https://www.scmp.com/rss/324854/feed Latest news, in-depth features and opinion on Hong Kong's high-speed rail service, which runs from West Kowloon to Shenzhen and Guangzhou in mainland China. en https://assets.i-scmp.com/static/img/icons/scmp-meta-1200x630.png https://www.scmp.com Emily Hung Emily Hung Tickets from Hong Kong to many mainland Chinese destinations connected by cross-border high-speed rail services are nearly sold out for the first two days of the five-day holiday over Easter and the Ching Ming Festival. The mainland cities have become an alternative for travellers, with the escalating war in the Middle East triggering a global oil crisis and significantly disrupting airspace, prompting airlines to increase ticket prices and fuel surcharges. Steven Huen Kwok-chuen, executive... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/3347502/high-speed-rail-tickets-selling-fast-hongkongers-opt-short-haul-trips-amid-war?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/3347502/high-speed-rail-tickets-selling-fast-hongkongers-opt-short-haul-trips-amid-war?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 22 Mar 2026 14:27:36 +0000 Oscar Liu Oscar Liu Hong Kong travel agencies are expected to add more train tour packages to mainland China, as 16 new high-speed rail destinations have been added from the city, with the enhanced connectivity set to boost cross-border traveller numbers in both directions, industry leaders have said. Timothy Chui Ting-pong, executive director of the Hong Kong Tourism Association, said that local travel agencies were pivoting to capitalise on this “game-changing” high-speed rail network as a formidable competitor... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/3339683/more-cross-border-tours-visitors-expected-expanded-hong-kong-high-speed-rail?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/3339683/more-cross-border-tours-visitors-expected-expanded-hong-kong-high-speed-rail?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 13 Jan 2026 04:12:19 +0000 SCMP Editorial SCMP Editorial When it comes to travelling by rail, connectivity is as important as speed. The latest expansion of direct high-speed rail access to 16 more mainland Chinese destinations is set to boost both the popularity of railway travel and cross-border integration and tourism development. The city should seize the opportunity and capitalise on the full economic potential of the new rail services. The additional stops, which primarily cover the Yangtze River Delta region and Guangdong province, increase the... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/comment/article/3339594/expanded-hong-kong-mainland-rail-links-can-be-engine-growth?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/comment/article/3339594/expanded-hong-kong-mainland-rail-links-can-be-engine-growth?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 12 Jan 2026 22:45:08 +0000 Lo Hoi-ying Lo Hoi-ying Hong Kong’s expanded high-speed rail network has proved an instant hit among travellers, with tickets for several classes of seats on trains to 16 newly added mainland Chinese destinations selling out on the first day of sales. The Post observed that while crowds did not show up to buy tickets at the West Kowloon station, online sales moved quickly. The MTR Corporation announced on Sunday that it would add 16 new destinations to its high-speed rail network from Hong Kong, with ticket sales... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/transport/article/3339570/seats-sell-out-hong-kongs-new-high-speed-rail-routes-mainland-china?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/transport/article/3339570/seats-sell-out-hong-kongs-new-high-speed-rail-routes-mainland-china?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 12 Jan 2026 07:16:15 +0000 Emily Hung,Lo Hoi-ying,Leopold Chen Emily Hung,Lo Hoi-ying,Leopold Chen Travellers from Hong Kong will have direct high-speed rail access to 16 more mainland Chinese destinations, including Nanjing, Wuxi and Hefei, from January 26, the MTR Corporation has said. The city’s rail operator also said on Sunday that the sleeper train service to Shanghai’s Hongqiao station would be upgraded from four pairs a week to running daily in response to strong demand. Tickets for the upgraded services and extra stops will be available for pre-purchase online from Monday this... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3339484/hong-kong-offer-direct-high-speed-rail-access-16-more-mainland-chinese-stops?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3339484/hong-kong-offer-direct-high-speed-rail-access-16-more-mainland-chinese-stops?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 11 Jan 2026 07:32:04 +0000 SCMP Editorial SCMP Editorial Hong Kong’s cross-border high-speed rail link went full steam ahead last year, setting record ridership figures. Along with a jump in visitors from mainland China, the numbers were welcome signs of economic recovery and the city’s continuing appeal. However, they also underscore challenges that lie ahead. This includes a need to refocus from just counting arrivals to coming up with ways to better attract and serve visitors and locals. The MTR Corporation revealed on Sunday that passengers made... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/comment/article/3338999/high-speed-rail-link-helps-keep-hong-kong-track-economic-recovery?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/comment/article/3338999/high-speed-rail-link-helps-keep-hong-kong-track-economic-recovery?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 07 Jan 2026 23:15:08 +0000 Danny Mok Danny Mok Passengers made more than 30 million trips using Hong Kong’s cross-border high-speed rail link last year, with the figure representing a 17 per cent increase from 2024 and setting a record. The MTR Corporation also revealed on Sunday that the West Kowloon rail terminus set a new single-day ridership record on December 27, when the number of passenger trips reached about 140,000. The company also described last year’s usage figure as a “record high”, while noting that cumulative patronage since... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/transport/article/3338681/passengers-made-30-million-trips-2025-hong-kongs-high-speed-rail-line?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/transport/article/3338681/passengers-made-30-million-trips-2025-hong-kongs-high-speed-rail-line?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 04 Jan 2026 11:59:52 +0000 Frank Chen Frank Chen Shenzhen’s main railway station handled a record 116.6 million passengers in the first 11 months of 2025, as China’s major cities continue to see a boom in rail ridership and travel between Hong Kong and mainland China picks up steam. The total passenger flow at Shenzhen North Railway Station between January and November was up 8.8 per cent compared with the same period last year, according to data from China State Railway Group cited by local media. Shenzhen North is one of the two largest... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3336497/shenzhen-sets-travel-record-rail-station-handles-116-million-trips-11-months?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3336497/shenzhen-sets-travel-record-rail-station-handles-116-million-trips-11-months?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 15 Dec 2025 11:30:09 +0000 Ryan Ip,Jason Leung Yeuk-ho,Moon Kok Ryan Ip,Jason Leung Yeuk-ho,Moon Kok There was a time when landing in Hong Kong felt like arriving in the future. In 1998, the sleek Airport Express glided out of Chek Lap Kok, whisking passengers directly to the heart of the city. It was a symbol of modernity and efficiency, placing Hong Kong among a handful of global cities with a dedicated airport rail link. We were pioneers and justifiably proud. That pride now risks becoming a relic. While the Airport Express was once a point of differentiation, it is now becoming a point of... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/hong-kong-opinion/article/3334655/why-hong-kong-needs-inter-airport-rail-link-shenzhen?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/hong-kong-opinion/article/3334655/why-hong-kong-needs-inter-airport-rail-link-shenzhen?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 01 Dec 2025 21:30:07 +0000 Oscar Liu Oscar Liu Four high-speed rail services between Hong Kong and Guangzhou were cancelled on Tuesday due to equipment malfunctions on the mainland Chinese section, according to transport authorities. Hong Kong’s Transport Department said on Tuesday that the cancelled train services to Guangzhou East comprised the G6568, which was scheduled to depart at 11.42am, and the G6556, set for 12.22pm on the Guangzhou-Shenzhen-Hong Kong Express Rail Link. Affected services to Hong Kong’s West Kowloon terminus were the... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/transport/article/3319094/hong-kong-high-speed-rail-services-disrupted-equipment-malfunction?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/transport/article/3319094/hong-kong-high-speed-rail-services-disrupted-equipment-malfunction?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 22 Jul 2025 05:34:45 +0000 Thomas Bird Thomas Bird When American travel writer Paul Theroux rolled around China researching seminal travelogue Riding the Iron Rooster (1988), the country was still a technological backwater. “The Chinese are the last people in the world still manufacturing spittoons, chamber-pots, treadle sewing-machines, bed-warmers, claw-hammers, ‘quill’ pens (steel nibs, dunk-and-write), wooden yokes for oxen, iron ploughs, sit-up-and-beg bicycles,” he observed, “and steam engines.” Theroux, of course, couldn’t have predicted... https://www.scmp.com/postmag/travel/article/3309561/4-rail-journeys-modern-day-china-far-cry-riding-iron-rooster?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/postmag/travel/article/3309561/4-rail-journeys-modern-day-china-far-cry-riding-iron-rooster?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 12 May 2025 05:00:10 +0000 Denise Tsang Denise Tsang A popular exhibition featuring the MTR Corporation’s classic rail carriages in Hong Kong will include the historic cross-border intercity “KTT” train for the first time, after a previous showcase attracted 70,000 people. The KTT, which ran for decades on a century-old line between Hong Kong and Guangzhou, was replaced by the high-speed rail. The MTR Corp said on Friday the “Station Rail Voyage” exhibition at Hung Hom terminus drew more than 70,000 visitors in eight months and would be relaunched... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/transport/article/3295219/hong-kongs-historic-cross-border-train-be-showcased-mtr-exhibition?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/transport/article/3295219/hong-kongs-historic-cross-border-train-be-showcased-mtr-exhibition?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 17 Jan 2025 09:26:21 +0000 In July, Hong Kong continued to post strong double-digit growth in external trade, increasing the total value of merchandise trade in the first seven months to a solid 10.1 per cent year on year. The city’s strong trade performance brought few cheers, as the continued slump in retail sales, which declined a further 11.8 per cent in July cast a pall on the economic outlook. The good news is that after months of struggling to revive tourism-related retail, catering and hotel accommodation sectors,... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/hong-kong-opinion/article/3278356/hong-kong-has-what-it-takes-bounce-back-we-just-need-pull-together?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/hong-kong-opinion/article/3278356/hong-kong-has-what-it-takes-bounce-back-we-just-need-pull-together?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 15 Sep 2024 01:30:08 +0000 Some high-speed rail services between Hong Kong and mainland China have been cancelled on Sunday and Monday as rain lashes the city and parts of Guangdong province. Flooding was also reported in the city over the weekend, with the Hong Kong Observatory issuing an amber rainstorm warning on two consecutive mornings. “A broad trough of low pressure is bringing heavy showers and squally thunderstorms to the coast of Guangdong,” the forecaster said. Authorities cancelled 12 rail services from Hong... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3272200/some-high-speed-rail-services-between-hong-kong-and-mainland-china-axed-due-poor-weather?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3272200/some-high-speed-rail-services-between-hong-kong-and-mainland-china-axed-due-poor-weather?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 28 Jul 2024 08:22:49 +0000 Passengers on high-speed trains between Hong Kong and mainland China will be able to travel in style with decorated cabins featuring beloved cartoon character Doraemon from Saturday. The MTR Corporation said on Friday the 34 themed trains could help boost the city’s tourism drive, with the playful designs on display across 14 days between Saturday and August 18. “The cross-boundary train has become some mainland tourists’ first impression of Hong Kong,” said Paul Wong Kah-ming, the chief of the... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/article/3272056/doraemon-board-hong-kongs-high-speed-rail-gets-manga-makeover?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/article/3272056/doraemon-board-hong-kongs-high-speed-rail-gets-manga-makeover?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 26 Jul 2024 10:55:57 +0000 Feel strongly about these letters, or any other aspects of the news? Share your views by emailing us your Letter to the Editor at letters@scmp.com or filling in this Google form. Submissions should not exceed 400 words, and must include your full name and address, plus a phone number for verification I refer to the report, “High-speed sleeper trains make maiden trips from Hong Kong to Beijing and Shanghai” (June 15). I found it amusing to read about the complaints regarding Hong Kong’s new... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/letters/article/3268388/how-get-more-out-hong-kongs-high-speed-sleepers-only-disconnect?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/letters/article/3268388/how-get-more-out-hong-kongs-high-speed-sleepers-only-disconnect?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 01 Jul 2024 03:30:08 +0000 The first high-speed sleeper trains from Hong Kong to Beijing and Shanghai arrived at their destinations on Sunday morning after journeys lasting about 12 hours. Reporters from the Post were on board for the maiden trips to share their observations and all you need to know about essential amenities and other features. Internet connection Wi-fi was not available on board, with passengers and journalists relying on SIM cards to connect to the internet, which could be frustrating due to unstable... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/transport/article/3266812/extremely-inconvenient-how-hong-kong-high-speed-sleeper-train-amenities-rate?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/transport/article/3266812/extremely-inconvenient-how-hong-kong-high-speed-sleeper-train-amenities-rate?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 16 Jun 2024 10:23:16 +0000 The first high-speed overnight trains to Beijing and Shanghai sped out of Hong Kong on Saturday, carrying the city’s transport minister who called the service a “breakthrough” and residents who embraced the rail journey as a more relaxing way to head north. The China Railway trains were due to arrive in the capital and Shanghai on time early Sunday morning and deliver hundreds of well-rested passengers, the first of what will no doubt be many seizing on a new transport artery slicing through the... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/transport/article/3266751/high-speed-sleeper-trains-prepare-maiden-trips-hong-kong-beijing-and-shanghai?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/transport/article/3266751/high-speed-sleeper-trains-prepare-maiden-trips-hong-kong-beijing-and-shanghai?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 15 Jun 2024 10:20:52 +0000 Hong Kong will discuss increasing the frequency of high-speed sleeper trains to Beijing and Shanghai with mainland China’s railway operator if there is demand, the city’s transport chief has said, adding that daily services are possible. Secretary for Transport and Logistics Lam Sai-hung also said on Saturday that he would take the first Beijing-bound train on June 15 to join fellow passengers on a “memorable trip”. Lam said the new sleeper-train service between the city to Beijing and Shanghai... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/transport/article/3265899/hong-kong-consider-more-high-speed-sleeper-trains-beijing-shanghai-transport-chief?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/transport/article/3265899/hong-kong-consider-more-high-speed-sleeper-trains-beijing-shanghai-transport-chief?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 08 Jun 2024 09:31:07 +0000 Travellers and industry players have hailed the new high-speed sleeper trains between Hong Kong, Beijing and Shanghai as a “game changer”, as they will provide more flexibility and stability than flights while allowing people to make better use of their time. “Now that travellers can rest on the train and start their activities once they arrive at their destinations early in the morning, it gives them a lot more time to visit local attractions and their itineraries can be much richer,” said Moon... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/3265531/hong-kong-travellers-industry-players-hail-new-high-speed-sleeper-train-game-changer?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/3265531/hong-kong-travellers-industry-players-hail-new-high-speed-sleeper-train-game-changer?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 06 Jun 2024 00:30:08 +0000 Online tickets for the first three high-speed sleeper trains travelling from Hong Kong to Beijing sold out fast on Wednesday morning, while some elderly residents hoping for smoother travel queued at West Kowloon station before counters opened. The new train services from Hong Kong to Beijing and Shanghai were announced on Tuesday, with online and in-person sales starting from 12pm the next day. A check of the main sales channel, the 12306 China Railway website and app, showed all Beijing-bound... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/transport/article/3265441/high-speed-sleeper-train-tickets-hong-kong-beijing-sell-out-fast-online-elderly-wait-hours-counters?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/transport/article/3265441/high-speed-sleeper-train-tickets-hong-kong-beijing-sell-out-fast-online-elderly-wait-hours-counters?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 05 Jun 2024 05:32:27 +0000 High-speed overnight sleeper trains are to run regular services between Hong Kong and Beijing as well as Shanghai and back from June 15, with ticket sales to begin at noon on Wednesday. China Railway said on Tuesday the new services would cut travel time by half and increase the number of seats to 600, replacing the suspended through train running between Hung Hom in Hong Kong and the two mainland Chinese cities. It will take around 12½ hours to get to Beijing West railway station and about 11... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/transport/article/3265392/land-or-air-post-weighs-options-china-railway-launches-new-sleeper-service-hong-kong-beijing-and?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/transport/article/3265392/land-or-air-post-weighs-options-china-railway-launches-new-sleeper-service-hong-kong-beijing-and?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 05 Jun 2024 02:00:18 +0000 Comfort and convenience are what makes high-speed rail travel competitive and appealing. Hongkongers have had a taste of that since the commissioning in 2018 of the local 26km (16 mile) section linking with the 40,000km national rail network. The increasingly popular mode of cross-border transportation is further reinforcing its services, including overnight sleeper trains to Beijing and Shanghai for the first time. Hopefully, it will open new frontiers for tourism and business development. It... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/comment/article/3265398/shot-arm-hong-kong-high-speed-rail-travel?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/comment/article/3265398/shot-arm-hong-kong-high-speed-rail-travel?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 04 Jun 2024 22:30:11 +0000 High-speed sleeper trains will run overnight between Hong Kong, Beijing and Shanghai from this month in a new measure Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu has said will boost integration with mainland China. China Railway said on Tuesday that the high-speed services would slash travel time by half, offer more seats at 600 and replace the suspended through train running between Hung Hom in Hong Kong and the two mainland cities. The news effectively spells the end to the historical cross-border... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/transport/article/3265283/high-speed-sleeper-trains-depart-hong-kong-night-arrive-beijing-shanghai-morning-june-15?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/transport/article/3265283/high-speed-sleeper-trains-depart-hong-kong-night-arrive-beijing-shanghai-morning-june-15?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 04 Jun 2024 03:52:19 +0000 This story has been made freely available as a public service to our readers. Please consider supporting SCMP’s journalism by subscribing. High-speed rail services between Hong Kong and southern Guangzhou were suspended or redirected on Thursday in response to severe weather in mainland China. The MTR Corporation said authorities across the border had informed it of the suspension of Guangzhou South-bound routes G6528, G6516, G6530 and G6536, as well as Hong Kong-bound routes G6527, G6515, G6529... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/transport/article/3260291/heavy-rainfall-mainland-china-forces-hong-kong-dial-back-high-speed-rail-services?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/transport/article/3260291/heavy-rainfall-mainland-china-forces-hong-kong-dial-back-high-speed-rail-services?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 25 Apr 2024 04:07:18 +0000 Some high-speed rail services between Hong Kong and two mainland Chinese cities have been cancelled for Thursday and Friday because of bad weather. The Transport Department said the cuts included Thursday’s G305 Hong Kong-bound service from Tianjin West station and the G6506 service to Guangzhou South from the West Kowloon terminus. Cancellations for Friday will affect the G6505 service, from Guangzhou South to Hong Kong, and G306, which was scheduled to leave West Kowloon for Tianjin... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/transport/article/3252780/some-high-speed-rail-services-between-hong-kong-and-mainland-chinas-tianjin-and-guangzhou-cancelled?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/transport/article/3252780/some-high-speed-rail-services-between-hong-kong-and-mainland-chinas-tianjin-and-guangzhou-cancelled?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 22 Feb 2024 03:51:22 +0000 In recent years, Chinese authorities have touted greater connectivity between sections of the Greater Bay Area – a long-term plan to integrate Hong Kong, Macau and the populous south of Guangdong province into a vibrant economic hub – and freelance photographer Stella Fang has first-hand experience. Over the course of a weekend, the thirty-something travelled from Shantou, a city in Guangdong’s east, to Hong Kong and the provincial capital of Guangzhou. She worked, but also enjoyed time off in... https://www.scmp.com/economy/article/3252312/greater-bay-area-more-connected-ever-chinas-integration-plan-marks-fifth-anniversary?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/article/3252312/greater-bay-area-more-connected-ever-chinas-integration-plan-marks-fifth-anniversary?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 18 Feb 2024 03:01:49 +0000 When I arrived in Hong Kong 50 years ago, most locals looked down on their mainland counterparts, referring to them dismissively as “country bumpkins”. Now the shoe is very much on the other foot, and social media users to the north are referring to us as the residents of a clapped-out international financial centre. The pendulum really has swung, and as often happens in such cases, has overcorrected and gone too far. Nonetheless the negative terminology should serve as a useful wake-up... https://www.scmp.com/comment/opinion/article/3245236/why-hongkongers-need-visit-mainland-open-mind?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/comment/opinion/article/3245236/why-hongkongers-need-visit-mainland-open-mind?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 17 Dec 2023 08:30:10 +0000 Feel strongly about these letters, or any other aspects of the news? Share your views by emailing us your Letter to the Editor at letters@scmp.com or filling in this Google form. Submissions should not exceed 400 words, and must include your full name and address, plus a phone number for verification. Thailand is poised to become the next Asian country to recognise same-sex marriages after the Thai cabinet approved a marriage equality bill that is expected to be debated in parliament next... https://www.scmp.com/comment/letters/article/3243075/same-sex-marriage-thailand-joins-others-showing-hong-kong-there-nothing-fear?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/comment/letters/article/3243075/same-sex-marriage-thailand-joins-others-showing-hong-kong-there-nothing-fear?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 29 Nov 2023 03:30:11 +0000 The number of passengers on the cross-border high-speed railway has exceeded pre-pandemic levels, surpassing 17 million this year, Hong Kong’s MTR Corporation has said. The railway operator on Thursday also announced that passenger figures for the National Day and Mid-Autumn Festival holidays reached a record-high. “During the National Day and Mid-Autumn Festival holidays … passenger numbers also hit a new high of more than 100,000,” the operator said. The line linking the city with the... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/transport/article/3242559/number-passengers-using-hong-kongs-cross-border-high-speed-rail-rebounds-pre-pandemic-levels?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/transport/article/3242559/number-passengers-using-hong-kongs-cross-border-high-speed-rail-rebounds-pre-pandemic-levels?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 23 Nov 2023 06:52:17 +0000 From the 1950s to the 1980s, Hong Kong’s vibrant, internationally famed nightlife scene owed its very existence to the absence of comparable regional equivalents. Tokyo and Osaka were nigh impossible for non-Japanese speakers, Manila and Bangkok were raunchy and sleazy, Singapore put itself to bed early, and by the early ’50s, the Communist assumption of power in mainland China had extinguished Shanghai’s once mind-boggling plethora of nocturnal recreational possibilities. Those who could do so... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/post-magazine/short-reads/article/3236210/hong-kong-has-lost-its-mojo-we-all-know-why-night-vibes-hong-kong-campaign-re-energise-nightlife?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/post-magazine/short-reads/article/3236210/hong-kong-has-lost-its-mojo-we-all-know-why-night-vibes-hong-kong-campaign-re-energise-nightlife?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 01 Oct 2023 02:15:08 +0000 Delays and going over budget are the twin evils that haunt almost every Hong Kong government construction project. From the Sha Tin-Central rail link to the West Kowloon Cultural District and the Kai Tak Sports Park, we are accustomed to postponed openings, additional funding requests or cost overruns. Rarely has a project finished on time and within budget. Covid-19 delivered the perfect storm but there is only so much that we can blame the virus for. The Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macau Bridge and the... https://www.scmp.com/comment/opinion/article/3220765/what-hong-kong-can-learn-frank-gehry-delivering-mega-projects-time-and-within-budget?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/comment/opinion/article/3220765/what-hong-kong-can-learn-frank-gehry-delivering-mega-projects-time-and-within-budget?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 17 May 2023 22:15:08 +0000 Some Hong Kong residents with expired mainland China travel permits on Monday rushed to make cross-border plans as such bookings opened for the high-speed rail, following Beijing’s earlier announcement that locals could continue to use their old documents until the end of the year. The West Kowloon terminus in Jordan for the Guangzhou-Shenzhen–Hong Kong Express Rail Link was moderately busy on Monday morning. While most passengers in line were mainland visitors heading home following the May 1... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/transport/article/3219733/cross-border-ticket-rush-some-hongkongers-policy-allowing-those-expired-travel-permits-enter?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/transport/article/3219733/cross-border-ticket-rush-some-hongkongers-policy-allowing-those-expired-travel-permits-enter?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 08 May 2023 03:54:11 +0000 In my student days at Hong Kong University, one of the best history lecturers was an American Southeast Asian specialist; a no-nonsense son of former China missionaries, Professor X took no prisoners when intellectually shoddy work came within his eagle-eyed sights. “Big” historical terminology, with inherently contradictory layers of meaning, is perennially problematic; applied as “one-size-fits-all”, it makes definitional consensus impossible. Certain loaded terms – “colonialism” being an... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/post-magazine/short-reads/article/3219470/when-colonialism-and-other-such-loaded-terms-become-convenient-labels-competing-groups-pet-ideas?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/post-magazine/short-reads/article/3219470/when-colonialism-and-other-such-loaded-terms-become-convenient-labels-competing-groups-pet-ideas?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 07 May 2023 23:45:16 +0000 High-speed rail services from Hong Kong to Beijing and other long-haul destinations in mainland China will fully return on April 1, authorities have announced, while trains to three destinations in Guangdong province will resume on March 11. Authorities on Friday also said passengers heading to Guangzhou East on the high-speed rail link would save 10 minutes of travel time as two intermediate stops on the route would be removed on March 11. The announcement came a month and a half after the... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/transport/article/3212259/long-haul-high-speed-rail-services-hong-kong-beijing-and-other-northern-cities-mainland-china-return?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/transport/article/3212259/long-haul-high-speed-rail-services-hong-kong-beijing-and-other-northern-cities-mainland-china-return?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 03 Mar 2023 08:54:49 +0000 A daily limit on the number of tickets for the high-speed rail link connecting Hong Kong and mainland China will be removed from Monday, but authorities are undecided on when to resume long-haul cross-border train services, the city’s transport chief has revealed. Secretary for Transport and Logistics Lam Sai-hung on Saturday said the decision was made as a result of mutual agreement between the government, the railway operator and its mainland counterpart, a day after the city announced it... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/transport/article/3209087/daily-limit-tickets-high-speed-rail-link-connecting-hong-kong-and-mainland-china-be-removed-monday?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/transport/article/3209087/daily-limit-tickets-high-speed-rail-link-connecting-hong-kong-and-mainland-china-be-removed-monday?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 04 Feb 2023 04:57:35 +0000 A Hong Kong lawmaker has said a new train line connecting Hong Kong and Guangzhou East does not fit the “definition of high-speed rail” as the service is hamstrung by old tracks and intermediate stops, while another notes mismatched ticket allocation and empty seats. Sunday’s 8am departure for Guangzhou East – a newly added but historically popular stop just a stone’s throw from the city’s financial and commercial centre – marked the initial stage in reconnecting Hong Kong to the mainland’s... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/transport/article/3206984/1-1/2-hour-train-trip-guangzhou-high-speed-hong-kong-lawmakers-question-new-lines-slow-service-empty?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/transport/article/3206984/1-1/2-hour-train-trip-guangzhou-high-speed-hong-kong-lawmakers-question-new-lines-slow-service-empty?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 16 Jan 2023 08:50:33 +0000 Hong Kong’s high-speed rail link to Guangzhou on Sunday resumed short-haul services for the first time in three years after Beijing a week earlier scrapped quarantine for arrivals, with some travellers noting the significance of the ride in the run-up to Lunar New Year and others eager for long-awaited family reunions. Some 6,500 travellers arrived or departed from the West Kowloon terminus as of 6pm. The control point is the latest to reopen in Hong Kong, following the earlier resumption of... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/transport/article/3206864/first-train-our-country-hong-kongs-high-speed-rail-link-welcomes-back-early-bird-travellers-after-3?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/transport/article/3206864/first-train-our-country-hong-kongs-high-speed-rail-link-welcomes-back-early-bird-travellers-after-3?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 15 Jan 2023 00:49:28 +0000 Hong Kong and mainland China have agreed to increase the daily quota of cross-border travellers at land checkpoints by 15,000 to 65,000 each way for the four days before the Lunar New Year break to cope with surging demand. The quotas for travellers in private cars and cross-boundary hire-car services passing through the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macau Bridge would also be doubled to 2,000 daily from January 18 to 21 each way, authorities announced on Saturday. The adjustments were made a day ahead of... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/transport/article/3206818/tickets-still-available-over-counter-high-speed-rail-link-between-hong-kong-and-mainland-china?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/transport/article/3206818/tickets-still-available-over-counter-high-speed-rail-link-between-hong-kong-and-mainland-china?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 14 Jan 2023 04:23:48 +0000 The MTR Corporation has pledged to work with its mainland Chinese counterparts after Hong Kong residents complained of lengthy delays and errors in authenticating their bookings for the high-speed rail service over the border. Ticketing was in the spotlight again on Friday after hundreds of travellers the day before lined up at the terminus in West Kowloon for train tickets ahead of Sunday’s resumption of the service. Jeny Yeung Mei-chun, the MTR Corp’s transport services director, told a radio... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/transport/article/3206717/mtr-corp-vows-liaise-mainland-chinese-counterparts-after-hongkongers-left-waiting-hours-high-speed?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/transport/article/3206717/mtr-corp-vows-liaise-mainland-chinese-counterparts-after-hongkongers-left-waiting-hours-high-speed?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 13 Jan 2023 08:36:30 +0000 Hundreds of Hongkongers queued to buy tickets at the West Kowloon high-speed rail terminus on Thursday afternoon ahead of the cross-border train service’s resumption over the weekend and the run-up to the Lunar New Year holiday later this month. A long-winding queue of 300 people stood outside the terminus at 1pm, an hour before it reopened for ticketing, with many more prospective passengers dashing to join the group. Authorities in the morning announced up to 5,000 tickets per day, going... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/transport/article/3206583/hongkongers-rush-buy-high-speed-rail-tickets-mainland-china-ahead-sundays-service-launch-lunar-new?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/transport/article/3206583/hongkongers-rush-buy-high-speed-rail-tickets-mainland-china-ahead-sundays-service-launch-lunar-new?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 12 Jan 2023 10:46:52 +0000 As many as 10,000 tickets will be available each day for the high-speed railway connecting Hong Kong and mainland China, although the number may increase after assessing demand, the city’s transport chief has said. Tickets went on sale on Thursday for the nearly 80 trains that will be travelling daily along the line, which suspended operation of its Hong Kong leg three years ago when the pandemic erupted. A recently built route offers new stops at Dongguan, Dongguan South and Guangzhou East, in... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/transport/article/3206491/5000-tickets-day-each-way-go-sale-thursday-noon-hong-kong-high-speed-rail-link-mainland-china?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/transport/article/3206491/5000-tickets-day-each-way-go-sale-thursday-noon-hong-kong-high-speed-rail-link-mainland-china?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 12 Jan 2023 02:31:11 +0000 Tickets for Hong Kong’s high-speed rail service will be available for purchase three days before the reopening of the city’s border with mainland China, the MTR Corporation has said. The city’s rail operator on Friday began preparing for the border reboot at two checkpoint stations and the Guangzhou-Shenzhen-Hong Kong Express Rail Link terminus in West Kowloon. “We are now planning to start selling tickets three days before [the high-speed rail] resumes operations, after the government announces... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/transport/article/3205066/high-speed-rail-tickets-be-available-3-days-reopening-hong-kongs-border-mainland-china-mtr-corp?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/transport/article/3205066/high-speed-rail-tickets-be-available-3-days-reopening-hong-kongs-border-mainland-china-mtr-corp?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 30 Dec 2022 08:03:56 +0000 Hong Kong’s West Kowloon Cultural District Authority has put up for tender a 65,000 square metre (699,654 square foot) property to be developed into three commercial buildings with office, retail, dining and entertainment components. The property could fetch a bid as high as HK$10.5 billion (US$1.3 billion), according to one valuation, given that Hong Kong’s tourism is likely to have recovered from its pandemic malaise by the time construction is complete in four to five years. Estimates put... https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3191986/commercial-site-hong-kongs-arts-hub-west-kowloon-tipped-fetch-much-us13?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3191986/commercial-site-hong-kongs-arts-hub-west-kowloon-tipped-fetch-much-us13?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 09 Sep 2022 10:43:26 +0000 Hong Kong’s historic cross-border intercity through-train services with Guangzhou, Beijing and Shanghai will be axed, according to sources familiar with the situation. Following dwindling demand and fierce competition from other modes of transport, especially the 26km local section of the Guangzhou-Shenzhen-Hong Kong high-speed railway, through-train operations will come to an end after more than 110 years of operation. In a reply to Post inquiries, rail giant the MTR Corporation issued a... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/3175918/end-era-hong-kong-mtrs-cross-border-through-train?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/3175918/end-era-hong-kong-mtrs-cross-border-through-train?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 29 Apr 2022 01:54:52 +0000 The West Kowloon district is likely to become an important commercial district in Hong Kong in the coming years, as new office space comes onto the market, according to analysts. “The Kowloon station precinct serves as an extension to the core Tsim Sha Tsui office submarket but currently has only limited amount of office space, so it isn’t seen as a stand-alone office submarket for the time being,” said Marcos Chan, head of research at real estate firm CBRE Hong Kong. However, “the future... https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3160329/west-kowloon-district-emerging-new-darling-hong-kong-based-multinational?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3160329/west-kowloon-district-emerging-new-darling-hong-kong-based-multinational?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 20 Dec 2021 03:00:32 +0000 Hong Kong leader Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor is expected to announce the construction of a rail link connecting the northern New Territories and Shenzhen’s burgeoning Qianhai economic zone in her policy address next month, the Post has learned. The rail project, estimated to cost billions of dollars, will serve as an extension of a planned HK$62 billion (US$8 billion) Northern Link to cater for the newly announced eightfold expansion of Qianhai. Sources on Thursday said Beijing had planned the... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3149055/hong-kong-leader-unveil-plans-new-rail-link-qianhai-policy?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3149055/hong-kong-leader-unveil-plans-new-rail-link-qianhai-policy?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 16 Sep 2021 15:24:00 +0000 China’s two largest investment banks are making broad cuts to travel budgets that will impact junior bankers as well as senior directors as they seek to reign in costs and boost profitability. Starting this month, CSC Financial managing directors’ domestic travel will be downgraded to economy flights and second class or hard-berth train seats, according to a memo seen by Bloomberg. Larger rival Citic Securities also asked managing directors to fly coach, according to a separate memo, which did... https://www.scmp.com/business/banking-finance/article/3140862/chinas-biggest-brokers-downgrade-bankers-economy-class-and?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/banking-finance/article/3140862/chinas-biggest-brokers-downgrade-bankers-economy-class-and?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 13 Jul 2021 03:04:45 +0000 Hong Kong’s Court of Appeal has upheld the constitutional status of a controversial arrangement allowing state laws to be applied to a section of the West Kowloon terminus of the cross-border high-speed railway. The judicial review raised a debate on whether decisions made by the nation’s top legislative body were binding on Hong Kong even without a formal interpretation of the Basic Law, the city’s mini-constitution. Mr Justice Jeremy Poon Shiu-chor, the High Court chief judge, said on Friday... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/law-and-crime/article/3137033/application-mainland-chinese-law-section-hong-kongs?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/law-and-crime/article/3137033/application-mainland-chinese-law-section-hong-kongs?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 11 Jun 2021 14:22:31 +0000 A decision by China’s top legislative body is “as good as binding” in Hong Kong, even without a formal interpretation of the Basic Law, lawyers for the local government argued in the Court of Appeal on Tuesday. Benjamin Yu SC made the assertion in response to a key question that arose in the judicial review over the government’s controversial arrangement allowing the application of national laws at the cross-border high-speed rail terminus in West Kowloon since September 2018. The applicants had... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/law-and-crime/article/3118383/lawyers-hong-kong-government-argue-beijings-decision?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/law-and-crime/article/3118383/lawyers-hong-kong-government-argue-beijings-decision?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 19 Jan 2021 13:24:11 +0000