A new high-speed sleeper train service is set to cut travel time between Hong Kong and Beijing and Shanghai by about half as the financial hub seeks to deepen ties with mainland China.
The services, which start on June 15 and run from Fridays to Mondays, will reduce travel time between Hong Kong and Beijing to 12 1/2 hours from more than a full day, MTR Corporation said in a statement.
Trips to Shanghai will be shortened to 11 hours from 19 1/2 hours, according to Hong Kong’s mass railway operator.
A trip to Beijing will set travelers back as little as HK$937 (S$162), with a journey to Shanghai starting at HK$682 and sleepers costing more.
That compares with about US$100 (S$135) for a 3 1/2 hour flight from Hong Kong to China’s capital in mid-June and as low as US$78 for the less than 3-hour plane ride to Shanghai.
As well as the longer travel time, the overnight train services will run just once a day compared with at least a dozen flights over the weekend between Hong Kong and the two mainland cities. Long-haul daytime train services that clock in at about eight hours will continue to run on the route that is popular with tourists and business people alike.
The introduction of the sleeper trains means passengers can “maximise their travel time and conveniently plan their business or leisure itineraries”, MTR said. Tickets for the new service go on sale on June 5. BLOOMBERG