Hong Kong–Shenzhen Western Express Railway
# Hong Kong–Shenzhen Western Express Railway

Hong Kong–Shenzhen Western Express Railway (Chinese: 港深西部快速軌道) is a proposed cross-border railway offering three future distinct services, direct connection between Hong Kong International Airport (HKIA) and Shenzhen Bao'an International Airport; cross-border service between Hung Shui Kiu and Qianhai; and domestic service between Tuen Mun and Siu Ho Wan.

## History

In a 2000 Hong Kong governmental study, two separate rail links were proposed as the Deep Bay Link (后海灣線) and the Chek Lap Kok Link (赤鱲角線). It was envisaged that the Deep Bay Link could connect Nanshan, Shenzhen with the new developing areas in Hung Shui Kiu, possibly interchanging with West Rail line (now Tuen Ma line). The Chek Lap Kok Link would connect Hong Kong Airport and Lantau Island with Tuen Mun. However it was determined that the projects were not warranted at the development levels of the served areas at that time.

Shenzhen authorities also derived a similar railway project, initially named "Western Shenzhen–Hong Kong intercity railway" (Chinese: 西部深港城际线) as a branch of Guangzhou–Shenzhen intercity railway. The revised plan in 2007 described the railway running from Qianhaiwan station and branching at northwestern New Territories, separately linking the airport and the central business district in Central. In the same year Sir Donald Tsang, Hong Kong Chief Executive, also suggested linking the two airports with railway in the Policy Address "to fully complement each other" in addition to the existing high-speed ferry services ply, which was strongly supported by the Shenzhen Municipal Government.

In 2012, the government combined the projects and renamed it the "Hong Kong–Shenzhen Western Express Railway", which includes three services of Airport Rail Link (Hong Kong International Airport to Shenzhen Bao'an International Airport), cross-boundary spur line (Hung Shui Kiu to Qianhai), and domestic spur line (Tuen Mun to Siu Ho Wan).

The railway project was abandoned in 2014 due to multiple factors including "complicated technical constraints involved in constructing an under-sea railway tunnel" and that the "economic benefits have yet to be proven".

However, the Chinese authorities in 2019 revealed ongoing "collaboration with Hong Kong over Hong Kong–Shenzhen Western Express Railway", following Shenzhen's intention to restart the project. The conceptual intercity plan appeared again in a 2020 official document of National Development and Reform Commission. Two years later the Hong Kong Government confirmed the active planning of the Hong Kong – Shenzhen Western Rail Link, running between Hung Shui Kiu and Qianhai, and announced the proposal of extending the railway to HKU station via Tuen Mun East, Sunny Bay, and Kau Yi Chau Artificial Islands.

