More train tour packages to mainland China are expected to be launched with 16 newly added destinations to Hong Kong’s high-speed rail network, industry leaders have said, with the enhanced connectivity expected to boost cross-border traveller numbers in both directions.
Timothy Chui Ting-pong, executive director of the Hong Kong Tourism Association, said on Monday that local travel agencies were pivoting to capitalise on this “game-changing” high-speed rail network as a formidable competitor to air travel for mid-range destinations, including cities such as Nanjing.
“We will be converting itineraries that were originally flight-based into high-speed rail products,” Chui told a radio programme.
“While a flight to Nanjing takes about two and a half hours, once you factor in the time spent travelling to the airport and arriving early for check-in, the total journey can take seven to eight hours. That is roughly the same as the seven-and-a-half-hour direct high-speed rail journey, making the train very competitive.”
The MTR Corporation announced on Sunday that 16 new destinations would be added to the Hong Kong section of the high-speed rail system starting on January 26, bringing the total number of mainland stations with direct access to 110.
The expansion connects the city with major hubs in eastern China, including Nanjing, Wuxi, and Hefei, alongside 13 other stations across Guangdong, Fujian and Hunan provinces, such as Qingyuan, Shantou South and Fuzhou South.
