XRL Hong Kong section enters trial operations

The high-speed train running on the Hong Kong section of the Guangzhou-Shenzhen-Hong Kong Express Rail Link is named Vibrant Express. [Photo/Xinhua]

The Hong Kong section of the Guangzhou-Shenzhen-Hong Kong Express Rail Link (XRL) entered trial operations on April 1. After the section officially opens in September, travel time from Shenzhen's Futian to Hong Kong will be reduced to approximately 14 minutes.

The Guangzhou-Shenzhen-Hong Kong XRL starts at the Guangdong capital of Guangzhou and extends 140 kilometers, stopping at six stations along the way – Qingsheng Station, Humen Station, Guangming Station, Shenzhen North Station, Futian Station, and West Kowloon, the terminal station.

According to a memorandum of understanding signed by the HK government and China Railways Corporation, 127 pairs of trains will be operated by the two parties daily, 114 of which will be short-haul trains and 13 of which will be long-haul. All trains are at the early stage of commissioning.

127 pairs of trains will run on the Guangzhou-Shenzhen-Hong Kong Express Rail Link. [Photo/Xinhua]

The ticket price for the high-speed railway link from Hong Kong to Shenzhen Futian and Shenzhen North station is 80 HK dollars (about $10.2) and 90 HK dollars (about $11.5), respectively.

The Hong Kong section of the railway link is 26 kilometers. The project is being funded by the Hong Kong government and designed and constructed by Hong Kong's MTR Corporation. Once in operation, travel time from Guangzhou, Shanghai and Beijing to Hong Kong will be cut to 48 minutes, less than 8 hours and less than 9 hours, respectively.  

The interior of the Guangzhou-Shenzhen-Hong Kong bullet trains is spacious and comfortable. [Photo/epaper.oeeee.com]