HK West Kowloon – Beijing West by High Speed Train: G80 & G79

How to Travel between Hong Kong & Beijing by Train

Starting from Sept 23, 2018, it has been possible to travel between Hong Kong and Beijing by direct high speed trains. The direct high speed train links Beijing and Hong Kong once daily in 8h45, using Hong Kong West Kowloon Station and Beijing West Train Station .

How long: Beijing is far from Hong Kong with a long distance of 2224 kilometers (about 1381 miles).

hk-beijing-high-speed-train-route

How to Take a Train from HK West Kowloon

Photos courtesy of Keith Wong, a Singaporean working in HK & ChinaTrain12306 visitor.

Photos courtesy of Keith Wong: Entrance to HK West Kowloon Station from Austin MTR Station. Passengers can get to HK West Kowloon Station by MTR by arriving at Austin Station or Kowloon Station.Photos courtesy of Keith Wong: Entrance to HK West Kowloon Station from Austin MTR Station. Passengers can get to HK West Kowloon Station by MTR by arriving at Austin Station or Kowloon Station.

Photos courtesy of Keith Wong (Singaporean working in HK, ChinaTrain12306 visitors): Link way from Austin station to West Kowloon Station.Photos courtesy of Keith Wong (Singaporean working in HK, ChinaTrain12306 visitors): Link way from Austin station to West Kowloon Station.

Photos courtesy of Keith Wong (Singaporean working in HK, ChinaTrain12306 visitors): Towards departure area for security checks.Photos courtesy of Keith Wong (Singaporean working in HK, ChinaTrain12306 visitors): Towards departure area for security checks.

Photos courtesy of Keith Wong (Singaporean working in HK, ChinaTrain12306 visitors): Self-service ticket machine for HK citizens. These don't accept foreigner's passports. Visitors & passport holders must collect or buy tickets from ticket counters next to machines in HK West Kowloon Station.Photos courtesy of Keith Wong (Singaporean working in HK, ChinaTrain12306 visitors): Self-service ticket machine for HK citizens. These don't accept foreigner's passports. Visitors & passport holders must collect or buy tickets from ticket counters next to machines in HK West Kowloon Station.

Photos courtesy of Keith Wong (Singaporean working in HK, ChinaTrain12306 visitors): Towards HK and China Immigration Area. No photos allow in this area. You clear both China and HK immigration in HK West Kowloon Station.Photos courtesy of Keith Wong (Singaporean working in HK, ChinaTrain12306 visitors): Towards HK and China Immigration Area. No photos allow in this area. You clear both China and HK immigration in HK West Kowloon Station.

Photos courtesy of Keith Wong (Singaporean working in HK, ChinaTrain12306 visitors): depaturesPhotos courtesy of Keith Wong (Singaporean working in HK, ChinaTrain12306 visitors): depatures

Photos courtesy of Keith Wong (Singaporean working in HK, ChinaTrain12306 visitors): Queue to go down to train platform by escalator.Photos courtesy of Keith Wong (Singaporean working in HK, ChinaTrain12306 visitors): Queue to go down to train platform by escalator.

Photos courtesy of Keith Wong (Singaporean working in HK, ChinaTrain12306 visitors): Trains from HK West Kowloon Station to China cities (Xiamen). Photos courtesy of Keith Wong (Singaporean working in HK, ChinaTrain12306 visitors): Trains from HK West Kowloon Station to China cities (Xiamen).

The Best Way : Train VS Flight

By air : Flight is the fastest way but very expensive and often get delayed or cancelled. Besides, airport in Beijing or Hong Kong are far from city center.

By rail: High speed train is the best way, which runs on time and the fare is fairly cheaper than a flight ticket. It has more leg room and offers you a view to see China’s cities and countries.

Hong Kong – Beijing by Direct High Speed Train

Hong Kong – Beijing direct high speed train service has been launched since the opening of Hong Kong West Kowloon Station on September 23, 2018. There is only one daily high speed trains running between Hong Kong West Kowloon and Beijing West Station (BeijingXi), taking about 8h58 and costing from CNY1077 in a second class seat.

From Hong Kong to Beijing: There is only one direct high speed train: G80 leaves from Hong Kong West Kowloon Station at 08:05 and arrives at Beijing West Station (BeijingXi)at 17:01, taking 8h56.

From Beijing to Hong Kong: G79 departs daily from Beijing West Station (BeijingXi)at 10:00 and reaches at Hong Kong West Kowloon Station at 18:58, taking about 8h58.

Schedule, Ticket Price & Duration

• Stations used in HK: West Kowloon Station (香港西九龙站)
• Stations used in BJ : Beijing West (BeijingXi, 北京西站)
• Top speed: 300km/h in maind land & 200km/h in Hong Kong
• Travel time: 8h56
• Train type: CRH G trains
• HK West Kowloon Station: reached by HK MTR service at Kowlon Station or Austin Station (use Hong Kong MTR planner to plan your route)
• Beijing West: reached by subway line 9 and line 7.

How to Buy Tickets for HK – Beijing High Speed Train

When to buy tickets?

How far in advance can I buy the train tickets? 30 or 28 days. China train tickets go on sale 30 days in advance for online sales, or 28 days in advance if booking in train station.

Where to buy tickets?

You can buy tickets at train station in Hong Kong or China, or book online or using a trusted ticket agent.

Buy at train stations

In Hong Kong: You can buy tickets with your passport at Hong Kong West Kowloon Station, where there are 28 ticket counters for passengers booking or collecting or refunding tickets. They accept Hong Kong dollars or Chinese RMB. But 23 out of 28 ticket counters only sell tickets for trains starting from or ending at Hong Kong (eg: HK to BJ train or BJ to HK train). If you travel beyond Hong Kong (eg: Guangzhou to Beijing or Beijing to Shenzhen), you will have to buy them at the 5 designated ticket windows or using a ticket agent.

Note: There are 39 ticket kiosks in West Kowloon Station offering English instruction, however, foreigners can not use them to book tickets as it don’t accept your passport but only Chinese ID cards.

In Beijing: You can buy tickets in Beijing’s any train station, including Beijing South, Beijing West and Beijign Railway Station. Just go to the one close to you with your passport.

Buy online with a trusted ticket agent

If you’re worried about tickets being selling out, or not speaking Chinese or Cantonese or living just outside China & Hong Kong and want to book tickets in advance. Thus, you can use an online ticket agent. Below are two reputed online ticket agents who get possitive reviews and recommended often on Trip Advisor:

• Buy at www.chinahiglights.com/china-trains/ (Sharon offers help)
• Buy at http://www.china-diy-travel.com/en/ (Promo code: ct123. Helen offers help)
• Service time: 24/7 hours Payments: Paypayl, Visa, MasterCard, Alipay, etc

You can place your order any time with the agents, who will buy tickets for you when tickets are released. You can check English train timetable on their site and select a window seat or aisle seat. The agents can deliver tickets to your hotel as well as English instructions on how to take a train in China, how to get to the station, etc.If you run into any troubles, or need to refund or cancell tickets or change trains, they will offer you professional help. A additional service or delivery fee will be charged by the agents.

Buy at HK website

Hong Kong MTR Group has launched its online ticketing system both in Chinese and English version, where you can check train schedule, ticket fares and book tickets with your passport.After buying tickets online, you will have to collect them at West Kowloon Station.

• Buy ticket at Hong Kong MTR site
• Check train timetable
• Check train fares

Hong Kong – Beijing via Shenzhen or Guangzhou (outdated info)

You can also travel between Hong Kong and Beijing on a high speed train with a transfer at Shenzhen or Guangzhou:

• Hong Kong – Shenzhen – Beijing by high speed train
• Hong Kong – Shenzhen – Guangzhou – Beijing by high speed train

Hong Kong – Shenzhen – Beijing by High Speed Train

Beijing & Shenzhen are linked by 2 daily G category high speed trains (G trains) and 4 high-speed sleeper (D trains) that travel 4 times weekly. And Hong Kong and Shenzhen are linked by metro. Thus, you can still travel between Hong Kong and Beijing via Shenzhen by bullet trains.

From Hong Kong to Beijing via Shenzhen: Take Hong Kong’s East Rail Line MTR serivce to Lok Ma Chau station first, then get across the border and walk into Futian Checkpoint station on Shenzhen’side, from where you can access Shenzhen Futian Train Station via metro line 4 and line 2 with a transfer at Civic Center (Futian Checkpoint – Civic Center – Futian). From Shenzhen Futian Station, you can take G category to Beijing West Station.

From Beijing to Hong Kong via Shenzhen: Just do as explained above in a opposite direction (Beijing West – Shenzhen Futian – Hong Kong).

Via Guangzhou: Guangzhou has more bullet trains to or from Beijing than Shenzhen. You can also travel on this route: Hong Kong – Shenzhen – Guangzhou – Beijing by high speed train.

* High speed trains are using Shenzhen Futian Station, Guangzhou South Station and Beijing West Station.

* High speed sleeper trains are the way to go when it comes to save your time and money. They are morder, comfortable, running in the afternoon and arriving at next morning & saving you the accommodation fees. There are 4 high speed sleeper trains running between Shenzhen North and Beijing West, 6 between Guangzhou South and Beijing West. All of them run 4 times weekly on Friday, Saturday, Sunday and Monday.

Hong Kong – Beijing by Through Trains

The Beijing – Hong Kong Through Train (Beijing – Kowloon Through Train or Hujiu Through Train) is an intercity train service running between Hung Home Station in Kowloon HK and Beijing West Station (Beijingxi), with stops en-route at Guangzhou East Station, Changsha Station, Wuchang Station and Zhengzhou Station, taking about 15 hours.

Schedule and Travel Duration

The shceule below are quited from the official timetable on HK MTR website

Z97 & Z98 Operation Days in 2018

Ticket Price (HK$)

Original Fare at official site , you can also find discount price at official site.

Trusted Online Ticket Agents:

Option 1: China Highlights is a reliable online agency  for China train ticketing. They get positive reviews on TripAdvisor & Trustpilot. Sharon and her team help you buy tickets & plan rail routes even deliver tickets to your hotels with a service fee from $6.

Book a Train

Option 2: China DIY Travel  is also a trusted online ticketing agent & get recommended for their excellent service on TripAdvisor. Helen & her Australian husband, team are always helpful buying tickets for foreigners. ChinaTrain12306 users can use PROMO CODE “ct123” to reduce booking fees.

Book a train