Fresh planning documents reveal that the forthcoming second Guangzhou-Shenzhen high-speed railway (GZ-SZ HSR-2) could include a southern spur that connects directly to Hong Kong’s Northern Metropolis, dramatically shortening travel times within the Greater Bay Area. According to tenders published by the Shenzhen Development and Reform Commission and reported on 15 October, consultants are assessing three preliminary alignments for the spur: (1) extending to Qianhai with an interchange onto the Hong Kong-Shenzhen Western Rail Link; (2) sharing a twin-tunnel corridor with that Western Link and terminating at Hung Shui Kiu; or (3) tunnelling beneath Deep Bay to build a dedicated cross-boundary station inside the Northern Metropolis itself. The main GZ-SZ HSR-2 trunk will begin at Guangzhou North Station, pass Guangzhou Baiyun Airport and central Dongguan, and end at Shenzhen Airport East, promising a 30-minute ride between the two megacities. By bolting Hong Kong onto the network, planners aim to create seamless air-rail intermodal connectivity among Baiyun, Shenzhen Bao’an and Hong Kong International Airport, a game-changer for time-critical business travel. Hong Kong’s Highways Department confirmed that its 18.1-kilometre section of the Western Rail Link has secured funding for detailed design, with tenders for tunnel works expected next year and a tentative 2035 commissioning target. Lawmakers have urged officials to future-proof the line by allowing through-services from Guangzhou and establishing joint-checkpoint facilities similar to West Kowloon Station. While construction will span much of the next decade, multinationals planning regional supply-chain hubs or GBA commuter policies should track alignment decisions closely, as station locations will influence residential prices, staffing patterns and corporate real-estate footprints.
Source: The Standard
