The Guangzhou-Shenzhen-Hong Kong Express Rail Link (XRL) recorded a total of 15.03 million cross-boundary passenger trips in the first half of the year, marking a 16.1 percent increase year-on-year, according to statistics from Shenzhen’s railway department released on Monday.

The milestone of 15 million passengers was reached 27 days earlier than last year, reflecting the economic vibrancy and increasingly close exchanges across the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area.

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The rail line saw robust two-way growth. Passenger trips from Hong Kong West Kowloon to mainland cities totaled 7.36 million, with 78.3 percent traveling to Guangdong province. Notably, 2.62 million traveled to Shenzhen, accounting for 35.5 percent of this segment, a 14.9 percent year-on-year increase.

Meanwhile, trips from the Chinese mainland to Hong Kong totaled 7.67 million, with Guangdong province contributing 79.1 percent. Among them, 2.86 million were from Shenzhen, representing 37.3 percent of the total and surging 21.6 percent year-on-year. As a core city in the 11-city cluster, Shenzhen saw significant growth in cross-border travel, underscoring its vital role in deepening ties with Hong Kong.

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During this year’s holidays and major events such as the Spring Festival, Qingming and Labor Day, daily cross-boundary passenger numbers frequently exceeded 100,000, peaking at 136,000 on Jan 31.

To enhance passengers’ experience, the railway authorities introduced trilingual volunteer guidance and the “Flexible Travel” product, while the 240-hour visa-free transit policy further improved cross-boundary travel convenience.

Chen Yang contributed to this story.

Contact the writer at sally@chinadailyhk.com