Getting from Hong Kong to the mainland has for many years been an arduous process of cross-border buses, bus + metro + light rail, or if you could afford such, a private car. Not anymore.
With the line opening on the 23/09, tickets are now on sale for the new High Speed Rail Link which smashes traveling times between the regions.
Trains depart from the new West Kowloon Station which can be reached via the Airport Express Rail Line (Kowloon Station) or Tung Chung MTR Line (Austin Station). At West Kowloon Station you will actually go through Mainland Immigration Checkpoint before boarding the train making the journey to mainland China seamless and fast.
Jump to Fares | Stations on the GZ SZ HK XRL | Mainland Destinations | Train Facts | Travel Tips | Timetable
Base Fares for the XRL
Hong Kong to Guangzhou South – Fare: 247 HKD – Travel time: 48 Minutes
Hong Kong to Humen – Fare: 204 HKD – Travel time: 30 Minutes (estimate)
Hong Kong to Shenzhen North – Fare: 86 HKD – Travel time: 23 Minutes
Hong Kong to Shenzhen Futian – Fare: 78 HKD – Travel time: 14 Minutes
These fare examples are for standard second class tickets, you can spend extra for First Class, with select trains also offering Premium Class, and the ultimate being Business Class.
Note: Fares are calculated on the published RMB price then converted to HKD at market rates every month, so, HKD rates do fluctuate slightly. There is also an additional service fee placed on tickets bought on the Hong Kong side, so technically, it is cheaper to take this train to Shenzhen, disembark, and then buy your ticket to other onward destinations, but a little inconvenient.
Buying tickets online: https://www.ticketing.highspeed.mtr.com.hk
Buying tickets at the station: Level B1 Ticket Hall West Kowloon Station
Stations on the GZ-SZ-HK XRL Line
| Guangzhou South | 广州南 | GZ Metro Line 2, 7 | Panyu, Guangzhou |
| Qingsheng | 庆盛 | GZ Metro Line 4 | Nansha, Guangzhou |
| Humen | 虎门 | Dongguan Metro line 2 | Humen, Dongguan |
| Guangmingcheng | 光明城 | Bao’an, Shenzhen | |
| Shenzhen North | 深圳北 | SZ Metro line 4,5 | Bao’an, Shenzhen |
| Futian | 福田 | SZ Metro line 2, 3, 11 | Futian, Shenzhen |
| West Kowloon | 香港西九龙 | HK MTR Tung Chung line Airport Express (via Kowloon) West Rail line (via Austin) |
West Kowloon, Hong Kong |
Mainland China destinations from West Kowloon Station via XRL
You can also buy direct tickets for 38 long-haul destinations within mainland China that are along the Beijing-Guangzhou Passenger Line, Hangzhou-Fuzhou-Shenzhen Passenger Line, Shanghai-Kunming Passenger Line and Guiyang-Guangzhou Passenger Line, which includes major cities such as Beijing, Shanghai, Xiamen, Changsha, Chaoshan, and Hangzhou.
You could also disembark at Shenzhen North Station and continue on High Speed Rail to Beijing, Changsha, Chongqing, Fuzhou, Guilin, Guangzhou, Hangzhou, Hefei, Hong Kong, Huangshan, Jinan, Kunming, Luoyang, Nanchang, Nanjing, Nanning, Shanghai, Shijiazhuang, Suzhou, Xiamen, Xian, Wuhan, Yangshuo, and Zhengzhou
You could also disembark at Guangzhou South Station, and continue on High Speed Rail to destinations include Changsha, Chengdu, Chongqing, Guilin, Guiyang, Hangzhou, Hefei, Huangshan, Jinan, Lanzhou, Luoyang, Nanchang, Nanjing, Nanning, Qingdao, Shijiazhuang, Wuhan, Xiamen, Xian, Yangshuo, Yiwu, Zhengzhou, and Zhuhai.
Trains on the Guangzhou-Shenzhen-Hong Kong High Speed Railway
The bullet trains are the Chinese made CH380A, CRH3C, CRH380BK, and CRH380BL. These trains have a top speed in excess of 350 km/h although on the Hong Kong section of the line they will run at 200 km/h (124 mph) and 300 km/h (187 mph) within mainland China.
Below is an example of seating although some train units may differ slightly. Each carriage has its own toilet, wash basin, and hot water fountain. There is a large luggage space at the front of the individual carriage and overhead storage for light luggage.
The trains offer second class and first class seats. Some select trains also offer premium class and/or business class.
Second Class Seats
First Class seats
WiFi and power sockets
WiFi is free but limited to one 15 minute session while in Hong Kong. Once you cross the border you are required to have a mainland phone number or wechat app to reconnect and you get two 15 minute sessions for free. For long-haul trips, you may want to secure a mainland multi-region sim card with enough data if net access is important.
First class and second class seats have power sockets available. Power sockets handle most all plug types.
Notes and Tips
Arrive 45 mins before departure time to give enough time to clear customs.
Gates for trains close 5 minutes before departure time.
This is the fastest and most convenient way to reach Shenzhen with Futian Station located in the heart of the CBD.
If you are heading to Guangzhou it is a slightly different story. If your business or travel plans are focused on the CBD and Tianhe area then also consider that you will need to take the GZ Metro from GZ South to the city center. That journey takes around 50-60 minutes. In that case, you may then also consider taking the Guangzhou-Kowloon Through Train that departs from Hung Hom and disembark at Guangzhou East Railway Station as time wise they are similar.
All immigration procedures at handled at West Kowloon Station, to board the train you will require a passport and valid Chinese visa.
Baggage limits:
- Adult 20 kg
- Child 10 kg
- Diplomat 35 kg.
The sum of the length, width and height of hand-carried baggage must not exceed 130 cm.
For large parcels and luggage, there are services located in the Ticketing Concourse at level B1 (next to the Ticketing Counter) of West Kowloon Station.
Timetables
Short Haul Train Schedule from Hong Kong West Kowloon Station
* Additional train for peak season # Additional train on weekends ^ Long-haul train
| Train | West Kowloon | Futian | Shenzhen North | Guangming | Humen | Qingsheng | Guangzhou South |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| G5736 | 07:00 | — | 07:19 | — | — | — | — |
| G9722* | 07:07 | 07:21 | — | — | — | — | — |
| G5710 | 07:13 | 07:27 | 07:37 | — | — | — | — |
| G6382^ | 07:23 | 07:42 | |||||
| G5834*# | 07:30 | 07:44 | — | — | — | — | — |
| G9760* | 07:40 | 07:54 | — | — | — | — | — |
| G9736* | 07:50 | 08:04 | — | — | — | — | — |
| G80^ | 08:05 | 08:24 | 08:56 | ||||
| G5814 | 08:12 | 08:26 | — | — | — | — | — |
| G5738 | 08:20 | — | 08:39 | — | — | — | — |
| G6582 | 08:30 | — | 08:49 | — | 09:09 | — | 09:28 |
| G5836*# | 08:35 | 08:50 | — | — | — | — | — |
| G3006^ | 08:40 | 08:59 | |||||
| G9762* | 08:45 | 08:59 | — | — | — | — | — |
| G6506 | 08:50 | 09:05 | 09:15 | — | 09:36 | — | 09:55 |
| G9738* | 09:00 | 09:14 | — | — | — | — | — |
| G5724 | 09:05 | — | 09:23 | — | — | — | — |
| G6386^ | 09:11 | 09:26 | 09:36 | ||||
| G6516 | 09:16 | 09:31 | 09:41 | — | 10:02 | — | 10:22 |
| G5816 | 09:22 | 09:36 | — | — | — | — | — |
| G5740 | 09:38 | — | 09:57 | — | — | — | — |
| G5838*# | 09:44 | 09:58 | — | — | — | — | — |
| G6524 | 09:49 | — | 10:08 | — | — | — | 10:42 |
| G9764* | 09:54 | 10:08 | — | — | — | — | — |
| G6548 | 10:00 | — | — | — | — | — | 10:47 |
| G9740* | 10:05 | 10:19 | — | — | — | — | — |
| G5726 | 10:18 | — | 10:37 | — | — | — | — |
| G5818 | 10:27 | 10:41 | — | — | — | — | — |
| G6532 | 10:33 | — | 10:52 | — | 11:15 | — | 11:34 |
| G6540 | 10:44 | 10:58 | 11:08 | — | 11:30 | — | 11:49 |
| G5840*# | 10:51 | 11:05 | — | — | — | — | — |
| G5742 | 10:58 | — | 11:17 | — | — | — | — |
| G9766* | 11:03 | 11:17 | — | — | — | — | — |
| G100^ | 11:10 | 11:29 | 12:01 | ||||
| G6584 | 11:17 | — | 11:35 | — | — | — | 12:07 |
| G9742* | 11:22 | 11:36 | — | — | — | — | — |
| G5820 | 11:30 | 11:44 | — | — | — | — | — |
| G5728 | 11:40 | — | 11:59 | — | — | — | — |
| G6508 | 11:50 | — | 12:09 | 12:21 | — | — | 12:48 |
| G6390^ | 11:55 | 12:14 | |||||
| G5842*# | 12:00 | 12:14 | — | — | — | — | — |
| G312/3^ | 12:06 | 12:25 | 12:45 | 13:05 | |||
| G9768* | 12:11 | 12:25 | — | — | — | — | — |
| G5744 | 12:17 | — | 12:36 | — | — | — | — |
| G6518 | 12:21 | 12:36 | 12:46 | — | 13:11 | — | 13:30 |
| G9744* | 12:29 | 12:43 | — | — | — | — | — |
| G5822 | 12:35 | 12:49 | — | — | — | — | — |
| G6526 | 12:49 | 13:03 | 13:13 | 13:26 | — | 13:45 | 14:00 |
| G5802 | 12:54 | 13:08 | — | — | — | — | — |
| G5806 | 13:00 | 13:14 | — | — | — | — | — |
| G5844*# | 13:05 | 13:19 | — | — | — | — | — |
| G9770* | 13:13 | 13:28 | — | — | — | — | — |
| G6534 | 13:24 | 13:39 | 13:49 | — | 14:11 | — | 14:34 |
| G9746* | 13:30 | 13:45 | — | — | — | — | — |
| G5720 | 13:36 | — | 13:56 | — | — | — | — |
| G5824 | 13:41 | 13:55 | — | — | — | — | — |
| G6542 | 13:53 | — | 14:12 | — | 14:32 | — | 14:51 |
| G5746 | 13:58 | — | 14:17 | — | — | — | — |
| G5804 | 14:03 | 14:17 | — | — | — | — | — |
| G6384^ | 14:13 | 14:32 | |||||
| G5808 | 14:18 | 14:32 | — | — | — | — | — |
| G3002^ | 14:23 | 14:42 | |||||
| G6510 | 14:31 | — | 14:50 | — | — | — | 15:25 |
| G5846*# | 14:36 | 14:50 | — | — | — | — | — |
| G9748* | 14:41 | 14:56 | — | — | — | — | — |
| G5826 | 14:47 | 15:02 | — | — | — | — | — |
| G9772* | 14:55 | 15:10 | — | — | — | — | — |
| G6520 | 15:00 | — | — | — | — | — | 15:47 |
| G5722 | 15:05 | — | 15:24 | — | — | — | — |
| G3004^ | 15:18 | 15:37 | |||||
| G5810 | 15:23 | 15:38 | — | — | — | — | — |
| G5748 | 15:28 | — | 15:47 | — | — | — | — |
| G6550 | 15:33 | — | 15:52 | — | 16:14 | — | 16:33 |
| G5706 | 15:38 | — | 15:56 | — | — | — | — |
| G5848*# | 15:45 | 16:00 | — | — | — | — | — |
| G5828 | 15:54 | 16:08 | — | — | — | — | — |
| G9774* | 16:07 | 16:22 | — | — | — | — | — |
| G9750* | 16:12 | 16:27 | — | — | — | — | — |
| G6536 | 16:17 | — | 16:36 | — | 16:56 | — | 17:15 |
| G6586 | 16:25 | — | 16:43 | — | 17:03 | — | 17:22 |
| G5730 | 16:30 | — | 16:49 | — | — | — | — |
| G6388^ | 16:37 | 16:56 | |||||
| G5750 | 16:45 | — | 17:04 | — | — | — | — |
| G5850*# | 16:53 | 17:08 | — | — | — | — | — |
| G6528 | 17:02 | — | 17:21 | — | — | — | 17:53 |
| G6512 | 17:08 | — | 17:27 | — | — | — | 18:03 |
| G5830 | 17:13 | 17:28 | — | — | — | — | — |
| G6114^ | 17:18 | 17:37 | 18:09 | ||||
| G9776* | 17:23 | — | 17:42 | — | — | — | — |
| G9752* | 17:29 | 17:43 | — | — | — | — | — |
| G6544 | 17:35 | — | — | — | — | — | 18:22 |
| G5702 | 17:40 | — | 17:59 | — | — | — | — |
| G5732 | 17:48 | — | 18:07 | — | — | — | — |
| G5852*# | 17:56 | 18:11 | — | — | — | — | — |
| G5752 | 18:08 | — | 18:27 | — | — | — | — |
| G5832 | 18:23 | 18:37 | — | — | — | — | — |
| G9754* | 18:33 | 18:48 | — | — | — | — | — |
| G6552 | 18:40 | 18:55 | 19:05 | — | 19:26 | — | 19:45 |
| G9778* | 18:46 | 19:01 | — | — | — | — | — |
| G5708 | 18:56 | — | 19:15 | — | — | — | — |
| G6588 | 19:02 | — | 19:21 | — | 19:41 | — | 20:00 |
| G5854*# | 19:12 | 19:26 | — | — | — | — | — |
| G5734 | 19:17 | — | 19:36 | — | — | — | — |
| G5704 | 19:27 | — | 19:46 | — | — | — | — |
| G9726* | 19:32 | 19:46 | — | — | — | — | — |
| G6502 | 19:37 | — | 19:56 | — | 20:17 | — | 20:36 |
| G5754 | 19:42 | — | 20:02 | — | — | — | — |
| G3008^ | 19:47 | 20:07 | |||||
| G9756* | 19:52 | 20:07 | — | — | — | — | — |
| G6530 | 19:57 | — | 20:16 | — | 20:36 | — | 20:55 |
| G9780* | 20:02 | 20:16 | — | — | — | — | — |
| G6514 | 20:10 | — | 20:28 | — | 20:48 | — | 21:07 |
| G5856*# | 20:17 | 20:32 | — | — | — | — | — |
| G6538 | 20:23 | 20:38 | 20:48 | — | 21:08 | — | 21:27 |
| G6546 | 20:33 | — | 20:53 | — | 21:19 | — | 21:38 |
| G9724* | 20:38 | 20:53 | — | — | — | — | — |
| G9728* | 20:43 | 20:58 | — | — | — | — | — |
| G5714 | 20:54 | — | 21:13 | — | — | — | — |
| G6522 | 21:00 | — | 21:19 | — | 21:39 | — | 21:58 |
| G9782* | 21:05 | 21:20 | — | — | — | — | — |
| G9758* | 21:10 | 21:25 | — | — | — | — | — |
| G9732* | 21:17 | 21:32 | — | — | — | — | — |
| G9734* | 21:25 | 21:40 | — | — | — | — | — |
| G9730* | 21:47 | 22:02 | — | — | — | — | — |
| G5712 | 22:02 | — | 22:21 | — | — | — | — |
| G9784* | 22:07 | 22:21 | — | — | — | — | — |
| G6504 | 22:50 | — | 23:09 | — | — | — | 23:41 |
Long Haul Train Schedule from Hong Kong West Kowloon Station
| Train | Stations | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| G6382 | West Kowloon | Shenzhen North | Huizhou South | Puning | Chaoshan | |||||
| 07:23 | 07:42 | 08:30 | 09:47 | 10:18 | ||||||
| G6386 | West Kowloon | Futian | Shenzhen North | Pingshan | Huizhou South | Shanwei | Kuitan | Chaoyang | Chaoshan | |
| 09:11 | 09:26 | 09:36 | 10:20 | 10:32 | 11:09 | 11:36 | 12:05 | 12:23 | ||
| G6390 | West Kowloon | Shenzhen North | Pingshan | Houmen | Lufeng | Chaoshan | ||||
| 11:55 | 12:14 | 13:01 | 13:34 | 14:02 | 14:52 | |||||
| G6384 | West Kowloon | Shenzhen North | Pingshan | Shanwei | Chaoyang | Chaoshan | ||||
| 14:13 | 14:32 | 15:13 | 15:56 | 16:46 | 17:10 | |||||
| G6388 | West Kowloon | Shenzhen North | Pingshan | Huidong | Shanwei | Chaoyang | Chaoshan | |||
| 16:37 | 16:56 | 17:36 | 17:58 | 18:25 | 19:15 | 19:34 | ||||
| G80 | West Kowloon | Shenzhen North | Guangzhou South | Changsha South | Wuhan | Zhengzhou East | Shijiangzhuang | Beijing West | ||
| 08:05 | 08:24 | 08:56 | 11:17 | 12:38 | 14:25 | 15:50 | 17:01 | |||
| G312/3 | West Kowloon | Shenzhen North | Humen | Guangzhou South | Guilin West | Guiyangbei | Kunming South | |||
| 12:06 | 12:25 | 12:45 | 13:05 | 15:25 | 17:37 | 19:44 | ||||
| G3002 | West Kowloon | Shenzhen North | Chaoshan | Xiamenbei | Quanzhou | Putian | Fuzhou | |||
| 14:23 | 14:42 | 17:04 | 18:23 | 18:52 | 19:19 | 20:03 | ||||
| G3006 | West Kowloon | Shenzhen North | Huizhou South | Shanwei | Chaoyang | Chaoshan | Zhangpu | Zhangzhou | Xiamen | |
| 08:40 | 08:59 | 09:50 | 10:28 | 11:18 | 11:35 | 12:20 | 12:40 | 13:15 | ||
| G3004 | West Kowloon | Shenzhen North | Huizhou South | Houmen | Puning | Chaoshan | Zhangzhou | Xiamen | ||
| 15:18 | 15:37 | 16:24 | 16:52 | 17:40 | 18:12 | 19:15 | 19:55 | |||
| G3008 | West Kowloon | Shenzhen North | Huizhou South | Xiamen | ||||||
| 19:47 | 20:07 | 20:53 | 23:52 | |||||||
| G6114 | West Kowloon | Shenzhen North | Guangzhou South | Shaoguan | Chenzhouxi | Hengyang East | Zhuzhouxi | Changsha South | ||
| 17:18 | 17:37 | 18:09 | 19:04 | 19:37 | 20:12 | 20:41 | 21:07 | |||
| G100 | West Kowloon | Shenzhen North | Guangzhou South | Shaoguan | Changsha South | Nanchang West | Shangrao | Jinhua | Hangzhoudong | Shanghai Hongqiao |
| 11:10 | 11:29 | 12:01 | 12:56 | 14:36 | 16:00 | 17:00 | 17:47 | 18:35 | 19:27 | |