MTR express rail link to China must change luggage rules to suit air travel
The MTR explained that the rules were in line with the ones prescribed by China Railway Corporation, the mainland train operator. However, to my knowledge, the rules are not strictly implemented across the border. I have taken countless rides on mainland trains – high-speed or regular – and only once found passengers being stopped by railway staff for oversized luggage. And that was on a sleeper train from Beijing to Urumqi, where conductors checked luggage after the train had departed and charged fines if it was oversized or overweight.
The express rail could be a convenient route for passengers from outside Hong Kong to take flights from or to our airport, as the West Kowloon terminus is right next to Kowloon Station of the Airport Express. However, the luggage limit for international flights is usually 30kg, which means many passengers with luggage lighter than 30kg but exceeding 20kg cannot use the high-speed train services to transfer to or from the Hong Kong airport.
How big is China’s high-speed rail network?
The negotiations will definitely be lengthy, as the rule change will also apply for many services on the mainland, so the MTR can now adopt an interim measure: instead of asking passengers to leave their oversized suitcases at West Kowloon and carry their belongings in ugly, clumsy woven bags, staff could simply charge extra for excess or oversized baggage. This flexible measure would benefit both express rail passengers and the MTR.
Ma Chao, Sha Tin
