China News Agency, Hong Kong, January 15 (Reporter Han Xingtong) The Hong Kong section of the high-speed rail resumed service on the 15th. Most of the trains departing from Hong Kong West Kowloon Station on the first day were full.

Lin Shixiong, director of the Transport and Logistics Bureau of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government, said that with the resumption of the high-speed rail, from January 18 (year 27) to 21 (year 30), the number of people passing through multiple ports in one direction can increase to More than 80,000 people.

　　At about 5 o'clock in the morning of the same day, the senior management of the MTR Corporation held a ribbon-cutting ceremony at Hong Kong West Kowloon Station to celebrate the reopening of the station and the resumption of the Hong Kong section of the high-speed rail.

In his speech, Mr. Ouyang Boquan, chairman of the board of directors of MTR, said that Hong Kong’s economy has gradually returned to normal. With the first phase of “customs clearance” with the mainland, the resumption of the Hong Kong section of the high-speed rail will first focus on short-distance services, adding 3 stations, respectively in Guangzhou and In Dongguan, it is believed that the relevant arrangement can strengthen the short-distance coverage network.

He also mentioned that MTR has optimized many facilities in West Kowloon Station to speed up the customs clearance process, and the display screens in the station can also provide more information.

After the resumption of the Hong Kong section of the high-speed rail, the first batch of passengers departing from West Kowloon Station went to Shenzhen.

Photo by Li Zhihua

　　It is reported that in the early stage of the resumption of the Hong Kong section of the high-speed rail, 10,000 tickets can be sold every day, 5,000 for the northbound and 5,000 for the southbound.

Initially, short-distance services between Hong Kong West Kowloon Station and Futian, Shenzhen North and Guangzhou South will be resumed, and services between Guangzhou East will be added.

Intermediate stations include Guangming City, Humen, Qingsheng and the newly added Dongguan South and Dongguan Stations.

　　According to the train information screen in the station, the first northbound train departed from West Kowloon Station at 7:03 a.m. and headed for Shenzhen North, while the first southbound train arrived at West Kowloon Station from Shenzhen North at 7:42 a.m.

Lam Sai-hung, Director of the Transport and Logistics Bureau of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government, Yang Runxiong, Director of the Culture, Sports and Tourism Bureau of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government, and several MTR executives greeted arriving passengers at West Kowloon Station and presented commemorative gifts to them.

　　When meeting with reporters later, Lin Shixiong said that the resumption of high-speed rail on the first day was smooth and the passengers were in a good mood.

He said that the time for the resumption of long-distance train services has not yet been determined, and will communicate with relevant mainland authorities depending on the situation.

Noting that the supply of tickets to and from Guangzhou is relatively tight, we will discuss with the relevant Mainland authorities whether there is room to increase the number of tickets depending on the situation.

　　In addition, the SAR government announced on the 14th that from January 18th (New Year’s Eve) to 21st (New Year’s Eve), the total daily number of people at designated land ports will be increased from 50,000 to 6.5 million people.

Lin Shixiong said that with the resumption of the high-speed rail, the number of people who "pass customs" in one direction will increase by 5,000 per day.

Between the 27th and 30th of the new year, the number of people passing through multiple ports can increase to more than 80,000.

　　MTR representatives said in a meeting with reporters that as of 10 am, a total of 9 northbound trains departed from West Kowloon Station, and 7 southbound trains arrived at West Kowloon Station, carrying a total of about 1,400 passengers.

The overall operation of the station is smooth. In order to meet the needs of different passengers, most of the shops in the station are open.

　　In terms of ticket sales, the MTR said that on the first day of the reopening, many trains were full. As the Lunar New Year approached, passengers bought tickets very enthusiastically. The MTR has deployed more than 100 staff to assist passengers in the station.

(Finish)