[2026 Mainland High-Speed Rail Trips] Hong Kong High-Speed Rail Guide with Mainland Travel Hotspot Recommendations

“Travelling north to spend” has become a hot topic among Hong Kong people in recent years, and many residents enjoy visiting Greater Bay Area destinations such as Shenzhen, Zhuhai and Zhongshan. However, people may also grow tired of these places and hope to explore other cities.

As the mainland’s high-speed rail network continues to improve, this article introduces four mainland cities that are well suited to high-speed rail travel, departing from Hong Kong West Kowloon Station. At the same time, many people travelling north may overlook travel insurance, but travelling to the mainland is no different from travelling to other countries: during the journey, travellers may face trip delays, accidents while travelling, and medical expenses. Travel insurance provides cover for such costs. 

Hong Kong West Kowloon High Speed Rail Station is now connected to 73 mainland high-speed rail stations. Departing from Hong Kong, you can take short-haul trains to Shenzhen, Dongguan and Guangzhou, among others; long-haul trains can take you to farther destinations such as Chaoshan, Xiamen, Shanghai and Beijing.

Please check the latest train timetable here 

1. Guangzhou

There are many ways for Hong Kong residents to travel to Guangzhou, including taking cross-boundary direct coach services and taking the high-speed train via Shenzhen. If travellers choose to take the high-speed rail to Guangzhou, departing from Hong Kong West Kowloon Station, the journey takes about 1 hour to Guangzhou South Station, making it a faster option.

Popular attractions:

• The world’s second-largest indoor ski resort – Sunac Snow Park
• Canton Tower
• Chimelong Tourist Resort
• Shamian Island

2. Chaoshan

From Hong Kong, taking the high-speed rail to Chaoshan takes about 2 hours and 30 minutes. When it comes to the Chaoshan region, the most well-known is undoubtedly its range of Chaoshan cuisine, including braised goose in soy sauce, beef hotpot, Teochew kuey teow, and Teochew-style oyster pancakes.

Popular attractions:

• Guangji Bridge
• Kaiyuan Temple
• Paifang Street, Chaozhou
• Longhu Ancient Village

3. Xiamen

In the past, before the high-speed rail opened, Hong Kong residents may have had fewer opportunities to visit Xiamen. However, since the high-speed rail began operating, the journey from Hong Kong to Xiamen takes about 4 hours by high-speed rail, making it more suitable for a 3-day 2-night or 4-day 3-night itinerary.

Popular attractions:

• Tianluokeng Tulou Cluster
• Shapowei
• Gulangyu Island
• Riyue Valley Hot Springs
• Lijiang River Night Cruise 

4. Guilin

As the saying goes, “Guilin’s scenery is the best under heaven”. If travellers wish to enjoy beautiful scenery, taking the high-speed rail from Hong Kong to Guilin takes only 3 hours, making it suitable for a 4-day 3-night trip or a longer travel plan. 

Popular attractions:

• Two Rivers and Four Lakes Scenic Area
• Solitary Beauty Peak and King’s City Scenic Area
• Lijiang River Scenic Area

When travelling to Mainland China, travellers may encounter theft of personal belongings, as well as accidents during the trip and medical expenses. To protect against such costs, travellers can purchase suitable travel insurance before departure. Below is a comparison of the prices and coverage scores of 7 travel insurance plans. 

As travel between Hong Kong and Mainland China becomes increasingly convenient, many people make multiple trips to the Mainland each year for leisure and business. Rather than purchasing travel insurance before every departure, you may also choose annual travel insurance. Its key feature is that, once you buy one policy, the insured person is covered throughout the year, saving you the hassle of arranging travel insurance for each trip.

Q&A: What are the methods for booking High Speed Rail tickets?

There are various ways to book Hong Kong High Speed Rail tickets, including purchasing tickets in person at West Kowloon Station, or booking online via the MTR High Speed Rail official website, the China Railway official website (Railway 12306), or online travel agents. 

Q&A: What documents are required for High Speed Rail ticket booking?

High Speed Rail tickets are all issued under a real-name system, so when purchasing High Speed Rail tickets, the name entered by the traveller must match the name on the travel document.

• Hong Kong/Macau residents: Mainland Travel Permit for Hong Kong and Macao Residents (Home Return Permit)
• Mainland China residents: Resident Identity Card of the People's Republic of China (Second-generation ID card), Mainland Travel Permit for Hong Kong and Macao Residents (two-way permit)
• Taiwan residents: Mainland Travel Permit for Taiwan Residents (Taiwan Compatriot Permit)
• Other nationalities: valid passport and valid visa

Q&A: Is there a luggage allowance?

Adult passengers travelling on Hong Kong High Speed Rail may carry 20 kg of luggage, while child passengers may carry 10 kg. The total length, width and height of each item of luggage must not exceed 130 cm.

Q&A: What are the seat classes on Hong Kong High Speed Rail?

The Hong Kong High Speed Rail T-Express operated by MTR is divided into “First Class” and “Second Class”, while the High Speed Rail operated by China Railway also offers Business Class in addition to First Class and Second Class.

Further reading: Single-trip travel insurance comparison

Article last updated on 8 January 2025 

This English version of this article has been generated by machine translation powered by AI. It is provided solely for reference purposes. In the event of any discrepancy or inconsistency between this translation and the original Chinese version, the Chinese version shall prevail.