In full swing: The 2009 East Asian Games flag-raising ceremony takes place in Hong Kong Park.

The Transport Department urges the public to pay attention to special traffic arrangements for the East Asian Games opening ceremony on Saturday evening - particularly the service suspension of inner harbour and outlying island ferries in phases from 7.30pm.

As the opening will be staged in Victoria Harbour, designated water areas will be closed from 7pm to 10.15pm.

Seven inner harbour ferry services will be suspended from 7.30pm to 10.15pm. Seven ferry services between Central and the outlying islands will be suspended from 7.45pm to 10.15pm. Besides on-vessel announcements, flyers about ferry service changes will be distributed and notices posted at ferry piers.

Temporary road closures and traffic diversions will be implemented in phases from 5pm at the Lower Peak Tram Station, and in Wan Chai, Central, Admiralty, the Peak, Tsim Sha Tsui and Jordan until after the fireworks display.

Public transport operating in the affected areas, including 87 franchised bus routes, 25 green minibus routes and cross-boundary coach services, will be re-routed, suspended, reduced or truncated. Their stops, taxi stands and on-street parking spaces within the closure areas will also be suspended or relocated.

Click here or call 1834567 for details of the special transport arrangements for the opening ceremony.

Fine and dry weather is forecast for the ceremony, with temperatures in urban areas reaching about 18 degrees Celsius. Call 1878 200 or visit the Hong Kong Observatory's dedicated website for the games to check the latest weather information.

A flag raising ceremony was held today at the Hong Kong Park's Olympic Square, with the delegation members of the nine participating countries and regions taking part.

Meanwhile, the Leisure & Cultural Services Department announced today all tickets for the table-tennis competitions have been sold.