View source for Hong Kong Express Rail Link

{{Short description|Express Rail Link in Hong Kong}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2020}}
{{Infobox rail line
| box_width                       = 300px
| name                            = Guangzhou–Shenzhen–Hong Kong Express Rail Link Hong Kong section<br/>{{nobold|{{lang|zh-Hant|廣深港高速鐵路香港段}}}}
| color                           = {{rcr|MTR|xrl}}
| mapcolor                        = {{rcb|MTR|xrl|box}} (#{{rcr|MTR|xrl}})
| logo                            = MTRExpressRail.svg
| logo_width                      = 50px
| image                           = File:Guangzhou Shenzhen Hongkong Express Rail Link en.svg
| alt                             = 
| caption                         = 
| area served                     = 
| locale                          = Kowloon and New Territories, Hong Kong
| type                            = [[higher-speed rail]]
| website                         = {{Official website|https://www.mtr.com.hk/highspeed}}
| open                            = 23 September 2018
| operation_will_start            = 
| vehicles                        = 
| linelength_km                   = 26
| lines                           = 
| line_number                     = 
| start                           = 
| end                             = 
| stations                        = 1
| ridership                       = 
| weekly_ridership                = 
| annual_ridership                = 
| chief_executive                 = 
| gauge                           = {{RailGauge|sg|allk=on}}
| electrification                 = {{25 kV 50 Hz}} ([[Overhead lines]])
| speed                           = 200
| owner                           = [[Government of Hong Kong|Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region]] through the [[KCR Corporation]]
| operator                        = {{ric|MTR|link=MTR Corporation}} [[MTR Corporation]]
| character                       = 
| map                             = {{Guang-Shen-Kong XRL RDT}}
| map_state                       = collapsed
| embedded                        = {{Infobox Chinese|child=yes
|pic=Guangzhou Shenzhen Hongkong Express Rail Link en.svg |piccap=Guangzhou-Shenzhen-Hong Kong Express Rail Link (HK Section in blue)
|t=廣深港高速鐵路香港段 |s=广深港高速铁路香港段
  |j=gwong<sup>2</sup>–sam<sup>1</sup>–gong<sup>2</sup> gou<sup>1</sup>cuk<sup>1</sup> tit<sup>3</sup>lou<sup>6</sup> hoeng<sup>1</sup>gong<sup>2</sup> dyun<sup>6</sup>
  |p=Guǎng–Shēn–Gǎng gāosù tiělù Xiānggǎng duàn
}}
}}

'''The Hong Kong section''' of the [[Guangzhou–Shenzhen–Hong Kong Express Rail Link]] (sometimes abbreviated "XRL HK section") is a {{Cvt|26|km}} long stretch of [[high-speed rail]] that runs along a dedicated underground rail corridor<ref>{{cite web|title=Hong Kong Section of Guangzhou – Shenzhen – Hong Kong Express Rail Link |url=https://www.hyd.gov.hk/en/road_and_railway/railway_network/xrl/index.html |access-date=2 April 2023}}</ref> linking [[Hong Kong]] to [[mainland China]]. It is one of the most expensive infrastructure undertakings in Hong Kong's history. The line connects [[Kowloon]] with the [[High-speed rail in China|high-speed rail network of China]] at [[Futian railway station (Guangdong)|Futian station]] in the technology hub of [[Shenzhen]], then running north towards [[Guangzhou]]. As of August 2024 the line has an average ridership of 88,800 passengers a day.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Transport Department - August 2024 |url=https://www.td.gov.hk/en/transport_in_hong_kong/transport_figures/monthly_traffic_and_transport_digest/2024/202408/index.html |access-date=2024-11-29 |website=www.td.gov.hk}}</ref>

The railway is the first high-speed rail link between [[mainland China]] and Hong Kong; it roughly halved travel time between Hong Kong and Guangzhou and connected Hong Kong to most major mainland Chinese cities via the country's extensive high-speed railway network. Construction began in 2011 and was hampered by construction delays and political controversy. It opened for commercial service on 23 September 2018.<ref name="startup">{{cite news |title=XRL to start operation on September 23 |url=http://www.thestandard.com.hk/breaking-news.php?id=112732&sid=4 |work=[[The Standard (Hong Kong)|The Standard]] |date=23 August 2018}}</ref>

Unlike the rest of Hong Kong, the passenger compartments of trains operating on the Hong Kong Express Rail Link are legally defined as part of the [[Hong Kong West Kowloon railway station#Mainland Port Area|Mainland Port Area]] and subject to the laws of mainland China.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.cnn.com/style/article/hong-kong-high-speed-rail-west-kowloon-station-intl/index.html|title=Controversial high-speed rail station opens in Hong Kong|last=Chung|first=Stephy|date=2 September 2018|website=CNN Style|language=en|access-date=5 October 2019}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/2160902/mainland-chinese-officials-have-arrived-set-port-area-west|title=Mainland Chinese technicians 'setting up' in West Kowloon terminus|date=2 August 2018|website=South China Morning Post|language=en|access-date=5 October 2019}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.elegislation.gov.hk/hk/cap632|title=Cap. 632 Guangzhou-Shenzhen-Hong Kong Express Rail Link (Co-location) Ordinance|date=4 September 2018|website=Hong Kong e-Legislation}}</ref>

==History==
In April 2007, the Executive Council assigned the task of planning and design of the fully underground Hong Kong section of the Guangzhou–Shenzhen–Hong Kong Express Rail Link (XRL) to the [[MTR Corporation|MTR Corporation Limited]] (MTRCL). Government projections indicate that the XRL will carry about 100,000 passengers daily in 2020 and 120,000 passengers in 2030, generating an economic benefit of HK$83&nbsp;billion over the next 50 years in terms of travelling time saved. Construction costs were estimated at HK$39.5&nbsp;billion (US$5&nbsp;billion), giving an economic [[internal rate of return]] of about 9%.<ref name=hkgov200804220141/> The government stated the objectives were to "reinforce Hong Kong's position as the transport hub in southern China and integrate Hong Kong into Mainland China's rapidly growing express rail network", and promoting cultural tourism. It also argued that shortening the travelling time between Hong Kong and Guangzhou to just under 50 minutes{{mdash}}half the current journey time{{mdash}} would save "HK$83&nbsp;billion over the next 50 years in terms of travelling time", and the creation of 5,000 jobs during construction, and 10,000 operational jobs.<ref name=hkgov200804220141/>
{{image frame|align=none|width=725
| content = {{Graph:Chart|width=550|height=220|yAxisTitle=Passengers|legend=|type=stackedrect|yAxisFormat=s
|x=23/9,24/9,25/9,26/9,27/9,28/9,29/9,30/9,1/10,2/10,3/10,4/10,5/10,6/10,7/10|xAxisTitle=Date (DD/MM/2018)
|y1=42534,19241,23019,20960,19291,20330,23272,33361,59271,48720,42025,38355,37903,28888,19367
|y2=33210,27222,14801,15725,17083,21172,24878,20050,18973,27337,32883,37344,42117,44808,33693
|y1Title=Arrival|y2Title=Departure|colors=seagreen, maroon, black}}
| caption = Passenger traffic at Express Rail Link [[Hong Kong West Kowloon railway station#Mainland Port Area|West Kowloon Control Point]] during the first 15 days after the opening of [[Hong Kong West Kowloon railway station|station]]

Source of data: Hong Kong Immigration Department- Statistics on Passenger Traffic, [[MTR]]
}}

===Development===
The construction cost in Hong Kong was covered by the Hong Kong taxpayer.<ref name=hkgov200804220141>{{cite web|url=http://www.info.gov.hk/gia/general/200804/22/P200804220141.htm|title=Green light for the local section of Express Rail Link|publisher=[[Hong Kong Government]]|access-date=22 July 2008}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.epd.gov.hk/eia/chi/register/profile/latest/cesb189/cesb_189.pdf|script-title=zh:廣深港高速鐵路香港段工程項目簡介|language=zh|publisher=Environmental Protection Department and [[MTR Corporation]]|access-date=22 July 2008|trans-title=Brief Introduction of Hong Kong Section of Guangzhou – Shenzhen – Hong Kong Express Rail Link Project}}</ref>

Hoping to be able to start construction of the Hong Kong section of the Express Rail Link (XRL) project before the end of 2009, the [[Executive Council of Hong Kong|Executive Council]] approved the implementation on 20 October, paving the way for funding approval from the Finance Committee of the Legislative Council.<ref name=hkgov200910200166>[http://www.info.gov.hk/gia/general/200910/20/P200910200166.htm ExCo approves implementation of high-speed rail link], Hong Kong Government, 20 October 2009</ref>

Appropriations for the project secured approval of the [[Legislative Council of Hong Kong|Hong Kong Legislative Council]] on 16 January 2010.<ref>Song, Shengxia (18 January 2010), [http://english.people.com.cn/90001/90776/90882/6871325.html Hongkongers protest vote on high-speed rail], ''People's Daily'', ''Global Times''. Retrieved 28 January 2010</ref>

===Service===
The XRL HK Section only serves the [[Hong Kong West Kowloon railway station|West Kowloon Terminus]]. Trains run to [[Guangzhou South railway station|Guangzhou South Station]] in the Shibi Township of the [[Panyu District]] in southern Guangzhou through three intermediate stations, namely, [[Futian railway station (Guangdong)|Futian]], [[Shenzhen North station|Shenzhen North]] and [[Humen railway station|Humen]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.thb.gov.hk/eng/policy/transport/issues/cbt_4.htm|title=Transport and Housing Bureau – Policy / Issues in Focus|publisher=Government of Hong Kong}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.epd.gov.hk/eia/register/profile/latest/esb189/esb189.pdf|title=HONG KONG SECTION OF GUANGZHOU-SHENZHEN-HONG KONG EXPRESS RAIL LINK PROJECT PROFILE}}</ref> The expected travel time between Guangzhou South and West Kowloon stations was estimated to be 1 hour and 18 minutes based on the first trial run,<ref>{{cite web|url=https://hk.news.appledaily.com/local/daily/article/20180513/20389247|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180513032224/https://hk.news.appledaily.com/local/daily/article/20180513/20389247|url-status=dead|archive-date=13 May 2018|script-title=zh:內媒揭高鐵上廣州超過一小時|work=[[Apple Daily]] |language=zh-hk |access-date=18 May 2018}}</ref> up from the previously announced 47 minutes with a total distance of 142 kilometers.

Shenzhen North station was opened on 22 June 2011 and the service was extended to Futian station on 30 December 2015.

Trains departing from Hong Kong may have destinations beyond Guangzhou, through the [[Wuhan–Guangzhou high-speed railway|Wuguang High-Speed Railway]] and the [[Shijiazhuang–Wuhan high-speed railway|Shiwu High-Speed Railway]], or via Shenzhen North to [[Hangzhou]] and Shanghai through the [[Xiamen–Shenzhen railway|Xiashen Railway]] and the Huhangyong Railway.

The total distance of the Hong Kong section was planned to be 26 kilometres, most of which through tunnels.<ref name=hkgov200910200166/> The dedicated track will enable a top speed of 200&nbsp;km/h;<ref name=hkgov200910200166/> the expected travel time from Kowloon to Shenzhen's Futian station is 14 minutes.[https://www.hk01.com/%E6%B8%AF%E8%81%9E/106577/-%E4%B8%80%E5%9C%B0%E5%85%A9%E6%AA%A2-%E9%AB%98%E9%90%B5%E8%A5%BF%E4%B9%9D%E7%AB%99%E5%BE%80%E5%BB%A3%E5%B7%9E%E5%8D%9748%E5%88%86%E9%90%98%E5%88%B0%E9%81%94-%E8%A8%98%E8%80%85%E5%AF%A6%E6%B8%AC%E7%B5%90%E6%9]

Service between Guangzhou South and Shenzhen North stations started on 26 December 2011.<ref>[http://www.asiaone.com/News/AsiaOne+News/Asia/Story/A1Story20111226-318220.html "High-speed rail to link Shenzhen, Guangzhou."] ''China Daily/Asia News Network''. 25 December 2011. via [[AsiaOne]].com</ref> The extension to Futian station, originally scheduled for 2012, was delayed until on 30 December 2015 for Futian and the 3rd quarter of 2018 during the planning process for [[Hong Kong West Kowloon railway station|West Kowloon Terminus]].

From January 2020, the line was closed owing to the [[COVID-19 pandemic]] and the border restrictions between Hong Kong and mainland China. The line did not reopen until January 2023.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Magramo |first=Kathleen |date=2023-01-13 |title=Hong Kong-China high-speed rail link reopens ahead of Lunar New Year travel rush |url=https://edition.cnn.com/travel/article/hong-kong-china-high-speed-rail-reopen-tickets-intl-hnk/index.html |access-date=2024-12-15 |website=CNN |language=en}}</ref> From June 2024, the line will be used by long-distance high-speed sleeper trains to Beijing and Shanghai.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Hutton |first=Mercedes |date=5 June 2024 |title=HK to launch high-speed sleeper train services to Beijing, Shanghai |url=https://hongkongfp.com/2024/06/05/hong-kong-to-launch-high-speed-sleeper-train-services-to-beijing-shanghai-on-june-15/ |access-date=2024-12-15 |website=Hong Kong Free Press |language=en-GB}}</ref>

In 2024, it was announced that the [[Guangzhou–Kowloon through train]]s operated by MTR and [[China Railway Guangzhou Group]] had been discontinued, with the [[General Administration of Customs]] stating that [[Beijing–Guangzhou high-speed railway|high-speed passenger trains]] have effectively met the travel needs of passengers between the mainland and Hong Kong.<ref>{{Cite web |date=31 July 2024 |title=海關總署公告2024年第96號（關於關閉北京西站、上海站、廣州、東莞等4個鐵路口岸的公告） |url=http://gdfs.customs.gov.cn/customs/302249/2480148/6013329/index.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240731135355/http://gdfs.customs.gov.cn/customs/302249/2480148/6013329/index.html |archive-date=31 July 2024 |access-date=31 July 2024 |website=General Administration of Customs of the People's Republic of China}}</ref> These intercity services had been suspended from early 2020 owing to the [[COVID-19 pandemic in Hong Kong|COVID-19 pandemic]].

== List of stations ==
{| class="wikitable"
|+
!Station
!Opened
!Location
|-
|[[Futian station|Futian]]
|30 December 2015
|[[Futian, Shenzhen|Futian]], [[Shenzhen]]
|-
|[[Hong Kong West Kowloon station|Hong Kong West Kowloon]]
|23 September 2018
|[[Tsim Sha Tsui]], [[Hong Kong]]
|}

== Controversies ==
{{Main|Anti-Hong Kong Express Rail Link movement}}

The completion of the XRL HK section had been delayed on multiple occasions and continuously ran over budget, attracting criticisms from many Hong Kong protestors.<ref name="aj">{{cite news |title=Protests in Hong Kong over high-speed rail link to China |url=https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2018/09/protests-hong-kong-high-speed-rail-link-china-180922092549498.html |access-date=23 September 2018 |publisher=Al Jazeera |date=22 September 2018}}</ref> Being part of the Chinese Rail Link network, with the start of commercial operations in the Hong Kong section, the Chinese authorities have created checkpoints both on the trains to Hong Kong and at the [[Hong Kong West Kowloon railway station]], in a "[[Hong Kong West Kowloon railway station#Mainland Port Area|Mainland Port Area]]" where Chinese criminal laws can be legally enforced for the first time in Hong Kong territory, as part of the bill passed in June 2018, which was criticized as an erosion of the [[one country, two systems]] principle.<ref name="scmp">{{cite news |title=Hong Kong's controversial China rail checkpoint bill finally passed by lawmakers amid protests, delays and expulsions |url=https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/2150873/hong-kongs-controversial-china-rail-checkpoint-bill-finally |access-date=23 September 2018 |work=South China Morning Post|date=14 June 2018}}</ref><ref name="bbc">{{cite news |title=Hong Kong express rail link launches amid controversy |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-china-45612749 |access-date=23 September 2018 |work=BBC News |date=22 September 2018}}</ref>

===Protests===
On 29 November 2009, a demonstration of more than 1,000 people protesting against the construction of the Express Rail link gained the attention of the local media when a group of 100 people engaged in a sit-in protest in front of the [[Central Government Complex (Hong Kong)|government headquarters]] in Central.<ref>[http://www.thestandard.com.hk/news_detail.asp?we_cat=4&art_id=91254&sid=26254076&con_type=1&d_str=20091130&fc=1 Angry rail-link protesters clash with police] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110604143231/http://www.thestandard.com.hk/news_detail.asp?we_cat=4&art_id=91254&sid=26254076&con_type=1&d_str=20091130&fc=1 |date=4 June 2011 }}, ''The Standard'', 30 November 2009</ref> On 18 December 2009, when the funding application was debated in the Finance Committee of the Legislative Council, a demonstration of an estimated 1,000 to 2,000 people was staged around the [[Court of Final Appeal Building|Legislative Council Building]]. The debate did not end at the time when the meeting was scheduled to be ended, and the funding application was not yet voted on.<ref name=SCMP-19-Dec>Opponents of high-speed rail link claim victory as pan-democrats delay funding, ''South China Morning Post'', 19 December 2009</ref> A major protest followed in January 2010.

== See also ==
* [[Guangzhou–Kowloon through train]]
* [[East Rail line]]
* [[Kowloon–Canton Railway]]

== References ==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
* [https://www.highspeed.mtr.com.hk/en/main/index.html MTR High Speed Rail]
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20171227045833/http://www.expressraillink.hk/en/home/index.html MTR Express Rail Link project details / construction]
{{High-speed rail in the People's Republic of China}}
{{Eastern Pearl River Delta transit}}
{{XRL}}
{{MTR}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Guangzhou-Shenzhen-Hong Kong Express Rail Link Hong Kong section}}
[[Category:High-speed railway lines]]
[[Category:Railway tunnels in Hong Kong]]
[[Category:Standard-gauge railways in Hong Kong]]
[[Category:High-speed rail in China]]