Hong Kong holiday planning: From essential services to festive celebrations

As a cosmopolitan hub that embraces diversity, Hong Kong’s multicultural community encompasses both Chinese and Western celebrations. Apart from annual leave, employees enjoy 17 public holidays each year. This article will provide key information about special service arrangements, transportation options, and festive events to help you navigate the city with ease on days off.

Service arrangements for public holidays

During public holidays, government departments, banks, and postal offices suspend their services. While public hospitals and emergency services continue to operate as usual, private clinics and specialist medical centres are normally unavailable. Here are some tips to help you access essential services during holidays:

• For Government and healthcare services: Check government department websites for adjusted office hours around holidays. General outpatient clinics will continue normal services during the holiday period. For details, please check the Government Press Releases, private doctors' clinics, or private hospitals offering 24-hour outpatient services.
• For banking services: Selective banking services can be accessed through online platforms, ATMs, and other electronic channels. For immediate transactions, use FPS for free person-to-person transfers, and e-wallet top-ups at any time.
• For postal services: To ensure timely delivery through Hongkong Post, send mail and parcels well in advance. In the case of urgent postage, some private delivery services offer appointment-based, door-to-door deliveries during public holidays.
• For utility services: Report utility emergencies including water supply matters, water main bursts, and power outages through the Water Supplies Department’s 24-hour hotline (2824 5000), or the respective emergency hotlines for HK Electric and CLP Power.    

Special transportation arrangements in key festivals

In designated dates such as Christmas, New Year’s Eve, and Chinese New Year’s Eve, public transport services such as buses, trams, and the MTR typically run on special schedules and may extend their service hours. With the surge in demand for travel to the Mainland, further arrangements have also been introduced for cross-boundary transportation, covering additional services for the Shenzhen Bay Port during early-morning hours, the HMZB shuttle bus (Gold Bus), and the Lok Ma Chau/ Huanggang Port (Yellow Bus).

If you plan to cross the border during these dates, reserve seats well in advance and anticipate longer immigration queues. For car owners, only cross-boundary private cars issued with Closed Road Permits (Permits) for the Lok Ma Chau/ Huanggang Control Point are allowed to cross the control point during early morning hours. However, note that transport arrangements vary each year for different holidays. Please refer to the Transport Department website for the newest updates on how to best arrange your travel plans.

Participate in local celebrations 

To experience Hong Kong’s festive atmosphere, consider attending events like fireworks, parades, and light shows during Lunar New Year, Christmas, and other major public holidays. Local festive events in Hong Kong include:

• New Year’s Eve fireworks and countdowns at Central Waterfront, Victoria Park Road Promenade, Wan Chai Temporary Promenade Garden, Tsim Sha Tsui Promenade, West Kowloon Cultural District
• Lunar New Year Flower Market: Victoria Park in Causeway Bay, and 14 more flower markets held across the city
• Lunar New Year Night Parade: Tsim Sha Tsui
• Dragon Boat Races: Tsim Sha Tsui East Promenade, Stanley, Aberdeen, Shing Mun River in Sha Tin, and more
• Hong Kong WinterFest during Christmas

With advance planning, you can fully immerse yourself in Hong Kong's rich cultural life during holidays and festivals. For the full list of public holidays in 2025, please visit GovHK website.