Hengqin line opens today

The Hengqin Line of the Light Rapid Transit (LRT) opens today, the Macao Light Rapid Transit Corporation, Limited (MLM) has announced.

The first train will depart the Lotus station (connecting station of the Taipa Line) to the Henqin Port station at 1:11 p.m., according to the news release.

The journey takes about two minutes, and MLM has said trains will run every six minutes.

The MLM said the opening will provide citizens and tourists “with comfortable and fast travel to the Macau border checkpoint area at the Hengqin border checkpoint, facilitating their use of the checkpoint and closely linking Macau and Hengqin.”

The company said it is calculating fares based on the Chief Executive’s Dispatch 188/2023.

The Dispatch said that when calculating fares that include a sea crossing, the same method should be used when calculating the journey as in between Barra station and Ocean station (of Taipa Line).

That is, one station is added for each sea crossing in either direction between Hengqin station and Lotus station, being the fare calculated in the equivalent of two stations.

The Hengqin LRT Line is 2.2km long, serving all passengers who travel to and from the mainland via the Hengqin Border checkpoint.

Starting at Lotus station, the line goes through an underwater tunnel in the Shizimen Canal to reach Hengqin station, located on the basement floor of the Hengqin port.

Authorities said visitors can use the new line as an alternative for commutes between Macau and the mainland.

This may lead to more passengers using the LRT.

The authorities also hope the new line advances links between the Macau and Chinese railway system, thus creating connections one hour away within the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macau Greater Bay Area.