Guangzhou–Shenzhen–Hong Kong Express Rail Link Hong Kong section
The 24th longest tunnel in the world
The Hong Kong section of the Guangzhou–Shenzhen–Hong Kong Express Rail Link (sometimes abbreviated "XRL HK section") is a 26 km (16 mi) long stretch of high-speed rail that runs along a dedicated underground rail corridor linking Hong Kong to mainland China. It is one of the most expensive infrastructure undertakings in Hong Kong's history. The line connects Kowloon with the high-speed rail network of China at Futian station in the technology hub of Shenzhen, then running north towards Guangzhou. In the first quarter of 2026 this section of high speed rail has an average ridership of over 90,000 passengers a day. The railway is the first high-speed rail link between mainland China and Hong Kong; it roughly halved travel time between Hong Kong and Guangzhou and connected Hong Kong to most major mainland Chinese cities via the country's extensive high-speed railway network. Construction began in 2011 and was hampered by construction delays and political controversy. It opened for commercial service on 23 September 2018. Unlike the rest of Hong Kong, the passenger compartments of trains operating on the Hong Kong Express Rail Link are legally defined as part of the Mainland Port Area and subject to the laws of mainland China.
Tunnel data from Wikidata (CC0). Summary from Wikipedia (CC BY-SA).