In the first nine months of 2024, the Guangzhou-Shenzhen-Hong Kong Express Rail Link (XRL) Hong Kong Section recorded an average daily patronage of about 70,000 passenger trips, Secretary for Transport & Logistics Lam Sai-hung said today.

Responding to questions from lawmaker Yiu Pak-leung in the Legislative Council, Mr Lam said the services of the XRL Hong Kong Section have been popular among passengers, adding that the total number of passenger trips in the first nine months this year is approaching the annual total of approximately 20 million passenger trips in 2023.

According to the ticket sales provided by the MTR Corporation (MTRC), for short-haul destinations, more than 60% of short-haul passengers are destined for stations in Shenzhen, i.e. Futian and Shenzhenbei.

Nearly 30% are destined for Guangzhoudong and Guangzhounan, while less than 10% travel to the remaining short-haul destinations, i.e. Guangmingcheng, Humen, Qingsheng, Dongguannan, Changping and Dongguan. 

Regarding the proposal of introducing Xintang Station - located at the core of the new development area in the eastern part of Guangzhou - as a directly connected destination to the XRL Hong Kong Section, Mr Lam said the MTRC and the Mainland railway authorities are actively looking into the matter, with a view to offering passengers a more convenient and comfortable travel experience, while facilitating the flow of people between the two places.

The transport chief also pointed out that a sleeper train service between Hong Kong West Kowloon Station and Beijingxi Station/Shanghai Hongqiao Station was introduced on the XRL Hong Kong Section on June 15, with trains departing in the evening and arriving the following morning.

This arrangement was an upgrade of the original ordinary-speed train service between the Hong Kong Hung Hom Station and Beijing/Shanghai, and reduced the journey time by almost half, he said.

Mr Lam noted that the sleeper train service to Beijing and Shanghai was further upgraded in October, by deploying Fuxing high-speed sleeper trains to serve passengers, along with adjustments to routes and departure times.

In addition, he said the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government and the MTRC have been actively observing the development of the Mainland's high-speed rail network and striving to further introduce destinations directly connected to the XRL Hong Kong Section, so as to provide passengers with more diversified options and services.

Regarding the western region of the Mainland, direct train services are currently available at Hong Kong West Kowloon Station, serving stations such as Chengdudong, Chongqing and Kunming.

As for the introduction of direct sleeper trains to those destinations, he said various considerations and the arrangement of different railway authorities are involved.

The Hong Kong SAR Government and the MTRC will maintain liaison and co-ordination with the Mainland railway authorities and relevant departments to explore feasible options for further enhancing the service of the XRL Hong Kong Section, Mr Lam added.