Yesterday, I took the first train from Shenzhen Futian on the Guangzhou-Shenzhen-Hong Kong High Speed Rail, and it went directly to West Kowloon Station in the center of Hong Kong in 14 minutes. I went shopping in the mall, bought two pairs of shoes and some clothes, and then took the Guangzhou-Shenzhen-Hong Kong high-speed rail back to Shenzhen. While experiencing the convenience of high-speed rail, I also noticed that there are many new regulations on cross-border trains, which are different from mainland trains. If you don’t understand them, you will either have to pay sky-high fines or be very inconvenient. Based on my personal experience, I compiled a detailed travel strategy from the mainland to Hong Kong, for the reference of those who are about to travel in 44 cities.
44 places across the country can quickly go to Hong Kong
The Hong Kong section of the Guangzhou-Shenzhen-Hong Kong Express Rail Link is officially in operation. There are 44 cities across the country with direct access to Hong Kong: Beijing, Shanghai, Kunming, Guilin, Guiyang, Shijiazhuang, Zhengzhou, Wuhan, Changsha, Hangzhou, Nanchang, Fuzhou, Xiamen, Shantou and Futian , Shenzhen North, Guangming City, Humen, Qingsheng and Guangzhou South. The fare of the Guangzhou-Shenzhen-Hong Kong high-speed rail is slightly higher than that of mainland trains, but the time is extremely fast. For example, it used to take 24 hours from Beijing to Hong Kong, but now it takes about nine hours, four and a half hours in Wuhan, and 47 minutes in Guangzhou; if Shenzhen travels from Futian Port to Lok Ma Chau, it takes one hour to get to Kowloon Station, but now it only takes 14 minutes . I took the MTR from Lok Ma Chau opposite the Futian Port to Kowloon Station. The fare is about 41 yuan (HK$46.52), and the Guangzhou-Shenzhen-Hong Kong high-speed rail is 68 yuan (78 Hong Kong dollars). From the perspective of time cost, the price is still worth it.
Instructions for online ticket purchase and on-site ticket purchase in West Kowloon, Hong Kong
No matter where you buy tickets, you must get a paper ticket, and you cannot directly swipe into the station with your ID card. When buying tickets online, you need to pick up the ticket with your ID card, not the Hong Kong and Macau Pass. If you buy a round-trip ticket online, it is best to pick it up at the station in the Mainland. If you pick up the return ticket at West Kowloon Station, if you don’t have self-service pick-up, you can only go to the station counter to pick up the ticket. There was already a long queue on the day of the first launch yesterday , The queue time is very long, and a handling fee is charged.
I bought tickets on the official website of 12306 Railway for the outbound trip, and picked up the tickets at Shenzhen Futian Station, which was also picked up with my ID card. The return trip was self-service ticket purchase at Hong Kong West Kowloon Station. I had to swipe my ID card to buy tickets, so I couldn’t just bring Hong Kong and Macau Pass, you must bring your ID card! Otherwise, tickets cannot be purchased. Self-service ticket purchases cannot use RMB, WeChat and Alipay, UnionPay, Hong Kong dollar cash, Octopus, Visa payWave and contactless credit cards can only be used to purchase tickets. If you use other payments, you must go to the counter to queue up to purchase tickets. The self-service ticketing machine requires you to fill in your Hong Kong phone number to notify emergency situations, or you can choose not to fill in the phone number.
You must reserve time for immigration and security checks
Many people think that the mainland goes directly to Hong Kong, and there are two inspections in one place, so they forget about the exit and entry and the strict security check, which causes some people to miss the train. First of all, let’s talk about the outbound journey. Take the Guangzhou-Shenzhen-Hong Kong high-speed rail at Shenzhen Futian Railway Station, but many people mistakenly think that it is Shenzhen Metro Futian Station. The distance between each station is very long. There are four subway stations at the four corners of Futian Junction Station. When you go there, you will know what it means to not see the end at a glance. Therefore, you should reserve at least 20 or 30 minutes. When you come back to Futian Railway Station, you will see many people. Tourists rushing from Futian subway station.
When you go, you can enter by yourself before the security check. Put the ticket and ID card in the machine at the same time. If you can't, you can go through the manual channel. The security check is as strict as the airport. When you arrive in West Kowloon, Hong Kong, you first exit from the border inspection in the Mainland, and then go upstairs to enter the border inspection in Hong Kong. Children over the age of 7 who have obtained a certificate in the E channel in the Mainland can go, but Hong Kong entry and exit must be over 16 years old, and cross-border school children are not included. When returning, it is especially necessary to reserve time, because the security check in West Kowloon, Hong Kong is also very strict, and you need to queue up for inspection. It takes a lot of time to leave and enter the country at the same time. I set aside an hour yesterday, just enough to take some pictures when I went in.
Hong Kong and Macau Exit-Entry Permit L visa can directly board the train
Because when getting on the train at a train station in the Mainland, the ID card is checked but the Hong Kong and Macau Permit is not checked. It is said that some tourists got on the train for a while, but when they arrived in West Kowloon, they found that they did not bring the Hong Kong and Macau Permit, so they had to return; Yes, the result has expired or there is no endorsement, and I cannot enter Hong Kong. Moreover, I did not find a machine in West Kowloon that can self-apply. Therefore, you must bring your ID card and a valid endorsement Hong Kong and Macau Pass! After the Guangzhou-Shenzhen-Hong Kong high-speed rail goes directly to Hong Kong, some people can leave as long as they have a pass, some only twice a year, some once a week, and these are the same on the Guangzhou-Shenzhen-Hong Kong high-speed rail. For example, the "one trip per week" in Shenzhen and other places means that you can only go once from Monday to Sunday, but if you go to the mainland once on Sunday, you can go there once on Monday, because it is two cycles.
When I was in Hong Kong, the most questions I encountered were friends who signed the L visa when they passed the pass. They all asked whether they needed to be sent to customs or whether they needed to join a group? In fact, the difference between the L visa and the G visa is only the limit of the number of times you can go to Hong Kong. You no longer need customs delivery services, and you don’t need to change the group to go to Hong Kong. You can directly board the car and go to Hong Kong to enter and exit the customs. In addition, those who are prohibited from taking pictures at the border cannot take pictures. When I take pictures, I always check whether there are signs that prohibit taking pictures, or ask the staff if they allow it.
If you travel without a ticket, you can be fined 1,500 to 3,000 Hong Kong dollars
The high-speed train to Hong Kong is "Dynamic", the new train seats are very comfortable, and the seats are also 3+2 rows. There is WiFi on the train. Second-class passengers can use a 15-minute session of WiFi (MTR Free WiFi) for free on the Hong Kong section of the high-speed rail. Those departing from Futian can use free WiFi throughout the journey; there are charging sockets under the backrest in front of the seat. There are two systems in Hong Kong and the Mainland, one each. The train is managed by the Hong Kong MTR, and the conductor is also from Hong Kong. He is very polite. We are the first batch of passengers, and we are curious about many things. We caught a train attendant to take pictures. He smiled and asked the passengers to take enough pictures. In the end, the face was stiff with laughter.
The management of the MTR has always been strict. If you miss the train, you must explain it to the crew within 10 minutes. In order to prevent opportunism, only the nearest section of the high-speed train is arranged to return by the same route. When returning, you can only take the second-class carriage and you cannot get off halfway. If passengers leave the station in West Kowloon for more than ten minutes before explaining to the station staff that they have missed or passed the station, they are considered to have taken the train without a ticket. According to the Hong Kong Railway Regulations, a surcharge of HK$1,500 will be charged. Passengers boarding at other stations will be charged at other stations. A surcharge of HK$3,000 will be charged for traveling without a ticket. On another train yesterday, a passenger boarded the train without a ticket and was fined 1,500 Hong Kong dollars. The surcharge is so high when passing through the station, but please don’t play the game of getting on the train before making up the ticket. In Hong Kong, there is no such thing as getting on the train before making up the ticket.
Guangzhou-Shenzhen-Hong Kong High Speed Rail Refund and Change Regulations
The cancellation and rebooking of the Guangzhou-Shenzhen-Hong Kong high-speed rail refers to the way in Hong Kong, which is different from the high-speed rail in the mainland. You can rebook once for free, and it must be 30 minutes before the train leaves, and 60 minutes before the departure of Hong Kong West Kowloon. If the refund is less than 48 hours, 48 hours to 14 days, 15 days or more before driving, the refund fee is 50%, 30% and 5% of the face value respectively; Tickets are refundable; tickets purchased without cash can only be refunded at the place of purchase. Children under 1.2 meters do not need to buy a ticket, and those between 1.2 and 1.5 meters need to buy a child ticket.
Eat and drink at Hong Kong West Kowloon Station
The first high-speed train I took from Futian arrived at West Kowloon Station at 8:14 in the morning, before I had time to have breakfast. Shopping malls and shops in Hong Kong do not open until 11:00 or even 11:30. So I looked for food and drink at West Kowloon Station first, and then went shopping. I found that there are many places to eat and drink in the station, including Starbucks and other beverage stores. The price is not very expensive, but there are many people in line, so I bought a bottle of organic lemon juice and drank it. The chef in the crowded shop was very neatly dressed, so he took a photo with him. There are also two fast food restaurants where you can sit and eat and see the entire hall of West Kowloon Station. The location is very good.
How to get to other parts of Hong Kong from West Kowloon
After I arrived, the first thing I thought about was how to go shopping in other places. Many tourists gathered in front of the subway map, and more people asked me, where is West Kowloon Station in Hong Kong? West Kowloon is located in Yau Tsim Mong, Hong Kong, and is surrounded by Yau Ma Tei, Mong Kok and East Tsim Sha Tsui. As far as the MTR subway is concerned, West Kowloon Station is between MTR Kowloon Station and Austin, and there is a corridor connecting the two The subway station is only a few minutes away. If you carry large luggage, the MTR has a free shuttle bus to take you to Kowloon Station. There is an Airport Express train directly to Hong Kong Airport. It takes 22 minutes and the fare is 105 Hong Kong dollars. Next to West Kowloon Station are Elements and the Arc de Triomphe, and below is Kowloon Station. There is a bus from Elements to Shenzhen Bay for HK$50, and beyond that is the Sky100 Observation Deck, the highest point in Hong Kong.
But there are still people who can't figure out the direction. Let's put it this way, standing on the top sightseeing platform of West Kowloon Station, you can see Harbor City and the pier by the sea. The distance is one stop, and if you don't have luggage, you can walk there in 15 minutes. There is a taxi stand at West Kowloon Station. Although it is much more expensive than the mainland, it is actually not as expensive as we imagined. For example, it is about 24-35 Hong Kong dollars to go to China Hong Kong City, Harbor City, and Tsim Sha Tsui, 35 Hong Kong dollars to Mong Kok, 125 Hong Kong dollars to Ocean Park, and 125 Hong Kong dollars to Disneyland. About 195 Hong Kong dollars, Hong Kong Airport 260 Hong Kong dollars. However, if you have luggage, in addition to the taxi fare, each piece of luggage will be charged HKD 6. For more fees, please refer to this taxi fare reference table at West Kowloon Station.
Don't miss the Easter eggs designed by West Kowloon Station
Many passengers are busy rushing to shopping malls when they arrive, and they don’t pay attention to the West Kowloon Station. In fact, there is a platform with the most beautiful view on the top floor of West Kowloon Station. You can walk up slowly from the outside of the station, and the elderly can take the elevator to the top floor. As soon as the elevator comes out, I feel amazing. Across Victoria Harbour, Hong Kong’s Central is opposite. You can see the high-rise buildings of Hong Kong International Finance Center Building, Bank of China Building, HSBC Building, and Victoria Peak. In the future, it will be another place to watch the fireworks in Victoria Harbor great place.
West Kowloon Station is also beautifully designed. The roof of the station adopts a streamlined glass canopy design, which is composed of more than 4,000 pieces of irregular glass and supported by multiple giant pillars. The double-layer glass can introduce natural light sources and reduce heat transfer. Pay attention to the maximization of energy efficiency. Although the station covers an area of 400,000 square meters, it makes full use of the underground space and is one of the largest underground stations in the world. The "easter eggs" designed by West Kowloon Station, in addition to the "sky corridor" on the top of the canopy of West Kowloon Station, which can accommodate hundreds of people. There is also a circle of corridors on each floor, you can take pictures around the corridors on each floor of the station.
The facilities in West Kowloon Station are very complete, basically everything tourists need is available, and in such a crowded place, the toilets are also clean and well maintained. On the first day, there were a lot of waiters at the station. They were very patient and they all answered our questions in Mandarin. I think it is very rare. I have been in Guangdong for almost 20 years, and now it is not easy for me to answer questions in Cantonese.
Luggage restrictions on the Guangzhou-Shenzhen-Hong Kong Express Rail Link
Shopping in Hong Kong is easy to get out of control. Many people go shopping with oversized suitcases. However, according to Hong Kong regulations, the luggage of passengers is limited. The total weight of adults cannot exceed 20 kg, and children 10 kg; The sum of the length, width and height of the piece cannot exceed 130 cm, which means that the size difference is almost a 24-inch suitcase. If it is overweight or exceeds the size limit, an additional fee will be charged.
When returning to the mainland from Hong Kong, after passing the two borders of Hong Kong and the mainland, there is a duty-free shop. After looking at it, the area is close to the size of some airport duty-free shops, and the goods are still very complete. If you want to go shopping here, you have to reserve more than an hour, otherwise you will have no time to go shopping.
After passing the duty-free shop, keep going to the gate of each train. The number of the ticket gate is written on the upper right corner of each ticket. If you need to wait for the train, keep walking and you can reach the bottom lobby of West Kowloon Station , there are some rest chairs that don't seem to be full. Look up at the top of the lobby at Gundam. Different from the boxy high-speed rail stations in the mainland, the design here has a unique style. Even the huge supporting pillars are curved, more like some huge tree trunks supporting the shell-like roof.
The Guangzhou-Shenzhen-Hong Kong Express Rail Link not only integrates Hong Kong into the mainland's high-speed rail network, but also facilitates Hong Kong people to travel to the mainland. At the same time, it also facilitates Hong Kong's surrounding cities to travel to other cities in the mainland. On the high-speed train returning, I heard two young people chatting. One of them said that it would be easier to go home, and the other said that it would be easier to buy train tickets during the Chinese New Year.
