Second Guangzhou-Shenzhen high-speed railway weighs Hong Kong options

Construction on the second Guangzhou-Shenzhen high-speed railway is scheduled to commence during the fifteenth Five-Year Plan period, with fresh updates emerging regarding its southern extension towards Hong Kong’s Northern Metropolis. 

The Standard newspaper reports that pre-planning tender invitations were issued last August by the Development and Research Commission of Shenzhen Municipality to examine how the southern spur can integrate seamlessly across the SAR line.

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According to preliminary designs, the Guangzhou-Shenzhen high-speed railway will originate at Guangzhou North Station, pass through Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport, Guangzhou Huangpu, and Nancheng in central Dongguan, before terminating at Shenzhen Airport East. 

Once finished, planners say the route will establish a 30-minute direct transit connection between the core urban zones of Guangzhou and Shenzhen, optimise air-rail intermodal transfers, and bolster integration along the wider regional corridor.

Guangzhou-Shenzhen high-speed railway: linking to Hong Kong

Authorities are currently assessing three preliminary alignment strategies for the southern extension and its cross-boundary connection, the Standard reports, weighing factors such as border control facilities, passenger capacity, feasibility, and construction expenses. 

The first proposal involves extending the line to Qianhai, allowing passengers to transfer to the cross-boundary section of the Hong Kong-Shenzhen Western Rail Link. A second concept suggests sharing a tunnel corridor with the Western Rail Link, running on separate tracks within a shared alignment to terminate at Hung Shui Kiu station. 

The third alternative would see the line extend south from Shenzhen Airport East through Qianhai, crossing the SAR line via a dedicated underground tunnel directly into a new high-speed rail station within the Northern Metropolis.

[See more: Hong Kong’s Northern Metropolis takes shape across several new areas]

Meanwhile, Hong Kong’s Highways Department noted that the 18.1-kilometre Hong Kong-Shenzhen Western Rail Link will be built entirely underground, comprising a 7.3-kilometre Hong Kong section and a 10.8-kilometre Shenzhen section. 

The Hong Kong portion will feature stations at Hung Shui Kiu, Ha Tsuen, and Lau Fau Shan, while the Shenzhen portion will incorporate stops at Shenzhen Bay Port and Qianhaiwan. Tendering for the Hong Kong segment could begin next year, targeting an opening date of 2035, according to the Standard. 

Lawmaker Yiu Ming has also proposed extending the Western Rail Link further to Hong Kong International Airport and northward to Shenzhen Bao’an International Airport to create a unified air-rail network.