Hong Kong West Kowloon railway station

The area delineated and coloured orange on Plan No. 1 and Annex 1 to Plan No. 1 in Schedule 2 of the Guangzhou-Shenzhen-Hong Kong Express Rail Link (Co-location) Ordinance is declared as the Mainland Port Area. It comprises the designated areas on B2 and B3 levels, the platform areas on B4 level as well as the connecting passageways.[24][25] A train compartment of a passenger train in operation on the Hong Kong Section of the Express Rail Link is to be regarded as part of the Mainland Port Area. This arrangement will facilitate mainland border control preclearance in Hong Kong. Reports in the British press suggested this area amounts to a cession of 1,000,000 square feet (93,000 m²) of the station for a token annual rent of HK$ 1 000 (reported as being equivalent to £99).[26]

Except for reserved matters, the Mainland Port Area is to be regarded as an area lying outside Hong Kong but lying within Mainland China for the purposes of the application of the laws of Mainland China, and of the laws of Hong Kong, in the Mainland Port Area; and the delineation of jurisdiction over the Mainland Port Area. It does not affect the boundary of the administrative division of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region.[27]

Although the West Kowloon HSR station is listed on a page titled Checkpoints in SZ by the Shenzhen Gov't Online, it is unclear whether this qualifies as a Port of Exit for the Shenzhen SEZ Visa on Arrival.

The joint meeting on 8 August 2017 of the Panel on Transport, the Panel on Security and the Panel on Administration of Justice and Legal Services of the Legislative Council passed the motion supporting the implementation of the "co-location arrangement" at the West Kowloon Station.[28]

The meeting on 15 November 2017 of the Legislative Council passed the motion on taking forward the follow-up tasks of the co-location arrangement at the West Kowloon Station.[29]

The Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region signed the Co-operation Arrangement between the Mainland and the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region on the Establishment of the Port at the West Kowloon Station of the Guangzhou-Shenzhen-Hong Kong Express Rail Link for Implementing Co-location Arrangement with the People's Government of Guangdong Province on 18 November 2017.[25]

On 27 December 2017, the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress approved the Co-operation Arrangement and stated that it is consistent with the Constitution of the People's Republic of China and the Basic Law of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region.[30]

The Guangzhou–Shenzhen–Hong Kong Express Rail Link (Co-location) Bill passed by the Legislative Council on the meeting on 14 June 2018. The Ordinance gazetted on 22 June 2018 and come into operation on a day to be appointed by the Secretary for Transport and Housing by notice published in the Hong Kong Government Gazette.[31]

After a ceremony to "mark the commissioning of the Mainland Port Area" was held jointly by Frank Chan, Secretary for Transport and Housing, and "and a leading Communist party official from Guangdong province",[26] democracy activists noted that it constituted an erosion of the SAR's autonomy, with Tanya Chan reported as telling local radio that "the unlawful and unconstitutional joint checkpoint has been implemented forcefully — it has caused an irreparable damage to our legal system and rule of law."[26] Chief Executive Carrie Lam, however denied that there was any attempt to cover up the event, despite the ceremony being closed to press and being held without advance notice to news media or to members of the Legislative Council.[26]

In the Court of First Instance of the High Court, Judge Anderson Chow refused the applications for leave to apply for judicial review by his decision dated 27 September 2017[32] and 18 April 2018.[33] He refused the applications for interim relief by his decision dated 14 August 2018.[34] He granted the applications for leave to apply for judicial review but dismissed the substantive applications for judicial review by his judgment dated 13 December 2018.[35]

Since the Mainland Port Area began operations, there have been several reported cases of travelers being detained or arrested by mainland officials in Hong Kong.[36][37][38] In one case, a Hong Kong resident working for the British consulate was detained upon returning to Hong Kong and sent back to mainland China by mainland police officers.[39][40] Amid the 2019 Hong Kong protests, Chinese border officers have also begun to routinely search the phones of travelers for evidence of involvement in the protests.[41]

A: Austin Station

B: Wui Man Road Pick-up/Drop-off

C: Lin Cheung Road (closed)

D: Green Plaza

F: Green Plaza

G: Xiqu Centre

H: Green Plaza

J: Coach Pick-up/Drop-off

K1: Austin Station

K2: West Kowloon Station Bus Terminus

K4: Sky Corridor

M: Elements

N: Austin Station

West Kowloon Station features an extensive green garden across the roof area of the station. It also sets up a large collection of cultural elements and entertainment spaces. Passengers can easily cross the ground floor between Kowloon Station, Austin Station and West Kowloon Cultural District, providing Hong Kong residents and visitors ample public open space and a comfortable green walking environment. Above the station, an area of approximately 8,900 square metres has been planted with a large number of plants and trees with traffic separated. All to create a pedestrian area, a green platform and wooded park that will integrate with the West Kowloon Cultural District harbourside parklands.

In addition, the West Kowloon Station entrance lobby area features a green ecological leisure channel zone to tie in with the greenery on top of the building.

West Kowloon Station is located between two MTR stations, Kowloon Station and Austin Station. It is intended to become a commuter hub. Passengers will be able to transfer stations through the ground pedestrian area, as well as a number of footbridges and subways. Walking from Kowloon Station to West Kowloon Station via the Elements Shopping Centre takes around 8–10 minutes, while a short passageway connects the station with Austin Station.

From the West Kowloon Station via the MTR to the various regions of Hong Kong:

• Tsim Sha Tsui: 5 minutes
• Hong Kong (Central): 10 minutes
• Wan Chai: 10 minutes
• Yuen Long: 25 minutes
• Shatin: 25 minutes
• Tung Chung: 25 minutes
• Tai Koo: 30 minutes
• Kwun Tong: 35 minutes

In addition, the station will include a public transport interchange and long-distance coach station. Walking from the West Kowloon Station to these facilities will take about one minute. Passengers can use different modes of transport to reach the bus station, minibus station and taxi stand.

Time needed to travel to/from West Kowloon Station using road transport:

• Kwun Tong, Tai Koo Shing: 15–20 minutes (via Central–Wan Chai Bypass when completed)
• Shatin, Yuen Long, Hong Kong International Airport: 30 minutes

The Transport Department proposed three express bus routes connecting the station to various places in Hong Kong:

• W1: West Kowloon Station to Admiralty (West) (via Central)
• W2: West Kowloon Station to Kwun Tong Station (via Lam Tin and Kowloon Bay International Trade & Exhibition Centre)
• W3: West Kowloon Station to Sheung Shui (via Tai Po Yuen Chau Tsai, Sha Tin Station and Tsing Sha Highway Toll Plaza)
• 36B: Lei Muk Shue - High Speed Rail West Kowloon Station
• 42A: Tsing Yi (Cheung Hang)- High Speed Rail West Kowloon Station
• 60X: Tuen Mun Town Centre - High Speed Rail West Kowloon Station
• 63X (Via Tuen Mun), 268X (Via Tai Lam Tunnel and Yuen Long): Hung Shui Kiu (Hung Fuk Estate)- High Speed Rail West Kowloon Station
• 69X: Tin Shui - High Speed Rail West Kowloon Station
• 81: Sha Tin (Wo Che)-High Speed Rail West Kowloon Station
• 95: Tsui Lam - High Speed Rail West Kowloon Station
• 271, 271X (From HSR West Kowloon Station Only): Tai Po (Fu Heng Estate) - High Speed Rail West Kowloon Station