Exchanging ideas: Eva Cheng (second from right) meets the Tsoi Yuen Tsuen villagers and listens to their concerns about the new rail.

Secretary for Transport & Housing Eva Cheng today inspected the proposed sites for facilities of the Hong Kong section of Guangzhou-Shenzhen-Hong Kong Express Rail Link in Yuen Long.

She saw the sites near Wang Toi Shan for the emergency rescue station and stabling siding, and toured areas around Tsoi Yuen Tsuen related to above-ground land resumption for these facilities.

She listened to local villagers' concerns about the project and examined the underground strata area in the vicinity of Nam Hing Lei in Pat Heung which is to be resumed for tunnel's passage.

Construction work is expected to start before end of the year. About 5,500 jobs will be created during construction and another 10,000 for its operation.

The Express Rail Link's Hong Kong section will be 26km long running from the terminus in West Kowloon to the boundary at Huanggang, where it will connect with the Mainland section.

It will take 14 minutes from West Kowloon to Shenzhen and 48 minutes to Guangzhou.

Travellers will then be able to reach Wuhan in five hours, Shanghai in eight hours and Beijing in 10 hours via the national express rail network.