Hong Kong’s West Kowloon High-Speed Rail Station recorded its busiest morning since pre-pandemic times on October 1, with more than 130,000 passengers expected to pass through the cross-border hub on the first day of China’s National Day holiday. According to Hong Kong public broadcaster RTHK, long queues formed at arrival halls as tour groups from Guangdong and beyond streamed south to catch the evening fireworks over Victoria Harbour. Transport and Logistics Secretary Mable Chan inspected concourse operations at 10 a.m., confirming that 120 train pairs—over 95 percent of the day’s maximum capacity—had been scheduled. Additional crowd-diversion barriers, bilingual signage and mobile enquiry teams were rolled out, while MTR Corporation extended service hours on the Tung Chung and Disneyland Resort lines to absorb the tourist overflow. The spike underscores the importance of high-speed rail in supporting Hong Kong’s visitor-economy rebound. Hoteliers report average occupancy above 90 percent for the October 1-3 period, with room rates up 27 percent year-on-year. Retailers along Nathan Road and in Tsim Sha Tsui have extended closing times and hired temporary Mandarin-speaking staff to capture late-night spending. For corporate mobility managers, the message is clear: employees arriving this week should build in at least one extra hour for immigration clearance and consider using the station’s Business VIP Channel, which remains bookable for groups of five or more at HK$240 per head. Looking ahead, Secretary Chan said the government plans to double automated-gate capacity by Chinese New Year and is studying through-ticketing that links West Kowloon with the Airport Express, allowing luggage-in-town check-in for cross-border rail passengers—an upgrade welcomed by business-travel associations.
Source: RTHK English News
