On The Line: West Kowloon Railway Station

Hong Kong’s newest public transportation showpiece, West Kowloon Railway Station – the dedicated terminus of the Guangzhou- Shenzhen-Hong Kong Express Rail Link – finally opened this autumn. Not without significant controversy, though. The main point of contention centres around the fact that a quarter of the site is leased to mainland China and subject to national law – a decision that has been criticised for violating the ‘one country, two systems’ policy stipulated in Hong Kong’s Basic Law.

According to the local government, the establishment of this area allows for a more convenient implementation of the two-way inspection between Hong Kong and the Mainland. Opposition groups decry such a claim. Still, after almost a decade of delays, budget overruns and controversy, Hong Kong does finally have access to high-speed rail. Only time will tell if this is all a price worth paying. Gigi Wong