My review of the Nanning to Hong Kong high-speed railway service.
Nanning is the capital of Guangxi region in southern China. The region is next to the Vietnam border, and its proximity to Hanoi makes it a useful hub if you are overlanding to other points in China. There are direct services from Nanning to major cities in China, including Hong Kong.
Here is what to expect on the high-speed train from Nanning to Hong Kong.
Nanning – Hong Kong high-speed railway: trip details
There is one direct high-speed train per day between Nanning and Hong Kong:
Train number: G927
Depart Nanningdong (Nanning East): 11:18
Arrive Hong Kong West Kowloon: 15:15
Travel time: 3h 57m
My ticket price for travel in April 2026:
Ticket price: $67.33 USD
Booking fee: $7.00 USD
Total: $74.33 USD
I use Trip.com for train booking in China as it is a user-friendly site that accepts foreign credit cards. Trip will also show you alternative routes (mainly changing trains in Guangzhou).
Buy Nanning to Hong Kong High-Speed Train Tickets.
Nanningdong Railway Station
The main high-speed station is at Nanningdong (Nanning East) Railway Station. This is a different station from Nanning Railway Station in the middle of the city (where the train from Hanoi arrives).
If you are coming from Nanning Station, a metro line connects Nanning Station to Nanning East Station. The metro station is under the high-speed station, so you could arrive without having seen the outside of the building. I arrived at the station earlier as I figured that the station would be worth looking at from the outside. The station is enormous.
The station is surrounded by a plaza with no shops nearby. This is a different vibe to Nanning Station, which is surrounded by shops and busy streets.
Inside the station is like a giant airport terminal.
Despite the enormity of the station, there are not many restaurant choices here. The stations in China are built to process as many people as possible in the shortest amount of time, so lingering in shops and restaurants is not encouraged by design.
There is always hot water for tea and noodles at a Chinese train station.
Life in modern China revolves around apps on your mobile phone, so there is a charging station for your devices.
My plan for arriving early (apart from wandering outside) was to sit in a cafe and people-watch. The only cafe here was a Starbucks tucked away on the top level with no view. The cafe section had also been removed, which reduced the cafe to a takeaway stall.
I always check out the departure board for future travel inspiration.
There are trains from Nanning to Dali, though I would prefer to go via Kunming on the Laos-China Railway.
Boarding the train
When I bought the ticket online, I was confused to find that there was no ticket attached to the email. I went to the ticket enquiry desk and showed them my booking number and passport, and they printed out a ticket for me. I was soon to discover why there was no ticket in the email.
The gates to the platform open 15 minutes before the train arrives. I have experienced this boarding system in China before, and I am still amazed that so many people can be processed in such an orderly manner.
When I got to the ticket barrier, I noticed that passengers were scanning their ID cards. Instead of using a ticket, I was required to scan my passport. My passport details were included when I booked the ticket, so this was the only information required.
Like the departure hall, the boarding process is designed so that there is no lingering on the platform. Passengers are boarded when the train is already at the platform.
There is enough time for a photo.
Onboard
I booked an economy seat, which is in a 2×3 configuration.
The main selling point for trains (over flying) is the comfortable seats and ample leg room.
There are power outlets under the seats.
High-speed railways in China travel up to 350 km/h, though the Nanning to Hong Kong service has a top speed of 250 km/h.
Toilets are built to be wheelchair accessible.
The train also has squat toilets.
There is a cafeteria section onboard, so this was a good excuse to go for a walk through the carriages.
There is a limited variety of snacks onboard, so bring your own if you are a picky eater.
There are hot meals available that are the usual meat, veg, and rice combo.
This pork and rice meal costs 48 RMB ($7.09 USD). The rice is under the top container.
There is also hot water for instant noodles.
There is no wifi onboard, but I had internet access on my eSIM. The generous legroom makes it easy to open the laptop to do some work, or you can look out the window and watch the scenery of Southern China.
Hong Kong West Kowloon Station
The train arrived on time at Hong Kong West Kowloon Station. Immigration procedures for China and the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region are processed in the same building.
Hong Kong is connected by high-speed rail to major cities across China.
The departure hall is an architectural wonder, and it has more restaurants to choose from than Nanning.
The main problem with Hong Kong West Kowloon is trying to get out of the station. The MRT station (Austin) is not seamlessly connected, and it’s difficult to exit on foot due to being surrounded by large roads.
Overall, this was a great travel experience, and I look forward to riding more high-speed railways in China.
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