The first batch of 27 inbound passengers from Hong Kong arrived in Zhuhai special economic zone, Guangdong province, on a shuttle bus through the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge at 00：42 on Sunday, as the mainland and the Chinese special administrative region officially resume cross-border bus services.

Photo taken on Oct. 20, 2018 shows the tunnel entrance on the West Artificial Island of the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge. (Photo: Xinhua)

Meanwhile six passengers from the mainland left Zhuhai for Hong Kong on a shuttle bus at 00：03 Sunday, according to Zhuhai Frontier Inspection authorities.

Located at the mouth of the Pearl River, the Highway Port of the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge is the only land port that links the mainland to both Hong Kong and Macao, authorities said.

Starting Sunday, the shuttle bus service between Hong Kong and Zhuhai has resumed 24-hour operation through the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge and the Hong Kong-Zhuhai shuttle bus services will soon be increased to a total of 168 a day to help meet the growing demand, as the Lunar New Year draws near.

After China has optimized its COVID-19 policies beginning Sunday, none of the passengers have been required to be put under quarantine upon their arrivals in the mainland as they used to do before Sunday.

And no nucleic acid testing results have been required for all inbound passengers beginning Sunday, authorities said.