Vibrant Express: The First Series of Bullet Trains Operating Between Hong Kong and Mainland

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.

Vibrant Express only equip with first class seat and second class seat. With 8 cabins and 579 seats in total, there are only 2 first class cabins, but 6 second class cabins.

First class seat are ordered 4 seats a row. Each seat is equipped with reading light, foot treadle, headphone jack, and power socket (two-pin socket and three-pin socket are both available). Seat can be rotated 180 degree. For your reference, a 1st class seat ticket from HK to Guangzhou costs 325 CNY.

Second class seats are distributed by 5 seats, 3 and 2 beside the aisle. Although the seat is not as spacious as the first class, its price is over 100 CNY lower. For your reference, a 2nd class seat ticket from HK to Guangzhou costs 215 CNY.

Wifi is available throughout the whole journey. But to connect Wifi, it requires a Chinese phone number, and a WeChat account.

Facilities for disabled person, lactation room for mothers and babies, drinking fountains, luggage lacks for large suitcases can be found in each cabin.

No dinning cabin available on Vibrant Express train, because the train only operates for short distance. So, if you would love to eat something while enjoying the scenery outside the window, taking some snacks on board sounds great.

Which Stations Operate “Vibrant Express”?

Hong Kong West Kowloon Station is a brand new station located in Jordan, West Kowloon, north of the proposed West Kowloon Cultural District between the Airport Express and Tung Chung Line's Kowloon Station and the West Rail Line's Austin Station. All Vibrant Express and other high speed trains from mainland will depart from or arrive at here.

It is estimated that the station can serve over 11,000 passengers and operate more than 114 pairs of trains to 44 mainland cities per day. The rail staffs in the station are all friendly and can speak fluent English. So communication will be smoother than that in the mainland.

Facilities in the Hong Kong West Kowloon station are more like those in an international airport. Below are what you can find in the station.

Go Through The Customs Faster

The customs process to HK has been simplified by the high speed train. 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.

No matter travelers choose to arrive at or leave Hong Kong, they just need to take a lift to the customs arrival floor/departure floor to deal with all the procedures at the same building of the station.

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 .

And since Hong Kong is always a popular traveling city in China, the train tickets may be in great demand. We suggest you book/buy the train tickets as soon as they are released in the first time (30 days before departure). And you can simply book the Hong Kong high-speed train tickets on China Train Booking app to issue your train ticket(s) within only 3 minutes after paying, and to get experienced China train route advice and intimate after-sale service.

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: Normal-Speed Trains between Mainland and Hong Kong.

You are also welcome to download our China Train Booking app to search timetables, book tickets and get free travel advice/help.

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