Starting from 00:00 on January 26, 2026, a new train schedule will be implemented nationwide. Among the changes, the optimization and upgrade of the Guangzhou-Shenzhen-Hong Kong High-Speed Railway is particularly noteworthy, with its transport capacity and service quality achieving a leapfrog improvement, further solidifying its position as the busiest high-speed rail line in the country.

Following the timetable adjustment, the Guangzhou-Shenzhen-Hong Kong Express Rail Link will add 52 passenger trains, bringing the total number of daily passenger trains to an astonishing 415. This figure not only breaks the line's own record but also makes it the high-speed rail line with the highest train density and the most frequent stops in the country, marking the official entry of the core transportation corridor of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area into a new stage of "public transport-like" operation.

　　"Bus-like" operation: one bus every 2 minutes on average during peak hours.

The most direct manifestation of "highest train density" is the shortest departure interval in the country. Under the new operating schedule, the Guangzhou-Shenzhen-Hong Kong Express Rail Link operates up to 30 trains per hour during peak hours, with an average departure interval of only 2 minutes. This high-frequency, high-density operating mode is comparable to that of a city subway, greatly shortening the spatial and temporal distance between Guangzhou, Shenzhen, and Hong Kong, and meeting the massive and frequent business and commuting needs within the Greater Bay Area.

"Highest frequency of stops" means that there is an unprecedented variety of train options at each station along the line, significantly enhancing travel convenience.

　　 Taking Humen Station and Guangmingcheng Station as examples: After the timetable adjustment, the number of trains stopping at Humen Station increased from 236 to 259; while the number of trains stopping at Guangmingcheng Station increased significantly from 22 to 36, marking a new level of service capacity. The increased frequency of trains at smaller stations along the line allows more passengers to enjoy the convenience of "walking on and off".

　　 Network reach doubled: First connection to the Yangtze River Delta region, covering 110 sites.

This timetable adjustment not only increases the frequency but also significantly expands the network of the Guangzhou-Shenzhen-Hong Kong Express Rail Link. A historic breakthrough is that the Hong Kong Express Rail Link now directly connects to Jiangsu and Anhui provinces for the first time. New high-speed trains to core cities in the Yangtze River Delta, such as Nanjing South, Wuxi East, and Hefei South, fill the previous gap in direct high-speed rail connections between Hong Kong and the Yangtze River Delta city cluster, significantly strengthening economic and cultural ties between Hong Kong and East China.

Meanwhile, the high-speed rail network is further extending into inland and coastal economic zones. This timetable adjustment adds 16 new stations, including Fuzhou South, Quanzhou East, and Shantou South . Notably, the new stations include several prefecture-level or county-level cities such as Huidong, Lufeng East, and Xingning South, which significantly enhances Hong Kong's direct influence on small and medium-sized cities in mainland China and will strongly promote in-depth two-way exchanges in tourism, trade, and other fields.

With this addition, the number of railway stations in Hong Kong that directly connect to the mainland via the high-speed rail network has increased to 110 , covering many important provinces and city clusters across the country. Hong Kong's status as an important hub connecting South China with East China, Central China, and Southwest China in the national high-speed rail network has become even more prominent.

　Comprehensive service upgrade: Smarter trains, more considerate travel.

Accompanying the increase in transport capacity is a comprehensive upgrade in services. First, all cross-border trains operated by various railway bureaus of China State Railway Group have been upgraded to "Fuxing" bullet trains. The new generation of trains has been comprehensively improved in terms of operating speed, passenger comfort, and intelligent services, enhancing the attractiveness of long-distance high-speed rail travel, especially significantly promoting time-sensitive business travelers and experience-oriented tourists.

In response to the increasing cross-border passenger flow, key stations such as Shenzhen North Station and Futian Station are focusing on creating "four-way connectivity" services, namely "railway connectivity, Shenzhen-Hong Kong connectivity, Cantonese connectivity, and English connectivity," to ensure that cross-border passengers can communicate without barriers in all aspects, including ticket purchase, waiting, consultation, and transfer .

The popular "flexible travel" and "multi-trip ticket" products have also been further optimized. Through clear signage and proactive assistance from staff, the station helps passengers easily understand the rules for convenient ticket purchase and flexible rescheduling, greatly enhancing travel flexibility and the overall experience.

In terms of hardware facilities, Futian Station has put into use the world's first fully intelligent platform screen door system for high-speed rail. This system can intelligently identify the door positions of different train models, achieving precise alignment and linkage between the platform screen doors and train doors. This not only increases the train arrival and departure capacity by 50% , but also fundamentally ensures passenger safety and improves the overall efficiency of train operation.

Changing Lives: The "One-Hour Living Circle" in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area is Becoming a Reality

The rapid development of high-speed rail is truly changing the work and lifestyles of residents in the Greater Bay Area. Ms. Feng, who lives in Longhua, Shenzhen, is one of the beneficiaries. Working in import and export trade, she has been traveling to Hong Kong every Friday for meetings for the past two months due to work requirements.

"It takes about an hour and a half to get from home to the meeting room in Hong Kong." Ms. Feng is very satisfied with this commuting efficiency. "This includes the time for customs clearance and subway transfers. I never imagined such a speed before."

Her route is highly representative: starting from home in the morning, taking the high-speed rail from Shenzhen North Station directly to Hong Kong West Kowloon Station, and then transferring to the MTR to reach her destination. Faced with the uncertainties common in business trips, the high-speed rail's "flexible rebooking" function has become her "trip savior." "Having multiple rebooking opportunities a day, I can basically change to my preferred train, which is incredibly useful for people like us who often need to adjust our plans on the fly," Ms. Feng remarked.

Ms. Feng's story is a vivid microcosm of how the "bus-like" operation of the Guangzhou-Shenzhen-Hong Kong Express Rail Link is empowering the "one-hour living circle" of the Guangdong- Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area . With increasingly frequent train services, wider network coverage, and superior service experience, this vital artery is accelerating the flow of talent, capital, and creativity with unprecedented vitality, injecting strong momentum into the deep integration and high-quality development of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area.