Rail station jam-packed as Golden Week begins

Tourists arrived in droves at West Kowloon high-speed rail station on Thursday, as the five-day “Golden Week” holiday began on the mainland.

The Immigration Department recorded just over 100,000 inbound trips at various checkpoints as of 10am. Around 63,000 visitors were from the mainland, with 14,000 or so of them arriving via the Express Rail Link.

A Jiangsu visitor told RTHK she was visiting Hong Kong for the third time, adding she was drawn by the city’s diversity.

“I think Hong Kong is a very culturally diverse and inclusive city. Whether it’s the entertainment or other tourist attractions, I find them all very appealing,” she said.

Inspired by a Cantopop song, she planned to visit Stanley and Repulse Bay and snap photos of the scenery there.

A fellow visitor from Beijing said he came here specifically for the food.

“Cart noodles, pineapple buns, cha chaan teng, they are very good,” he named a few delicacies on his list.

“I feel like these are Hong Kong’s characteristics. Compared to Beijing cuisine like the Peking duck, they’re quite different.”

Another tourist from the capital said she planned to visit Disneyland and the Peak with her children, adding that she hasn’t set a specific budget.