Hangzhou passengers able to reach Hong Kong by high-speed rail

The train G99 arrives at Hangzhou East Railway Station on the afternoon of Sept 23. [Photo/Qianjiang Evening News]

The new train route connecting Hangzhou, Zhejiang province and Hong Kong, went into operation on Sept 23 with the Hong Kong section of the high-speed railway entering into service.

The train G99, departing from Shanghai at 14:10 every day, stops at Hangzhou (Zhejiang province), Jinhua (Zhejiang province), Shaorao (Jiangxi province), Nanchang (Jiangxi province), Changsha (Hunan province), Shaoguan (Guangdong province), Guangzhou (Guangdong province), Shenzhou (Guangdong province) along the way to Hong Kong West Kowloon Station. The train has 16 carriages and 1,193 seats.

The whole journey from Hangzhou to the terminal station will take around seven and a half hours, from 15:01 to 22:28, and the ticket price for second-class seats is 935 yuan ($135.95). The tickets are available on 12306 website and 12306 mobile app.

Both ID cards and train tickets are needed to check in. Tourists from Chinese mainland need to have the Exit-Entry Permits for Travelling to and from Hong Kong and Macao, as well as the valid endorsements when passing the Hong Kong Customs.

The carry-on luggage for an adult passenger can't exceed 20 kilograms and every piece of luggage is not allowed to exceed 130cm in combined length, width and height.

The return journey will be operated by the train G100 which leaves Hong Kong at 11:10 every day and arrives in Hangzhou at 18:35.

Passengers get on the first direct train from Hangzhou, Zhejiang province to Hong Kong at Hangzhou East Railway Station on Sept 23. [Photo/Qianjiang Evening News]