Lam Sai-hung: HK MTR communicates with Mainland to reduce travel time to Guangzhou East

During a Legislative Council session, the Secretary for Transport and Logistics, Lam Sai-hung, stated that the high-speed rail service in Hong Kong is extremely popular, with an average daily ridership of approximately 70,000 passengers in the first nine months of the year, nearing last year's total of around 20 million.

Lam responded to inquiries by noting that over 60% of short-haul passengers travel to Shenzhen, specifically Futian and Shenzhen North stations, while nearly 30% head to Guangzhou East and Guangzhou South stations. Less than 10% of passengers use other short-haul stations such as Guangmingcheng, Humen, Qingsheng, Dongguan South, Changping, and Dongguan.

Regarding the possibility of speeding up the route to Guangzhou East Station, Lam mentioned that due to the existing lines and necessary stops at several stations, the current train schedule balances travel time with the convenience of passenger access at these stops. The MTR will continue to communicate with mainland railway authorities to try to minimize the travel time from West Kowloon Station to Guangzhou East Station, said Lam.

He also mentioned that the Hong Kong government and the MTR have been striving to increase the number of direct stations, which have grown from 44 at the time of launch to the current 80. The MTR is actively discussing with mainland authorities the proposal to add a new station at Xintang.

As for the introduction of sleeper trains at stations in the western region, Lam indicated that due to various factors and arrangements with multiple railway bureaus, further discussions will be held to explore viable options to enhance the service.

Related News:

Super typhoon Kong-rey poses minimal threat as it nears HK

Ministry of Commerce: China disagrees with and rejects the EU's final ruling on BEVs anti-subsidy