The high-speed trains between Hong Kong and mainland China will officially operate from September 23, 2018. This series of trains are named as “Vibrant Express”, which was given by a HK resident online.
The Guangzhou - Shenzhen - Hong Kong Express Rail Link connects Hong Kong West Kowloon Station, Shenzhen Futian Station, Shenzhen North Station, Guangmingcheng Station, Humen Station, Qingsheng Station, Guangzhou South Station with 350 km/h speed at most, which dramatically shorten the travel time from hours to minutes. From Hong Kong West Kowloon Station to Guangzhou South Station, it only takes about 47 minutes; to Shenzhen Futian Station only 14 minutes.
Noted: of course you can take high speed trains from Hongkong to other 44 cities in Mainland, such as Beijing, Shanghai, Wuhan, Guilin, Xiamen, Chaoshan etc. However, those trains operating are not “Vibrant Express”, they are “Hexie Hao” - mainland bullet train series. Check what cities that the trains go from Hong Kong.
Is Vibrant Express Train So Different from Mainland Bullet Train?
Not so different but with some slight improvements:
1. Seat types: Unlike other high-speed trains with business class, first class, and second class seats to choose from, Vibrant Express only has first class seat and second class seat.
Wheelchair accessible rest room
2. On-train facilities:
- Toilets: The toilets are distributed on Carriage no.1, 3, 5, and 7, and there are two types: ordinary toilets and wheelchair accessible rest room. Each wheelchair accessible room is equipped with a folded diaper table for babies.
- Luggage stand: There are two overhead racks on both sides of the carriage, and there is a luggage cabinet on each carriage for big carry-on luggage.
- Sockets: The sockets are equipped under the seats, and the two-pin and three-pin sockets are both available.
- On-train Wi-Fi: Wi-Fi is available throughout the whole journey, which means you can watch YouTube videos and log in your Facebook for free. To link the free Wi-Fi, please select “MRT Free Wi-Fi” and link it via telephone verification code or WeChat.
- Water fountains can be found at the joint between two carriages.
The luggage cabinet
3. First class seats on Vibrant Express (Carriage no.1 and Carriage no.8): They are ordered four seats a row and two seats for each side. Each seat is equipped with a reading light, foot treadle, and headphone jack (you can choose to listen the radio or the public television).
4. Second class seats on Vibrant Express (Carriage no.2–Carriage no.7): There are five seats a row, three seats and two seats for each side. The colors of the seats are orange, red and gray, which coincide with the theme of vibrant express perfectly: fashion and young. In fact, the second class seats on vibrant express are not as soft and big as other second class seats on other China’s high-speed trains. However, it doesn’t matter because the whole journey is only about 1 hour.
Which Stations Operate “Vibrant Express”?
In mainland China: Guangzhou South Railway Station , Qingsheng Railway Station, Humen Railway Station, Guangmingcheng Railway Station, Shenzhen North Railway Station, and Futian Railway Station.
In Hong Kong: Hong Kong West Kowloon Railway Station . It is a brand new station located in Jordan, West Kowloon. All the Vibrant Expresses and other high-speed trains to/from mainland China will depart from or arrive at here.
Hong Kong West Kowloon Railway Station Map
Hong Kong High-Speed Rail Map
Hong kong high speed rail map, click the map to see a larger map:
>>> Click here for more high speed rail map.
If you want to know more about Hong Kong West Kowloon Railway Station, you can send us an email or a FAQ on China Train Booking app.
Go Through The Customs Faster
The customs process to HK has been simplified by Hong Kong West Kowloon Railway Station. According to the regulation of co-location arrangement (“一地两检”), passengers will be able to pass through the exit and entry supervision, including immigration inspection, customs clearance, and inspection and quarantine measures at one time. It helps to cut in half of time of cross-boundary.
At West Kowloon Railway Station, no matter you are going to enter or leave Hong Kong, you just need go to the customs arrival floor/departure floor inside of the station to deal with all the procedures.
Popular Vibrant Express Routes
Please note that not all the trains to Hong Kong West Kowloon Railway Station are vibrant trains. Hence, if you want to experience to a vibrant express, you should know the train number of these Vibrant Expresses in advance. Here, we’ve listed the train numbers of Vibrant Express running through popular routes:
-
Guangzhou–Hong Kong: There are 34 bullet trains a day running from Guangzhou South Railway Station to Hong Kong West Kowloon Railway Station
, but three of them are vibrant expresses. The journey takes about 1 hour and costs 323 yuan per first-class seat.
Vibrant Express train number: G6583 (12:26–13:17), G6585 (17:43–18:42), G6587 (20:25–21:33)
To look up all the HK– Guangzhou train schedules, please read HK– GuangzhouHigh/Normal-Speed Trains. -
Shenzhen–Hong Kong: There are 65 bullet trains a day running from Shenzhen North Railway Station to Hong Kong West Kowloon Railway Station, and about 10 of them are vibrant expresses. The duration is about 20 minutes and 120 yuan per first-class seat.
Vibrant Express train number: G5739 (09:00–09:19), G5723 (15:44–16:03), G5753 (18:56–19:15) -
Futian–Hong Kong: 80 bullet trains a day running from Futian Railway Station to Hong Kong West Kowloon Railway Station, and more than 20 of them are vibrant expresses. The journey takes about 15 minutes and costs 109 yuan for a first-class ticket.
Vibrant Express train number: G5739 (09:00–09:19), G5723 (15:44–16:03), G5753 (18:56–19:15) -
Humen–Hong Kong: There are 18 bullet trains a day running from Humen Railway Station to Hong Kong West Kowloon Railway Station, only 3 of them are vibrant expresses. It takes about 3 hours, and costs 268 yuan a first-class ticket.
Vibrant Express train number: G6581(10:08–10:52), G6585(18:02–18:42), G6587 (20:48–21:33)
Alternatively, to skip reading all this information, you can simply send us a FAQ on China Train Booking app to ask about the train information for free.
Book Vibrant Express Tickets
All the trains between mainland China and Hong Kong are available to use after September 23, 2018. You can directly buy the train tickets online or at the station. To learn these two ways of buying China train tickets, please read How to Buy a China Train Ticket from mainland to Hong Kong.
Since Hong Kong is always a popular traveling city in China, the train tickets may be in great demand, especially the first class seats of the Vibrant Express. We suggest you book/buy the train tickets as soon as they are released in the first time (30 days before departure).
Book Vibrant Express tickets
And we also recommend you book your Hong Kong high-speed train tickets on China Train Booking app to get the ticket(s) within only 3 minutes!
If you already found out that all the high-speed trains to Hong Kong are sold out, you can alternatively choose to take normal-speed trains to enter Hong Kong: Trains Between Hong Kong and Mainland China.
You may also interested in reading:
