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SCMP Editorial
Editorial
SCMP Editorial

High-speed rail link helps keep Hong Kong on track for economic recovery

While rising ridership figures are a sign of progress in Greater Bay Area integration, the city must do more to adapt and attract the travellers of tomorrow

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Passengers arrive at the West Kowloon high-speed railway station on New Year’s Day. Photo: Edmond So
SCMP Editorial
Editorials represent the views of the South China Morning Post on the issues of the day.
Hong Kong’s cross-border high-speed rail link went full steam ahead last year, setting record ridership figures. Along with a jump in visitors from mainland China, the numbers were welcome signs of economic recovery and the city’s continuing appeal.

However, they also underscore challenges that lie ahead. This includes a need to refocus from just counting arrivals to coming up with ways to better attract and serve visitors and locals.

The MTR Corporation revealed on Sunday that passengers made more than 30 million trips using the high-speed line in 2025, a 17 per cent increase from 2024 that set a record. Cumulative patronage since the service launched in September 2018 surpassed 100 million journeys.

The West Kowloon rail terminus also reached a new single-day record of 140,000 passenger trips on December 27. The company said about 80 per cent of the high-speed rail passengers were short-haul travellers and the proportion of Hong Kong residents using the service had “steadily increased” to about 45 per cent.

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