Guangzhou-Shenzen-Hong Kong High Speed Line

[gordonthemoron]

I believe that this is due to open on 24th Deptember from West Kowloon, however I can't find anywhere selling tickets. MTR is only showing Hung Hom-Guangzhou and China Higlights only that and the non high speed Hung Hom-Beijing/Shanghai services.

Any ideas which websites are selling the tickets?

 

[flymo]

It should open Sept 23 but not sure any tickets are on sale yet. I'm guessing that MTR, China Railways or China Travel Services will sell tickets but there is a whole soap opera going on here at the moment on who can sell tickets to which station and how much 'convenience fee' the passenger is able to be ripped off by. Avoid this like the plague for the first few days as it will be a zoo. Also Sept 25 here is a public holiday so no doubt it will be busier than normal on that day.

As an edit; have a read of the following. You really couldn't make this up...

https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong...ials-set-new-year-target-allowing-hongkongers

 

[gordonthemoron]

It should open Sept 23 but not sure any tickets are on sale yet. I'm guessing that MTR, China Railways or China Travel Services will sell tickets but there is a whole soap opera going on here at the moment on who can sell tickets to which station and how much 'convenience fee' the passenger is able to be ripped off by. Avoid this like the plague for the first few days as it will be a zoo. Also Sept 25 here is a public holiday so no doubt it will be busier than normal on that day.

As an edit; have a read of the following. You really couldn't make this up...

https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong...ials-set-new-year-target-allowing-hongkongers

Madness, I was expecting direct high speed trains from Kowloon West to Beijing, Shanghai etc. As an aside, what will happen to the intercity station at Hung Hom and the existing sleepers to Beijing and Shanghai?

Also, have you experience of using a Chinese VPN to get cheap airfares with Chinese airlines?

 

[flymo]

Not sure about the semi daily Shanghai/Beijing train that departs at 15:15 from Hung Hom, I guess this will transfer to the new station. I think part of the existing Hung Hom station will become stabling for the Tuen Ma line, part of the beleaguered and much delayed Shatin - Central link if it is ever finished after the latest accusations of cover ups, corruption and plans to break open parts of the platforms and walls at Hung Hom to see if the reinforcing bars were actually put in and connected to anything.

Never used a Chinese VPN, my trips to China are thankfully limited to Zhuhai at the moment which is an hour away by ferry.

 

[colinz]

The China Railway's 12306 mobile app has an update to add Hong Kong West Kowloon Station to its destination list, which indicates that tickets can be purchase online for at least the mainland TOCs, as long as you have managed to get a 12306 account. However, individual train information has yet to be loaded.

 

[flymo]

Any ideas which websites are selling the tickets?

Well believe it or not, tickets are going on sale !! Available from Sept 10.

https://www.highspeed.mtr.com.hk/en/main/index.html
https://www.highspeed.mtr.com.hk/en/latest-news/pre-sale-promotion.html

Even got some timetable information too at long last. Daily services now to Beijing and Shanghai.

 

[gordonthemoron]

The short haul timetable looks pretty intense