High-speed rail tickets selling fast as Hongkongers opt for short-haul trips amid Iran war

Tickets from Hong Kong to many mainland Chinese destinations connected by cross-border high-speed rail services are nearly sold out for the first two days of the five-day holiday over Easter and the Ching Ming Festival.The mainland cities have become an alternative for travellers, with the escalating war in the Middle East triggering a global oil crisis and significantly disrupting airspace, prompting airlines to increase ticket prices and fuel surcharges.Steven Huen Kwok-chuen, executive director of EGL Tours, which specialises in package tours to Japan, said he expected double-digit business growth compared with last year, with limited impact from the war.“The top choices are Mainland China and Southeast Asia … many are short-haul trips taking the high-speed railway, and we also have two tours to the Yangtze River Three Gorges Dam,” he said on Sunday.“However, long-haul trips to Egypt, Morocco and Turkey, which have layovers in the Middle East, are suspended.”As for trips to Japan, there was also notable growth, as many people chose not to visit the country last year following rumours that a megaquake would strike, he said.“The fuel cost rise is not new to Hongkongers. Although they are not happy with paying a few hundred dollars more for flight tickets, they will not cancel a trip because of that,” he said.