The Hong Kong government is launching a pilot autonomous vehicle project to connect the High-Speed Rail (HSR) West Kowloon Station and the Airport Express Kowloon Station, providing point-to-point shuttle services for air and rail passengers.
The journey between the two stations is expected to take approximately seven to eight minutes. The Transport Department expects to issue a pilot licence for the autonomous vehicles this month, allowing on-road testing to commence, with the service targeted to begin operation in the second quarter of 2027.
According to the Transport Department, the MTR Corporation and the Airport Authority are jointly advancing the autonomous driving test project and will provide facilitation services at West Kowloon Station for passengers transferring to flights. HSR passengers will be able to check in and check their luggage immediately upon arrival at West Kowloon Station, then take the autonomous vehicle to the Airport Express Kowloon Station to board the Airport Express for Hong Kong International Airport. Passengers arriving via the airport and needing to transfer to the HSR can also take the autonomous vehicle from the Airport Express Kowloon Station to the HSR West Kowloon Station.
The Transport Department said the autonomous shuttle service is expected to further facilitate elderly passengers and those with reduced mobility, enhancing the overall seamless transfer experience. The project will deploy four autonomous vehicles, with a local backup operator seated in the driver's seat during testing to monitor conditions and take over when necessary. The backup operator must have at least 10 years of driving experience and complete 100 hours of full-time training provided by Baidu.
The department noted that approximately 5% of HSR passengers arriving in Hong Kong depart via Hong Kong International Airport, with transfer passenger volume rising more than 20% year-on-year last year, of which about 40% transfer on the same day. This demonstrates the potential and opportunities for developing "air-rail intermodal transport" in Hong Kong. The project will help promote the steady expansion of autonomous driving in Hong Kong toward commercial applications, in line with the national "15th Five-Year Plan" and the Hong Kong SAR government's Policy Address and Transport Strategy Blueprint.
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