Mainland rail freight link to open on Wednesday

The MTR’s Lo Wu Marshalling Yard will receive its first freight train from the mainland on Wednesday.

The government said an empty train arrived in Hong Kong in a test run on Tuesday afternoon and that the operation went smoothly.

It said the launch of cross-boundary railway cargo transportation on Wednesday will further strengthen goods supply from the mainland.

The first train will carry nine freight wagons, transporting anti-epidemic supplies.

Apart from rail cargo transport, the government is also working with the Guangdong Provincial Government and the Shenzhen Municipal People’s Government to accelerate the establishment of centralised cargo transfer points for non-fresh food items and other goods in Hong Kong.

It said the air cargo facilities of Hong Kong International Airport, the Kwai Chung Container Terminals and the Tuen Mun River Trade Terminal will also start operation within this week as temporary cargo transfer yards.

Two other temporary freight transfer yards will also be opened in the second phase of the plan to boost Hong Kong’s transport capacity. These will be near the Lok Ma Chau crossing, on sites lent by a private developer.

The government said it will continue to facilitate and implement various measures with mainland authorities to ensure a stable supply of goods to Hong Kong.