View source for Hong Kong Express Rail Link

{{Short description|Express Rail Link in Hong Kong}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2020}}
{{Infobox public transit
| box_width            = auto
| 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}}}}
| image                = 
| imagesize            = 100px
| alt                  = 
| caption              = 
| image2               = GZ-SZ-HK_High_Speed_Railway_HK_Section_alignment_map.png
| imagesize2           = 250px
| alt2                 = 
| caption2             = Route of Guangzhou-Shenzhen-Hong Kong XRL Hong Kong section
| area served          = 
| locale               = Kowloon and New Territories, Hong Kong
| transit_type         = Passenger [[high-speed rail]]
| website              = https://www.mtr.com.hk/highspeed
| began_operation      = 23 September 2018
| operation_will_start = 
| vehicles             = 
| system_length        = {{convert|26|km|mi|2|abbr=on}}
| lines                = 
| line_number          = 
| start                = 
| end                  = 
| stations             = 1
| ridership            = 
| weekly_ridership     = 
| annual_ridership     = 
| chief_executive      = 
| track_gauge          = {{RailGauge|sg|al=on}}
| el                   = 50 Hz 25,000 V (AC)
| top_speed            = {{convert|200|km/h|mph|abbr=on}}
| owner                = [[Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region]]
| operator             = [[MTR Corporation]] 
| character            = 
| map                  = {{Guang-Shen-Kong XRL RDT}}
| map_state            = collapsed
}}
{{Infobox Chinese
|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 26-km long stretch of [[high-speed rail]] that links Hong Kong to [[mainland China]]. It is one of the most expensive infrastructure undertakings in Hong Kong history. The line connects [[Kowloon]] with the [[High-speed rail in China|high-speed rail network of China]] at [[Futian station]] in [[Shenzhen]], then running north towards the commercial hub of [[Guangzhou]].

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="startop">{{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 [[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|url-status=live}}</ref>

==History==
In April 2007, the Executive Council assigned the task of planning and design of the Hong Kong section of the Guangzhou–Shenzhen–Hong Kong Express Rail Link (XRL) to the [[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 [[Guangzhou–Shenzhen–Hong Kong Express Rail Link Hong Kong section|Express Rail Link]] [[West Kowloon 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 local section of Express Rail Link|publisher=[[Hong Kong Government]]|accessdate=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=Chinese|publisher=Environmental Protection Department and [[MTR Corporation]]|accessdate=22 July 2008|trans-title=Brief Introduction of Hong Kong Section of Guangzhou – Shenzhen – Hong Kong Express Rail Link Project}}</ref> (whereas the construction cost in the Mainland section will be covered by the Guangdong Provincial Government and [[Ministry of Railways of the People's Republic of China|PRC's Ministry of Railways]]).

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 (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 will only serve the [[West Kowloon Terminus]]. Trains will 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 Station (Railway)|Futian]], [[Shenzhen North Station|Longhua (Shenzhen North)]] and [[Humen 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 is estimated to be 1 hour and 18 minutes,<ref>{{cite web|url=https://hk.news.appledaily.com/local/daily/article/20180513/20389247|script-title=zh:內媒揭高鐵上廣州超過一小時|work=[[Apple Daily]] |language=zh-hk |accessdate=18 May 2018}}</ref> up from the previously announced 47 minutes with a total distance of 142 kilometers.

Shenzhen North Station was open 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 [[Shiwu Passenger Railway|Shiwu High-Speed Railway]], or via Shenzhen North to [[Hangzhou]] and Shanghai through the [[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 [[West Kowloon Terminus]].

== Controversies ==
{{Main|Hong Kong Express Rail Link controversy}}

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 |accessdate=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 "[[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.<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 |accessdate=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 |accessdate=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 Offices|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 [[Old Supreme Court Building, Hong Kong|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 in China]]
[[Category:Standard gauge railways in Hong Kong]]
[[Category:Railway tunnels in Hong Kong]]