HONG KONG — The whole line of the Guangzhou-Shenzhen-Hong Kong Express Rail Link has been put into official operation, as the Hong Kong section of the line entered into service on the morning of Sept 23.

A high-speed train G5736 left Hong Kong West Kowloon Station at 7 am on Sept 23 for Shenzhen North Railway Station in Guangdong province on the mainland.

Earlier in the morning, high-speed train G5711 left Shenzhen North Railway Station at 6:44 am for Hong Kong West Kowloon Station, while high-speed train G6501 also left Guangzhou South Railway Station at 6:48 am for Hong Kong West Kowloon Station.

A total of 95 pairs of high-speed trains are scheduled for the rail service on Sept 23, including 13 pairs of long-distance trains, according to the China Railway Corporation.

Being a key part of China’s high-speed rail network, the whole line of the Guangzhou-Shenzhen-Hong Kong Express Rail Link is 141 km long, including 115 km on the mainland and 26 km in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region.

It will offer direct rail services between Hong Kong and 44 destinations on the mainland, involving cities like Beijing, Shanghai, Shijiazhuang, Zhengzhou, Wuhan, Changsha, Hangzhou, Nanchang, Fuzhou, Xiamen, Shantou, Guiyang, Guilin and Kunming.

During the initial operation period, numbers of trains in operation will vary with demands on common days, weekends and peak days. Up to 127 pairs of trains will be in service on a single day with peak demand.

From Hong Kong West Kowloon Station, it will take a minimum of 14 minutes to get to Futian Railway Station in Shenzhen, a minimum of 47 minutes to Guangzhou South Railway Station, and eight hours and 56 minutes to Beijing West Railway Station.

Chen Xiaomei, spokesperson with China Railway Guangzhou Group Co Ltd, said the mainland and Hong Kong have built coordination mechanisms covering various aspects such as dispatching and commanding trains, passenger transportation and power supply.

Various emergency response plans have been mapped out to ensure safe operation of the Guangzhou-Shenzhen-Hong Kong Express Rail Link, Chen said.

A passenger takes photos of G5711, the first high-speed train from Shenzhen to Hong Kong, at Shenzhen North Railway Station in Shenzhen City, South China’s Guangdong province, Sept 23, 2018. [Photo/Xinhua]

Passengers take photos of G5711, the first high-speed train from Shenzhen to Hong Kong, at Shenzhen North Railway Station in Shenzhen City, South China’s Guangdong province, Sept 23, 2018. [Photo/Xinhua]

Passengers pose with train G5736 at West Kowloon Station in Hong Kong, South China, Sept 23, 2018. [Photo/Xinhua]