The Hong Kong Section of the Guangzhou-Shenzhen-Hong Kong Express Rail Link has huge prospects to attract more people, Chief Executive Carrie Lam says.

Speaking to reporters ahead of the Executive Council meeting this morning, Mrs Lam made it clear 80,000 passengers per day is not a target, but a best estimate.

She noted the high speed rail is a new cross-boundary infrastructure and people have to get used to the convenience of using it.

Mrs Lam also cited Immigration Department figures which recorded a total of 78,000 passenger trips made through the new cross-boundary point yesterday.

"I feel this high-speed train, this West Kowloon terminus, has huge prospects to attract more people to use it because we have yet to open this wonderful cultural facility called the West Kowloon Cultural District.

"With its various museums and cultural venues, it is bound to be more attractive in the future. So let’s look forward to a more attractive and more appealing high-speed train that will attract more passengers.”

The Chief Executive added she is not worried about the rail link's financial situation because conservative estimates about passenger trips were put into the arrangement signed between the Kowloon-Canton Railway and the Mass Transit Railway corporations.

“So it is unlikely that we would need to subsidise the operation of this high-speed train, but of course it is for the operator, that is the Mass Transit Railway Corporation, to do all the necessary promotion to increase the patronage on the high-speed train.”