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HK's three-day New Year holidays ended on Monday, with numerous HK citizens returning home from their vacation and many tourists who visited HK during the holidays leaving the city.

By 5pm more than 350,000 people have entered or exited HK and by 8pm, 131,000 people have entered the city via the Luohu crossing.

Among the 350,000 mentioned above, half went through customs via Luohu and the rest via Lok Ma Chau.

On Dec.31, over 600,000 people entered and exited HK, among whom 310,326 departed the city via different ports and 298,192 arrived.

The HK Immigration Department estimated earlier that nearly 300,000 people will enter or exit HK today, about 185,000 entering the city, 12% higher year on year. Rush hours for land entry would fall between 7pm and 8pm.

HK therefore opened 70-odd traditional counters and Do-it-yourself automated "e-pass" gates to ease the crowds. Travelers should wait about 15 minutes during the rush hours, and everything was in good order.

The HK Immigration Department also mentioned that they have teamed up with the police, Customs, the Transport Department, the Kowloon-Canton Railway and Shenzhen to organize a command center, supervising and controlling travelers on all land crossings as well as planning measures for emergencies.