Passengers wait for the train at Lo Wu Station of MTR’s East Rail Line, Hong Kong on July 19, 2023. (J. LU / CHINA DAILY)

The MTR Corp said it is willing to extend the service hours on the East Rail Line — a subway route connecting the city’s downtown with two busy land crossings into the Chinese mainland — in alignment with the government’s plan to extend the opening times of land checkpoints on special occasions, but whether the ad hoc measures will be regularized requires further study and discussion.

The rail operator suggested that other modes of public transport could be considered as a means to handle large crowds, as it frequently needs to conduct maintenance and construction operations at night.

Hong Kong Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu said on Tuesday that the special administrative region is in discussions with mainland authorities about extending the opening hours of certain land checkpoints on busy days such as public holidays

Hong Kong Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu said on Tuesday that the special administrative region is in discussions with mainland authorities about extending the opening hours of certain land checkpoints on busy days such as public holidays.

ALSO READ: CE: Talks with mainland ongoing to keep entry ports open longer

Currently, only the Huanggang-Lok Ma Chau checkpoint opens round the clock to serve passengers traveling between Hong Kong and the mainland.

On New Year’s Eve, many mainland visitors who came to Hong Kong for the fireworks show after the midnight countdown were left stranded in the city as they had been unable to reach major land crossings such as Lo Wu and Lok Ma Chau Spur Line before they closed.

The incident sparked heated discussion about whether the mainland and Hong Kong authorities should keep more ports open later at the night or even round the clock to accommodate the influx of cross-boundary travelers on special occasions.

The MTR Corp said that while ad hoc arrangements are can generally be made without difficulty, any plan to extend the service hours of the East Rail Line on a regular basis would involve more research and discussion, as the railway operator often conducts maintenance and construction operations at nighttime.

READ MORE: HK to improve post-event transportation for visitors

Other means of public transportation could also be made available to help cross-boundary passengers reach land checkpoints during extended service hours, the company added.