The High Speed Rail (HSR) Hong Kong Section carried more than 16 million passenger journeys during the first half of 2026, marking its highest patronage for the January-to-June period since services began in 2018.
According to MTR Corporation, passenger numbers increased by more than 10% compared with the same period in 2025, with average daily ridership exceeding 92,000. Weekend and public holiday demand remained higher than weekday travel, with almost 150,000 passenger journeys recorded on 4 April during the Easter and Ching Ming Festival holiday period, representing the highest single-day total since the railway opened.
Alongside the patronage announcement, MTR officially opened an upgraded Business Class Lounge at Hong Kong West Kowloon Station on 23 July. The facility has been redeveloped in partnership with Plaza Premium Group as part of a wider programme of station improvements.
The lounge provides around 200 seats across approximately 8,600 square feet and includes charging facilities, complimentary Wi-Fi, refreshments and additional seating areas designed to provide a more comfortable waiting environment for Business Class passengers.
Other recent improvements at Hong Kong West Kowloon Station include changes to the boarding process, allowing passengers to enter ticket inspection, immigration and boarding areas up to 90 minutes before departure instead of the previous 120-minute requirement. The adjustment gives passengers greater flexibility before boarding while allowing more time to use the station’s retail and catering facilities.
The station has also introduced upgraded seating areas across its G/F, B1 and B2 levels, while its complimentary Wi-Fi network has been enhanced to provide faster internet access.
The Hong Kong Section of the high-speed rail network now provides direct services to 113 destinations across mainland China, following the addition of Guangzhoubei, Yiwu and Fuqingxi to the network.
To accommodate growing demand, MTR increased the frequency of short-haul services from 1 July, with at least 112 daily train services operating between Hong Kong West Kowloon and Futian stations. During the busiest periods, trains operate at intervals of around five minutes.
Additional summer capacity is also planned, with 13 extra pairs of services scheduled between Hong Kong West Kowloon and Futian on five consecutive weekends from 25 July to 23 August to support increased cross-boundary travel during the holiday period.
