A ceremony marking the connection of four intercity railways linking cities of Zhaoqing, Foshan, Guangzhou, Dongguan and Huizhou is held at the Panyu Station in Guangzhou, south China's Guangdong Province, May 26, 2024. Intercity railways from Guangzhou to Foshan and from Foshan to Dongguan were officially put into operation on Sunday. The two newly opened intercity railways are connected with the already opened ones from Foshan to Zhaoqing and from Dongguan to Huizhou, forming a 258-kilometer railway line linking the five cities from east to west in Guangdong. The railway is the longest intercity railway in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, and is of great significance in accelerating the formation of a one-hour life circle in the area. 

Two sections of railway in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area were put into operation on Sunday, marking the opening of the longest intercity railway route in the area.

The line, linking cities including Huizhou, Dongguan, Guangzhou, Foshan, and Zhaoqing from the east to the west, is 258 kilometers long with a total of 39 stops for ordinary trains, but fast trains only stop at 14 of them. The maximum speed of a train is 200 kilometers per hour, while the average interval between trains is 26 minutes.

Passengers can either buy tickets using the official railway ticket-booking app 12306 or swipe their public transportation cards.

Zhang Qiao, a senior engineer with the Guangdong Intercity Railway Operation Co., Ltd., noted that the railway will bring convenience to local people, who will be able to take it like taking a subway.

China has, in recent years, boosted the connectivity of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area. According to the Guangzhou Metro, it is expected that by 2035, the operational scale of rail transit in the Greater Bay Area will reach 7,500 kilometers, covering all cities above county-level and 80 percent of the towns with a planned population above 50,000.

A group of tourists pose for photos at a ceremony marking the connection of four intercity railways linking cities of Zhaoqing, Foshan, Guangzhou, Dongguan and Huizhou at the Panyu Station in Guangzhou, south China's Guangdong Province, May 26, 2024. Intercity railways from Guangzhou to Foshan and from Foshan to Dongguan were officially put into operation on Sunday. The two newly opened intercity railways are connected with the already opened ones from Foshan to Zhaoqing and from Dongguan to Huizhou, forming a 258-kilometer railway line linking the five cities from east to west in Guangdong. The railway is the longest intercity railway in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, and is of great significance in accelerating the formation of a one-hour life circle in the area. 

Railway workers pose for photos at a ceremony marking the connection of four intercity railways linking cities of Zhaoqing, Foshan, Guangzhou, Dongguan and Huizhou at the Panyu Station in Guangzhou, south China's Guangdong Province, May 26, 2024. Intercity railways from Guangzhou to Foshan and from Foshan to Dongguan were officially put into operation on Sunday. The two newly opened intercity railways are connected with the already opened ones from Foshan to Zhaoqing and from Dongguan to Huizhou, forming a 258-kilometer railway line linking the five cities from east to west in Guangdong. The railway is the longest intercity railway in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, and is of great significance in accelerating the formation of a one-hour life circle in the area. 

The first train of the intercity railway from Foshan to Dongguan is seen at Machong Station in Dongguan, south China's Guangdong Province, May 26, 2024. Intercity railways from Guangzhou to Foshan and from Foshan to Dongguan were officially put into operation on Sunday. The two newly opened intercity railways are connected with the already opened ones from Foshan to Zhaoqing and from Dongguan to Huizhou, forming a 258-kilometer railway line linking the five cities from east to west in Guangdong. The railway is the longest intercity railway in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, and is of great significance in accelerating the formation of a one-hour life circle in the area. 

A staff member welcomes passengers for intercity railway at Machong Station in Dongguan, south China's Guangdong Province, May 26, 2024. Intercity railways from Guangzhou to Foshan and from Foshan to Dongguan were officially put into operation on Sunday. The two newly opened intercity railways are connected with the already opened ones from Foshan to Zhaoqing and from Dongguan to Huizhou, forming a 258-kilometer railway line linking the five cities from east to west in Guangdong. The railway is the longest intercity railway in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, and is of great significance in accelerating the formation of a one-hour life circle in the area. 

Passengers are seen on the first train of the intercity railway from Foshan to Dongguan in south China's Guangdong Province, May 26, 2024. Intercity railways from Guangzhou to Foshan and from Foshan to Dongguan were officially put into operation on Sunday. The two newly opened intercity railways are connected with the already opened ones from Foshan to Zhaoqing and from Dongguan to Huizhou, forming a 258-kilometer railway line linking the five cities from east to west in Guangdong. The railway is the longest intercity railway in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, and is of great significance in accelerating the formation of a one-hour life circle in the area.