I was lucky to be one of the passengers to take the first high-speed train out from Hong Kong on Sunday. I arrived at the West Kowloon Station at 6 a.m. and it took me 35 minutes to go through all the procedures, including the security check and immigration inspection.
Thanks to the one-stop clearance arrangement, passengers can easily get checked by both Hong Kong and the Chinese mainland immigration officials at the West Kowloon Station.
The yellow line separating the Chinese mainland and Hong Kong port areas at West Kowloon railway station /CGTN Photo
The train running on the Guangzhou-Shenzhen-Hong Kong high-speed railway link is called Vibrant Express and symbolizes Hong Kong's characteristics – a vibrant city bustling with energy.
The train has 579 seats and two easy-access seats. The first and eighth cars are first class, and the rest are second class, with no dining car. Similar to other high-speed trains in the Chinese mainland, chairs are equipped with lights, entertainment controls and tables. But one extra perk – power sockets for both Hong Kong- and mainland-type plugs are available.
An interior of the train /CGTN Photo
The train runs at a speed of 200 km/h, meaning passengers move 56 meters per second. Some Hong Kong residents say it's a fantastic experience.
“I'm going back to my hometown in Guangdong Province for the family reunion on the Mid-Autumn Festival. In the past, I need to take a car or train to Shenzhen and then change to a coach. Now I can get to the destination directly. It's so convenient.”
Taking a selfie at West Kowloon Station. /CGTN Photo
It took only 19 minutes to get from Hong Kong's West Kowloon Station to Shenzhen North Railway Station. Usually if I take an ordinary train or bus, it will take over an hour.
The high-speed trains can reach 44 cities in the Chinese mainland but an even bigger advantage is that the link offers passengers direct routes to at least 15 destinations that don't have airports.
Experts say Hong Kong's outbound tourism will grow by 20 percent in the future. The railway link will make Hong Kong more connected to the Chinese mainland than ever before.
(Top image: Vibrant Express, a newly-operated train shuttling on the Guangzhou-Shenzhen-Hong Kong Express Rail Link. /VCG Photo)