The second Guangzhou-Shenzhen high-speed railway is expected to begin construction during the 15th Five-Year Plan period, with new progress reported on its southern extension, which will connect to the Northern Metropolis under several preliminary alignment options.
According to local media reports, the Development and Reform Commission of Shenzhen Municipality rolled out pre-planning tender invitations last August and is assessing how the southern spur can tie into the Northern Metropolis.
The high-speed rail line will start at Guangzhou North Station, pass through Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport, Guangzhou Huangpu, and Nancheng in central Dongguan, and terminate at Shenzhen Airport East, as stated in the preliminary planning.
Upon completion, the line will deliver a 30-minute direct link between the core urban areas of Guangzhou and Shenzhen, streamline seamless air-rail intermodal connections, and unlock the full integration potential of the Guangzhou–Dongguan–Shenzhen–Hong Kong corridor.
For the southern extension’s integration with the Northern Metropolis, authorities are evaluating multiple preliminary routes alongside feasibility assessments covering cross-boundary passages, border control facilities, passenger volumes, and project costs.
The first option would extend the high-speed line to Qianhai, where travelers can interchange onto the cross-boundary segment of the Hong Kong-Shenzhen Western Rail Link to access the Northern Metropolis.
A second proposal sees the southern extension share a tunnel corridor with the Hong Kong-Shenzhen Western Rail Link. Under this arrangement, the two systems would run on separate tracks within the same alignment, with the new high-speed spur terminating at Hung Shui Kiu station.
The third routing plan extends south from Shenzhen Airport East through Qianhai, then crosses the border via an underground tunnel to a new high-speed rail station in the Northern Metropolis.
The Highways Department in HKSAR stated that the 18.1-kilometer Hong Kong-Shenzhen Western Rail Link will be constructed entirely underground. The project comprises a 7.3-kilometer Hong Kong section and a 10.8-kilometer Shenzhen section.
The Hong Kong section will feature three stations at Hung Shui Kiu, Ha Tsuen, and Lau Fau Shan, while the Shenzhen section will include stops at Shenzhen Bay Port and Qianhaiwan.
Subject to preparatory progress, tendering works for the Hong Kong section may kick off next year, with the line targeted to open in 2035.
Lawmaker Yiu Ming suggested that the Western Rail Link should explore extending southward to Hong Kong International Airport while also connecting northward to Shenzhen Bao'an International Airport to form an integrated air-rail network.
