Hong Kong Joins the High-Speed Rail Network at West Kowloon

High-speed trains began carrying passengers between Hong Kong and the mainland on 23 September 2018, on the Hong Kong section of the Guangzhou-Shenzhen-Hong Kong Express Rail Link. This section is about 26 kilometres long and runs underground. It ends at a new terminus, Hong Kong West Kowloon, which the Highways Department describes as connecting to the national high-speed network through Futian station in Shenzhen.

The journey

At opening the train reached Futian, in the centre of Shenzhen, in about 14 minutes, and Guangzhou South in under an hour. Beyond the Pearl River Delta, long-distance services continued to cities across the national network, 44 mainland destinations at opening, among them Beijing. The line is operated on the Hong Kong side by the MTR Corporation.

The station

West Kowloon station was designed by Aedas. It stands in Jordan, close to the Kowloon and Austin stations of the urban railway, immediately north of the West Kowloon Cultural District. The platforms and halls are below ground, on several levels, and the roof is planted and open to the public as a green space.

Immigration and customs checks for both Hong Kong and the mainland are carried out inside the station before boarding, so that passengers leave the train at their destination without further formalities.

For travellers

Services were suspended during the pandemic and the station reopened on 15 January 2023. Routes and timetables have changed since opening, so check the operator’s current information before travelling.

Passengers should arrive in good time for the border checks, and carry the passport and any visa required for the mainland. From the station it is a short distance to M+, the Hong Kong Palace Museum and the Xiqu Centre.