Hong Kong’s new Tuen Mun-Lantau link launched by city leader Carrie Lam from top of double-decker bus

While the chief executive enjoyed an early tour on Saturday, the new tunnel will not open to the public until Sunday morning

Its completion caps nearly a decade of construction, and comes after years of delays – it was initially expected to be ready by 2016 and cost half as much

Reading Time:2 minutes

Officials participate in an inauguration ceremony for the Tuen Mun-Chek Lap Kok Link a day before its scheduled opening for public use. Photo: Winson Wong

Published: 4:10pm, 26 Dec 2020Updated: 11:10pm, 26 Dec 2020

A new HK$47 billion (US$6.1 billion) road project connecting the New Territories to north Lantau and Hong Kong International Airport will open to the public on Sunday morning, with the city’s leader on Saturday marking the launch of the route from the open top of a double-decker bus.

Chief Executive Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor celebrated the project’s completion alongside transport secretary Frank Chan Fan and other officials, who gathered to ride the 5.5km link from the Lantau side, heading north to Tuen Mun.

The toll-free journey will slash the travel time between southern Tuen Mun and the airport from 30 minutes to just 10, and eliminate some 22km of extra driving when it opens at 8am on Sunday. In conjunction with the new opening, the core Lantau Link highway will also become toll free starting Sunday.

Chief Executive Carrie Lam (centre) and Secretary for Transport and Housing Frank Chan (far right) attend the opening ceremony for the Tuen Mun-Chek Lap Kok Link. Photo: Jonathan Wong

Lam, meanwhile, hailed the “better and more reliable” transport infrastructure, flagging the benefit of the “aviation and land transport ‘double gateway’ connecting Hong Kong to other parts of the world, and the mainland cities of the Greater Bay Area, thereby reinforcing Hong Kong as an international and regional hub”.

The reduced journey is a boon not only for the communities and industries in southern Tuen Mun and north Lantau, but also for the aviation industry and the substantial number of airline and airport workers living in more affordable parts of Hong Kong without easy access to the travel hub.

Select Voice

Choose your listening speed

Get through articles 2x faster

1.25x

250 WPM

Slow

Average

Fast

00:0000:00

1.25x

Hong Kong’s new Tuen Mun-Lantau link launched by city leader Carrie Lam from top of double-decker bus

While the chief executive enjoyed an early tour on Saturday, the new tunnel will not open to the public until Sunday morning Its completion caps nearly a decade of construction, and comes after years of delays – it was initially expected to be ready by 2016 and cost half as much

While the chief executive enjoyed an early tour on Saturday, the new tunnel will not open to the public until Sunday morning

Its completion caps nearly a decade of construction, and comes after years of delays – it was initially expected to be ready by 2016 and cost half as much