Lawmakers Urge Express Rail Discounts For Students

The Business and Professionals Alliance on Tuesday called for half-price fares for young people and the elderly using the future express rail line to the mainland.

The pro-Beijing party said primary and secondary school students should be given the discounts, and it was was collecting signatures in Mong Kok to support the idea.

Party lawmaker Priscilla Leung conceded that such fare reductions aren't offered to students on the mainland. But she said she believes the move would help boost the new line's appeal and it could be extended to all young people living in the newly dubbed "Greater Bay Area".

"I understand in the mainland of China, students may not enjoy half-price. So I think this all depends on how they look at this 'one-hour living zone' and whether they would apply this policy to the Bay area," Leung told RTHK's Damon Pang.

In January, the SAR government said one-way fares to Guangzhou South on the express rail line will cost HK$260, which is HK$50 more than the fare to Guangzhou East on the current line.

A single from West Kowloon to Futian will set passengers back HK$80, while it will cost HK$90 to Shenzhen North and HK$210 to Humen.