Guangzhou–Kowloon through train
| Company type | Joint operation |
|---|---|
| Industry | Rail transport |
| Predecessor | Kowloon–Canton Railway (British section) |
| Founded | 1911 |
| Defunct | 31 July 2024 |
| Successor | Guangzhou–Shenzhen–Hong Kong Express Rail Link (high-speed rail) |
Area served | Guangdong, Hong Kong |
| Products | Inter-city passenger rail service |
| Parent | MTR Corporation, Guangzhou Railway Group |
The Guangzhou–Kowloon through train () was an inter-city rail connection linking Hong Kong and Guangzhou, jointly operated by Hong Kong's MTR Corporation and mainland China's Guangzhou Railway Group. Within Hong Kong, the service utilized the East Rail line, crossed the Hong Kong–Chinese border at Lo Wu, and proceeded along the Guangmao Railway and Guangshen Railway routes in Guangdong province.
There were twelve trains running daily in each direction, with the journey taking around 1 hour and 40 minutes.
The premium KTT service on this route was managed by MTRC, featuring double-decker trains usually composed of two Premium Class carriages alongside five First Class coaches. Other train services were provided by China Railway Guangzhou Group.
This route primarily served key locations including Hong Kong, Dongguan, and Guangzhou. Operations were halted during the COVID-19 pandemic and officially terminated on 31 July 2024 following a directive from the General Administration of Customs to close all inter-city train border crossings. This decision aligned with the shift in passenger demand towards the high-speed rail connecting Hong Kong West Kowloon with Guangzhou East.
Early years
The Chinese portion of the line was initially under the management of the Kowloon-Canton Railway Corporation (KCR), while the British section was referred to as the Kowloon–Canton Railway (KCR), which later expanded into a rapid transit system throughout Hong Kong's New Territories. The consulting engineers responsible for this project were Messrs Arthur John Barry and John Wolfe-Barry.
Construction of the British segment commenced in 1906, with its opening on 1 October 1910 as a single-track railway roughly following what is now known as the East Rail line. The entire railway connecting Kowloon and Canton (now Guangzhou) became operational on 5 October 1911. Once the Chinese section was completed, steam-powered through-trains ran from the southern terminus at Tsim Sha Tsui, crossed the border, and continued to Canton's Tai Sha Tau station. The KCR network subsequently grew to include three railway lines and a light rail system, comprising 32 railway stations and 68 light rail stops.
Initially, trains departed northwards from a provisional terminus at Kowloon Point, passing through eastern parts of the New Territories to reach the border at Lo Wu. The permanent southern terminus, known as Kowloon station, located in Tsim Sha Tsui, opened in 1914.
During construction of the standard gauge British section, a narrow gauge railway was employed; its materials were later reused for the now-defunct Sha Tau Kok Branch.
Modern era
After the founding of the People's Republic of China in 1949, cross-border through-train services were suspended for approximately thirty years. Service between Canton (Guangzhou) and Hung Hom recommenced on 4 April 1979 following bilateral agreements. Subsequent expansions included extensions to Foshan in January 1993 and further to Zhaoqing in March 1995. Starting October 1995, certain trains began stopping at Changping station in Dongguan. In 1996, the northern terminus shifted from Guangzhou railway station to Guangzhou East station.
Train operations to Zhaoqing ceased on 16 April 2017 due to renovation works; service to Foshan ended on 10 July 2019 after the inauguration of the Guangzhou–Shenzhen–Hong Kong Express Rail Link. Both these border crossings were closed on 15 December 2021, marking the end of through train connections to these destinations.
Suspension and termination
The through train operation was halted on 30 January 2020 as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic in Hong Kong. By April 2022, reports suggested that the service would not be reinstated, coinciding with the extension of the Express Rail Link to Guangzhou East station.
On 31 July 2024, following approval from the State Council in June 2024, the General Administration of Customs officially shut down all four remaining railway border crossings for inter-city through trains. This action represented the official cessation of the service, with authorities noting that high-speed rail services now sufficiently satisfy travel needs between mainland China and Hong Kong.
Former stations
At the launch of the through train service in 1911, most stations it served later became stops along the Guangzhou–Shenzhen railway. The service was suspended on 14 October 1949 after Communist forces took control of Canton, resuming operations on 4 April 1979.
Additional stations were introduced during this period, such as Tin Ho (天河), Wan Luk (雲麓), and Sheung Shui (上水).
| Name | District | Opened | Closed | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| English | Chinese | |||
| Canton also Tai Sha Tau |
廣州／大沙頭 | Canton, Kwangtung | 1911 | 1974 |
| Shek Pai | 石牌 | – | ||
| Che Pi | 車陂 | Punyu, Kwangtung | ||
| Wu Chung | 烏涌 | |||
| Nam Kong | 南崗 | 2009 | ||
| Sun Tong | 新塘 | Tsengshing County, Kwangtung | – | |
| Tong Mei | 塘美 | 2007 | ||
| Nga Yeo | 雅瑤 | ? | ||
| Sien Tsun | 仙村 | – | ||
| Shek Ha | 石廈 | ? | ||
| Shek Tan | 石灘 | – | ||
| Shek Lik Kou | 石瀝滘 | |||
| Shek Lung | 石龍 | Tungkun County, Kwangtung | ||
| Sai Wu also Cha Shan |
西湖／茶山 | |||
| Nam Sheh | 南社 | 2007 | ||
| Wang Lik | 橫瀝 | 2009 | ||
| Sheung Ping & Muk Lun also Sheung Ping |
常平木倫 | – | ||
| Tu Tong | 土塘 | |||
| Cheung Muk Tou & Shek Ma also Cheung Muk Tou |
樟木頭石馬 | |||
| 'Lum Tsun' | '林村' | '2010' | ||
| 'Tong Tou Ha' | '塘頭廈' | '–' | ||
| 'Shek Ku' | '石鼓' | '2007' | ||
| 'Tin Tong Wai' | '天堂圍' | '2007' | ||
| 'Ping Wu' | '平湖' | Sun On County, Kwangtung | '–' | |
| 'Li Long' | '李朗' | '2007' | ||
| ' Pu Kut' | '布吉' | '–' | ||
| ' Shum Chun' also Sham Chun Market |
'深圳／深圳墟' | |||
| ' Lo Wu' | '羅湖' | New Territories, Hong Kong | '1910' | '–' |
| ' Sheung Shui' | '上水' | '1930' | ||
| ' Fanling' | '粉嶺' | '1911' | ||
| ' Tai Po Market' | '大埔墟' | '1983' | ||
| ' Tai Po Kau' | '大埔滘' | '1983' | '–' | |
| ' Sha Tin' | '沙田' | '1911' | ||
| ' Mong Kok' | '旺角' | '1911' | ||
| ' Hung Hom' This former Hung Hom is near today's Hong Kong Museum of History. |
'紅磡' | '1921' | ||
| ' Kowloon' | '九龍' | '1975' | ||
Modern service (discontinued 2020)
| Station Name | Region | Operation Period | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| English | Chinese | Commenced | Terminated | |
| colspan="5" bgcolor="Template:Rcr" | | ||||
| Hung Hom | 紅磡 | Kowloon, Hong Kong | 1979 | 2020 |
| Changping | 常平 | Dongguan, Guangdong | 1995 | 2020 |
| Guangzhou East | 廣州東 | Guangzhou, Guangdong | 1996 | 2020 |
| Guangzhou | 廣州 | 1979 | 1996 | |
| Foshan | 佛山 | Foshan, Guangdong | 1993 | 2019 |
| Zhaoqing | 肇慶 | Zhaoqing, Guangdong | 1995 | 2017 |