Northern Link Spur Line moves ahead as cross-border link takes shape

It us expected to cut travel time between San Tin and Huanggang Port to 11 minutes.

The government has authorised the Hong Kong Section of the Northern Link (NOL) Spur Line railway scheme, with construction starting as soon as practicable and commissioning targeted for 2034 or earlier alongside the NOL Main Line.

“Once opened, travel time between San Tin and the new Huanggang Port is expected to be only about 11 minutes,” according to a government statement.

The NOL Spur Line is an underground railway starting from San Tin Station on the NOL Main Line. It will comprise a five-kilometre-long Hong Kong section and a one-kilometre-long Shenzhen section.

Three new railway stations will also be built, with two in the Hong Kong section—at Chau Tau in the San Tin Technopole and the Loop—and one at the new Huanggang Port in the Shenzhen section.

“Apart from serving the San Tin Technopole and the Loop, the NOL Spur Line will also connect to the new Huanggang Port, linking the metro networks of Hong Kong and Shenzhen to facilitate the flow of people between the two cities,” the statement said.

The government added that the spur line will offer both local commuting functions within Hong Kong and cross-boundary railway services, promoting connectivity across the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area.

The government said the NOL Project will drive the development of the Northern Metropolis and facilitate the city’s “better integration into national development.”

It also noted that no objections to the railway scheme were received during the gazettal period.

The plan aligns with the National 15th Five-Year Plan Outline, which calls for accelerating the development of the Northern Metropolis and promoting the co-ordinated development of rail transport.