Han Ximin

    ximhan@126.com

    HIGH-SPEED trains between Xiamen and Shenzhen could create a new challenge for bus and air services between the two cities, as travelers could prefer the lower price and shorter travel time offered by the new railway.

    Futian Bus Terminal reported a drop in passengers Saturday, the high-speed line’s opening day.

    Two buses from Shenzhen to Chaozhou depart from Futian Bus Terminal daily, with a fare of 145 yuan (US$24) per person and travel time of four to five hours.

    But there are as many as 26 pairs of trains between Shenzhen and Chaozhou per day via Shenzhen North Railway Station, where trains depart at 10-minute intervals during rush hours.

    The fare for a second-class seat on the train is 89.5 yuan and the trip takes about two and a half hours. Traveling from Shenzhen to Xiamen by train now takes about four hours, with second-class seats selling for 150 yuan per person, compared to the 240-yuan fare for a bus trip that takes about eight hours.

    China Southern Airlines, China’s largest airline in terms of aircraft fleet, has cut its flights between Shenzhen and Xiamen from two to one since the opening of the new rail line, according to Zheng Weibin, deputy manager of the airline’s Shenzhen office.

    Airfare to Xiamen ranges from 700-800 yuan, but the flight takes less than an hour.

    Air and train services could reach different markets in that regard, as flight passengers often are time-sensitive while train passengers usually have less-strict punctuality requirements, Zheng said of the new high-speed rail.