Macao is gearing up for a surge in travel demand during the Lunar New Year holiday – also known as the Spring Festival – which kicks off on 29 January.
As the most important event on the Chinese calendar, the festival sees the world’s largest annual migration of people, putting a heavy strain on the nation’s transport system. This year, the authorities expect around 9 billion trips made across the country during the festive period, an almost 7 percent jump in comparison to 2024’s 8.4 billion.
To cater to the expected surge in inbound and outbound trips, the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge (HZMB) shuttle buses running between Macao and Hong Kong will also see an increase in their frequency during the Spring Festival travel rush, which falls between 14 January and 22 February.
According to Chinese-language media reports, the number of buses operating each day during this 40-day period will total 1,500, an increase of 200 buses in comparison to the same period last year.
Local transport in Macao is also being beefed up. The Transport Bureau has announced that the two local public bus operators are introducing three special routes – 17T, 21AT and 26AT – that will operate on Saturdays and Sundays until 26 January.
[See more: Macao gears up for the Year of the Snake with fireworks and more]
All three services target visitors wishing to see tourist hotspots and will run at 30 to 45 minute intervals, with fewer stops compared to other buses that cover the same areas.
The 17T will operate between 10 am and 1 pm, transporting passengers between the Border Gate, R. Tomás Vieira, Jardim Camões/Terminal and C. Amaral/Kiang Wu Hospital. The 21AT will run from 10 am to 7 pm, covering the Barra District, the city centre and the Cotai Strip.
The 26AT is scheduled between 10:30 am and 6:30 pm, and will service the area around the Cotai Strip, Galaxy, Praça de Ferreira do Amaral and Avenida de Almeida Ribeiro.
Residents and visitors interviewed by local media said that they believe the three new routes will be of help, especially for those wishing to visit Macao’s main attractions.
Aside from transport, Macao is also preparing for the Year of the Snake by organising a wide range of events and activities, including the Gigantic Golden Dragon Parade, two float parades, three separate fireworks displays and a Lunar New Year market.
