The Government published a notice in the Gazette today concerning the authorisation of the Hong Kong Section of the Northern Link (NOL) Spur Line railway scheme by the Secretary for Transport & Logistics.

The Government said construction works will begin as soon as practicable, with the goal of commissioning the NOL Spur Line alongside the NOL Main Line by 2034 or earlier. Once opened, travel time between San Tin and the new Huanggang Port is expected to be only about 11 minutes.

The NOL Spur Line, an underground railway starting from San Tin Station on the NOL Main Line, will comprise a 5-km-long Hong Kong section and a 1-km-long Shenzhen section.

Three new railway stations will be built: two in the Hong Kong section – at Chau Tau of the San Tin Technopole and the Loop – and one at the new Huanggang Port in the Shenzhen section.

The Government emphasised that the NOL Project is an important transport infrastructure project driving the development of the Northern Metropolis and facilitating Hong Kong's better integration into national development.

This 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.  

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 Government added that the NOL Spur Line will offer both local commuting functions within Hong Kong and cross-boundary railway services, promoting infrastructure connectivity across the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area.

The Government also noted that no objections to the railway scheme were received during the gazettal period, reflecting the community's support for the project.