (Xinhua) -- The Gongbei port linking Zhuhai city in south China's Guangdong Province with China's Macao Special Administrative Region (SAR) topped 100 million passenger trips for the year on Sunday, two weeks earlier than in 2025, border authorities said.

This photo taken on Jan. 6, 2026 shows the toll plaza of the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge in south China. (Photo: Xinhua)

For many travelers, the crossing is part of the daily journey to work or school. Frequent travelers from Guangdong, Hong Kong and Macao account for about 70 percent of traffic, according to the Gongbei border inspection station.

Foreign passenger traffic has also grown, with nearly 700,000 crossings recorded at Gongbei this year, up 11 percent from a year earlier, the station said.

At Gongbei, eligible travelers who have registered their facial and fingerprint data can use automated lanes without presenting physical travel documents. Dedicated lanes accommodate schoolchildren when school and work rush hours overlap.

"Crossing is quick and straightforward now," said a Macao resident surnamed Chen. "Going back and forth between the two cities has become part of everyday life."

On the Macao side, police plan to expand eligibility for iris recognition clearance and add more automated lanes to keep travelers moving.