New Year countdown transport chaos

Dozens waiting at Rua do Campo bus stop on New Year’s Eve

Social media users have complained online that the city was in chaos as crowds rushed home after the New Year countdown.

One of the netizens said that as she was on her way to the bus stop after the end of the countdown concert in front of the Macau Tower, she saw a mass of people obstructing the road. She recalled that buses did not stop or open their doors due to the crowd, resulting in a long queue of people.

According to the user, bus company personnel suggested commuters take a bus to Barra and transfer to the LRT for Taipa. However, upon reaching the LRT station, the station had closed.

Other social media users corroborated this report, comparing Macau with neighboring Hong Kong, where mass transit systems operated throughout the night after the countdown.

Another social media user claimed that single-journey tickets for the LRT were sold out after the New Year’s Eve countdown.

The LRT company was emailed for comments, but no reply was received by press time.

The social media post was accompanied by a picture of a group of people lining up behind the gates of the system, presumably seeking information. Another line was pictured at the customer service counter.

Commuters in Macau have continually questioned the limited payment options available for the local LRT. Ho Cheong Kei, head of the company, previously hinted at business difficulties underlying this constraint. AL