HK high-speed rail, speedy connection to Chinese mainland

2018-09-24
cgtn.com

Thanks to the one-stop clearance arrangement, passengers can easily get checked by both Hong Kong and the Chinese mainland immigration officials at the West Kowloon Station.

The train running on the Guangzhou-Shenzhen-Hong Kong high-speed railway link is called Vibrant Express and symbolizes Hong Kong’s characteristics — a vibrant city bustling with energy.

The train has 579 seats and two easy-access seats. The first and eighth cars are first class, and the rest are second class, with no dining car. Similar to other high-speed trains in the Chinese mainland, chairs are equipped with lights, entertainment controls and tables. But one extra perk — power sockets for both Hong Kong- and mainland-type plugs are available.

The train runs at a speed of 200 km/h, meaning passengers move 56 meters per second. Some Hong Kong residents say it’s a fantastic experience.

The high-speed trains can reach 44 cities in the Chinese mainland but an even bigger advantage is that the link offers passengers direct routes to at least 15 destinations that don’t have airports.

Experts say Hong Kong’s outbound tourism will grow by 20 percent in the future. The railway link will make Hong Kong more connected to the Chinese mainland than ever before.