Shenzhen and Guangzhou airports will soon be directly linked by rail for the first time with the upcoming opening of a new intercity rail segment. The 48.2-kilometer segment of the Guangzhou-Shenzhen Intercity Railway, running between Zhuliao and Xintang South in Guangzhou, connects with the Guangzhou East Ring Intercity Railway to create a direct link between the two airports. Upon operational, it will cut travel time between the two international air hubs to less than 100 minutes. Guangzhou Metro, the rail operator, said two round-trip express trains will run between the two airports daily during the initial phase