HONG KONG -- The government of China's Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) announced Thursday that the operating arrangements for the Hong Kong Section of the Guangzhou-Shenzhen-Hong Kong Express Rail Link (XRL) would be commissioned on Sept 23 to connect with the national high-speed rail network, offering direct trains to 44 destinations.

Secretary for Transport and Housing of HKSAR government Frank Chan Fan said that the first train would depart at 7:00 am on Sept 23, from Hong Kong West Kowloon station (WKS) to Shenzhen North station, with the price of the second-class fare to be 86 Hong Kong dollars (about $11).

Chan said that direct services to 44 Chinese mainland destinations would be on offer, among which six to be short haul destinations including Shenzhen North, Guangzhou South and other four stations, and 38 to places further afield, namely Beijing, Shanghai, Wuhan and other 35 stations.