China, Hong Kong resume high-speed rail link after 3 years of COVID-19 curbs -

HONG KONG/BEIJING: China resumed on Sunday (Jan 15) high-speed rail services between Hong Kong and the mainland for the first time since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, as it dismantles travel curbs after Beijing scrapped quarantine for arrivals a week earlier.

The reopening comes amid a massive wave of infections nationwide and a day after authorities said nearly 60,000 people with COVID-19 had died in hospital, following last month’s abrupt U-turn on “zero-COVID” policy in the wake of historic protests.

Despite the infections, some passengers voiced excitement and relief about being able to more easily return to their hometowns in time for the approaching Chinese New Year.

“The resumption of the high-speed railway has made it very convenient for us and has brought us closer to home,” said Mang Lee, 33, who was among dozens going through border checks at Hong Kong’s West Kowloon station before boarding trains.

“For the past three years, due to the pandemic, it has not been easy to enter China in any way,” added Meng, originally from the southern city of Guangzhou. “I have not been able to go home for a long time.”

2023 01 15t053201z 1 lynxmpej0e01f rtroptp 3 health coronavirus hongkong — A passenger dressed as train driver poses for a picture at West Kowloon High-Speed Train Station Terminus on the first day of the resumption of rail service to mainland China on Jan 15, 2023. (Photo: Reuters/Tyrone Siu)

2023 01 15t053201z 1 lynxmpej0e01b rtroptp 3 health coronavirus hongkong — A passenger arrives at West Kowloon High-Speed Train Station Terminus on the first day of the resumption of rail service to mainland China. (Photo: Reuters/Tyrone Siu)

EASIER CHINESE NEW YEAR TRIPS

A surge in travel ahead of the holiday celebrations set to begin on Jan 21, as hundreds of millions of people return home from cities to small towns and rural areas, has fuelled worries about more infections.

Saturday’s updated death toll was a huge increase over previous figures, following global criticism of China’s coronavirus data. The move was welcomed by the World Health Organisation, although the body called for more detailed data.

But the figure still falls short of the predictions of international health experts, who have said China could have more than a million COVID-related deaths this year.

2023 01 15t053201z 1 lynxmpej0e01c rtroptp 3 health coronavirus hongkong — A Chinese police officer stands guard at in the mainland port area of West Kowloon High-Speed Train Station Terminus on the first day of the resumption of rail service to mainland China, during the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic in Hong Kong, China, January 15, 2023. REUTERS/Tyrone Siu

2023 01 15t054716z 2 lynxmpej0e01d rtroptp 3 health coronavirus hongkong — Passengers arrive at West Kowloon High-Speed Train Station Terminus on the first day of the resumption of rail service to mainland China, during the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic in Hong Kong, China, January 15, 2023. REUTERS/Tyrone Siu

Operations at West Kowloon station have been smooth, with a flow of about 1,400 passengers by 10am, said Cheung Chi-keung, head of operator MTR Corp’s cross-boundary operations.

Tickets for nearly all trains were sold out on Sunday, a display at the station showed, a Reuters witness said.

The reopening will initially be just for short journeys, MTR chairman Rex Auyeung told reporters at the station.

Hong Kong’s transport secretary, Lam Sai-hung, said he could not confirm when long-haul journeys would resume, but that would be after talks with mainland authorities.

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