This year marks the 115th anniversary of the full opening of the Guangzhou–Kowloon Railway. To commemorate the occasion, a joint exhibition entitled "Shared Tracks, One Heart – A Century of Guangzhou–Hong Kong Railway Archives" recently opened in Guangzhou. Co-hosted by multiple institutions from Guangdong and Hong Kong, the exhibition features a rich collection of historical archives and visual materials, tracing the century-long evolution of the railway link between the two places. It offers visitors an immersive journey through more than a century of transformation while highlighting the enduring bond between Guangzhou and Hong Kong.

The Guangzhou–Kowloon Railway has served as a vital transportation corridor since its inaugural through service in 1911. Stretching approximately 143 kilometres, the line initially comprised 27 stations, and a one-way journey took nearly five hours. Today, high-speed rail connects the two cities in just 47 minutes. The railway has evolved from a single-track line to a double-track railway and now a four-track corridor, while its rolling stock has progressed from steam locomotives and diesel engines to electric multiple units and state-of-the-art high-speed trains. Railway enthusiasts note that the development of the Guangzhou–Hong Kong Railway mirrors China's broader modernization.

Drawing on curated collections from archives and museums across Guangzhou, Shenzhen, and Hong Kong, the exhibition transcends a single-city narrative to present a collaborative story that spans geographical and institutional boundaries. Archival records from both sides document the coordinated scheduling of additional through trains during traditional festivals, providing mutual evidence of the close ties between Guangzhou and Hong Kong and vividly illustrating their shared development over the decades. Visitors from both cities remarked that the exhibition gave them a renewed and deeper appreciation of the profound emotional bond underpinning the Guangdong–Hong Kong–Macao Greater Bay Area.