Hong Kong’s Transport Department has confirmed timetable changes for the Guangzhou–Shenzhen–Hong Kong Express Rail Link (XRL) that will come into force on 11 October. The daily G6048/5 and G6046/7 services between West Kowloon Station and Zhanjiangxi will make an additional call at Taishan, a manufacturing hub in western Guangdong known for its electronics and lighting clusters. Tickets under the new schedule went on sale this morning through the Mainland’s 12306 booking platform and authorised Hong Kong agents. The stop adds around eight minutes to the end-to-end journey but plugs Hong Kong directly into Taishan’s industrial park network without requiring a change at Guangzhou South. City officials said the adjustment responds to corporate feedback that talent and cargo flows between Taishan and Hong Kong have grown sharply since pandemic restrictions were lifted last year. For business travellers, the new call expands same-day round-trip options: the northbound G6048 departs West Kowloon at 08:30 and now reaches Taishan just before 11:00, while the southbound G6047 leaves Taishan at 17:45 and arrives back in Hong Kong at 20:20. Companies with factories in Jiangmen prefecture can therefore schedule mid-day plant visits without overnight stays. The rerouting comes amid record usage of the XRL during the National Day “Golden Week,” when services added 96 extra trains to cope with demand. Transport analysts say the incremental station strategy allows Hong Kong to court second-tier Guangdong cities while preserving premium long-haul slots to Beijing and Shanghai. Employers should update travel booking tools and remind staff that tickets purchased before 7 October are not automatically re-ticketed. Passengers holding older itineraries can exchange seats free of charge at West Kowloon counters up to 48 hours before departure.
