Second Guangzhou-Shenzhen high-speed rail to link Hong Kong under three route options
Authorities are reviewing three preliminary alignments for the southern extension of the second Guangzhou-Shenzhen high-speed railway to connect with Hong Kong's Northern Metropolis. The line, expected to start construction during the 15th Five-Year Plan period, would cut travel between Guangzhou an
Construction of the second Guangzhou-Shenzhen high-speed railway is expected to begin during the 15th Five-Year Plan period, with authorities now assessing three preliminary route options for its southern extension to link with Hong Kong's Northern Metropolis, according to local media reports.
The Shenzhen Municipal Development and Reform Commission launched pre-planning tender invitations last August and is evaluating how the southern spur can integrate with the Northern Metropolis, the reports said. The main line will start at Guangzhou North Station, pass through Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport, Guangzhou Huangpu and Nancheng in central Dongguan, and terminate at Shenzhen Airport East, according to the preliminary planning.
Upon completion, the railway will provide a 30-minute direct connection between the core urban areas of Guangzhou and Shenzhen, enable seamless air-rail intermodal transfers, and unlock the full integration potential of the Guangzhou-Dongguan-Shenzhen-Hong Kong corridor, the planning document stated.
For the southern extension, authorities are evaluating multiple preliminary routes alongside feasibility assessments covering cross-boundary passages, border control facilities, passenger volumes and project costs. The first option would extend the high-speed line to Qianhai, where travellers could interchange onto the cross-boundary segment of the Hong Kong-Shenzhen Western Rail Link to access the Northern Metropolis.
A second proposal would see the southern extension share a tunnel corridor with the Hong Kong-Shenzhen Western Rail Link, with the two systems running on separate tracks within the same alignment and the new high-speed spur terminating at Hung Shui Kiu station. The third routing plan extends south from Shenzhen Airport East through Qianhai, then crosses the border via an underground tunnel to a new high-speed rail station in the Northern Metropolis.
The Highways Department of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region said 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 section will feature three stations at Hung Shui Kiu, Ha Tsuen and Lau Fau Shan, while the Shenzhen section will include stops at Shenzhen Bay Port and Qianhaiwan.
Subject to preparatory progress, tendering works for the Hong Kong section may begin next year, with the line targeted to open in 2035. Lawmaker Yiu Ming suggested that the Western Rail Link should explore extending southward to Hong Kong International Airport while also connecting northward to Shenzhen Bao'an International Airport to form an integrated air-rail network.