Hong Kong’s Transport Department issued a special bulletin listing the cancellation of more than 190 Guangzhou-Shenzhen–Hong Kong High-Speed Rail (HSR) services on 25–26 July due to expected severe weather from Typhoon Noul. The notice, updated at 1:11 a.m. on 25 July and refreshed throughout the weekend, covers popular business shuttles including G6515, G6523 and the long-haul G899/G900 Shanghai–Hong Kong pair. Passengers holding tickets for the affected trains can apply for refunds through the mainland 12306 platform within 30 days; however, travel-management companies warned that corporate credit-card refunds may take up to two billing cycles to post. The department advised travellers to consider the East Rail Line to Lo Wu or Lok Ma Chau checkpoints as alternative gateways. Logistics analysts noted that the suspension places extra pressure on road freight via the Humen and Shenzhen Bay bridges, where truck queues stretched over five kilometres at midday Sunday. Cross-border e-commerce parcels moving in bonded "rail-air" mode via Hong Kong airport are likely to experience two-day delays. Mobility planners should also be aware that seat inventory on resumed HSR services will be tight; the railway typically restricts sales to 70 per cent of capacity immediately after a weather disruption to allow for re-accommodation of affected passengers. Companies with rotational expatriate staff were encouraged to keep digital copies of cancelled ticket stubs to assist with immigration explanations if stay visas approach expiry during the disruption window.
Source: Hong Kong Transport Department
