Han Ximin

    PACKED with passengers, the bullet train G6126 left Shenzhen North Railway Station at 10:40 a.m. yesterday, marking the official operation of Guangzhou-Shenzhen high-speed railway, which provides a new option for those looking for a means of traveling between the two thriving cities.

    In just 28 minutes, the train, at a maximum speed of 310 kilometers per hour, arrived at Guangzhou South Railway Station without stopping, covering a distance of 102 kilometers, 34 minutes faster than the 139-km rail link between Guangzhou East Station and Shenzhen Railway Station in Luohu.

    According to Guangzhou Railway Group Corp., 36 pairs of trains will operate daily between 7 a.m. and 10 p.m. All trains will stop at Humen Station, with five pairs also stopping at Qingsheng Station in Guangzhou and nine pairs at Guangming Station in Shenzhen. The fare is 100 yuan (US$16) for first-class seats and 75 yuan for economic class.

    However, many expect the high-speed trains to become more attractive when the line extends to Wuhan and Hong Kong.

    For the time being, travelers can change at Guangzhou South Railway Station to Wuhan-Guangzhou high-speed rail in order to travel to Wuhan and Changsha. It takes about five hours from Shenzhen to Wuhan.

    Some residents, especially those planning to use the service to return home for the Spring Festival, felt slightly disappointed as the new trains are not connected with Wuhan-Guangzhou high-speed rail, which would have made their journey much easier.

    The railway group said it would take 40 minutes for passengers to transfer at Guangzhou South Railway Station.

    According to Zhou Zhenge, head of Shenzhen North Railway Station, the high-speed rail could go directly to Changsha after the facilities for the high-speed trains are finished.