With the opening of the Guangzhou–Shenzhen–Hong Kong Express Rail Link on September 23rd, 2018, high-speed trains from the newly-built Hong Kong West Kowloon Station to 44 mainland cities were put into service. High-speed trains from Hong Kong have not only made it much more convenient and faster to travel between Hong Kong and mainland China, but have also had a positive effect on the economy, strengthening economic co-operation and trade exchanges between Hong Kong and mainland China.
High-Speed Trains to/from Hong Kong
Hong Kong connects to 44 destinations in the 25,000-kilometer national high-speed railway, including six short-distance cities and 38 long-distance cities. All high-speed trains to/from Hong Kong operate at the West Kowloon Railway Station, which is a different station from Hung Hom Railway Station that serves ordinary trains.
Hong Kong to Guangzhou high-speed trains are called “Vibrant Express”From Hong Kong West Kowloon Station, there are 13 pairs of trains running on long-distance routes every day, 70 pairs of trains serving short-distance routes on weekdays, and 82 pairs on weekends.
- Terminus: Hong Kong West Kowloon Station
- Destinations for short-distance routes: Futian, Shenzhen North, Guangzhou South, Guangmingcheng, Humen, Qingsheng
- Destinations for long-distance routes: Beijing West, Shanghai Hongqiao, Hangzhou East, Guilin West, Changsha South, Kunming South, Guiyang North, Fuzhou, Xiamen North, Wuhan, Shijiazhuang, Zhengzhou East, Nanchang West, Hengyang East, Zhuzhou West, Chenzhou West, Shantou, Jinhua, Shangrao, Shaoguan, Putian, Quanzhou, Chaoshan, Huizhou South, Shanwei, Raoping, Zhangzhou, Jiaomei, Pingshan, Lufeng, Houmen, Chaoyang, Huidong, Chaoyang, Puning, Zhangpu, Yunxiao, Zhao’an
Short-Distance High-Speed Trains to/from Hong Kong
| Route | Duration | Number of Daily Trains | Ticket Prices |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hong Kong – Shenzhen | 14 to 28 min | 80 pairs on weekdays; 92 pairs on weekends | US$11–17 |
| Hong Kong – Guangzhou | 47 min to 1 h 17 min | 34 pairs per day | US$33–67 |
| Hong Kong – Futian | 14 to 17 min | 35 pairs per day | US$12–18 |
| Hong Kong – Humen | 38 to 56 min | 18 pairs per day | US$27–40 |
Long-Distance High-Speed Trains to/from Hong Kong
| Route | Train Number | Duration | Number of daily trains | Ticket Prices |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hong Kong – Beijing | G79/G80 | 9 h | 1 pair | US$159–496 |
| Hong Kong – Shanghai | G99/G100 | 8 h 17 min | 1 pair | US$149–462 |
| Hong Kong – Guilin | G311/G312 | 3 h 19 min | 1 pair | US$56–168 |
| Hong Kong – Xiamen | G3001/G3002; G3003/G3004; G3005/G3006; G3007/G3008 | 4 to 4½ h | 4 pairs | US$38–61 |
| Hong Kong – Kunming | G312/G314 | 7½ h | 1 pair | US$111–337 |
| Hong Kong – Guiyang | G311/G312 | 5½ h | 1 pair | US$80–238 |
| Hong Kong – Hangzhou | G99/G100 | 7½ h | 1 pair | US$138–430 |
| Hong Kong – Changsha | G79/G80; G99/G100; G6113/G6114 | 3½ h | 3 pairs | US$78–242 |
Non-Bullet Trains to/from Hong Kong
- Terminus: Hung Hom Station
- Stops: Beijing West, Guangzhou East, Hangzhou East, Zhengzhou, Wuhan, Changsha
| Route | Duration | Number of Daily Trains | Tickfet Prices |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hong Kong – Guangzhou | 2 hours | 12 pairs | US$30–34 |
| Hong Kong – Beijing | 24 hours | 1 pair | US$74–145 |
| Hong Kong – Shanghai | 19 hours | 1 pair | US$74–146 |
Differences Between Hong Kong High-Speed Trains and Ordinary Trains
1. Different terminal stations: high-speed trains to/from Hong Kong operate at Hong Kong’s newly-built West Kowloon Station; ordinary trains operate at Hung Hom Railway Station.
2. Different seat classes: business/first/second classes on high-speed trains; superior soft/soft/hard sleepers on long-distance overnight trains.
3. Different ways of getting tickets:
- High-speed trains: Tickets can be bought online and offline. Tickets can be collected at the train station or delivered to you.
- Ordinary trains: Tickets can only be bought offline and will be delivered to you.
4. Different kinds of tickets:
- High-speed train tickets: blue magnetic tickets that can be checked automatically by machines at the boarding gates.
- Ordinary train tickets: ordinary paper tickets that can only be checked manually.
5. Customs procedures:
- High-speed trains: West Kowloon Station has joint checkpoints. Passengers can go through the entry and exit customs procedures in this station. Please note that you have to complete the arrival/departure forms before you go to the customs officer.
- Ordinary trains: Passengers need to go through the entry and exit customs procedures at different stations.
How to Book Tickets
How to Book Hong Kong High-Speed Train Tickets
Hong Kong high-speed train ticketHigh-speed train tickets can be booked in five ways:
- Book online with a travel agency like China Highlights — recommended
- Book online via China Railway’s official website
- Book online via MTR’s website
- Book by telephone
- Book at a local train station
Hong Kong’s railway network and China Railway have their own ticketing systems. MTR’s booking policies (ticket-collecting, change and cancellation policies, etc.) are different to China Railway’s. There are a few things you need to know before purchasing a high-speed train ticket to Hong Kong and vice versa.
Find out more about Hong Kong high-speed train ticket booking and policies.
How to Book Hong Kong Ordinary Train Tickets
Hong Kong non-bullet train ticketTickets for ordinary trains to Hong Kong and vice versa can only be purchased offline. After receiving your booking, China Highlights will deliver the paper tickets to your hotel or address.
“These are just to make things more convenient and make border crossing clearance faster,” one 39-year-old passenger, Mr. Chan said, saying he was traveling on the first train with his son.
Search for Hong Kong bullet train schedules and book a ticket now!
Related Articles
- Hong Kong – Guangzhou High-Speed Trains
- Hong Kong – Shenzhen High-Speed Trains
- Hong Kong – Xiamen High-Speed Trains
- Hong Kong – Changsha High-Speed Trains
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