The 2026 Spring Festival travel season witnessed the debut of two new high-speed rail lines: the Guangzhou-Zhanjiang and Shantou-Shanwei routes. These two "golden corridors" are operating in tandem, accelerating the integration of Guangdong's eastern and western wings into the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area. For the first time, Shantou and Zhanjiang are directly connected by high-speed rail.
"Most people buying tickets are here for the 'hour-level' commute," said Guo Meiying, a station attendant with 26 years of experience at Guangzhou Station, deeply impressed by the changes this travel season. "Before, passengers often asked how long it takes to get to Zhanjiang. When they heard the fastest trip was over five hours, many would leave disappointed. It's different now; the fastest journey of just 1 hour and 30 minutes draws widespread praise."
The Guangzhou-Zhanjiang and Shantou-Shanwei high-speed rail lines began operations on December 22, 2025. Running parallel, they form a rapid transit network linking the Greater Bay Area with eastern and western Guangdong. The Guangzhou-Zhanjiang line operates up to 66 scheduled high-speed train pairs daily, with its 1-to-2-hour travel time fundamentally reshaping the accessibility of western Guangdong. Meanwhile, the Shantou-Shanwei line provides a fast track for eastern Guangdong to join the Greater Bay Area's economic network, significantly strengthening ties between the Chaoshan region and the core cities of the bay area.
A critical development occurred on January 30 when the Guangzhou-Zhanjiang line was connected to Guangzhou Station via a link line, enabling through operations with the Guangzhou-Shanwei and Shantou-Shanwei lines. This key connection allowed Shantou in the east and Zhanjiang in the west to be linked by high-speed rail for the first time, officially establishing a 5-hour economic and lifestyle circle. The vision of "two-way connectivity and simultaneous integration into the bay area" has transitioned from blueprint to reality.
Since the start of the Spring Festival travel rush, these two new lines have transported over 2.79 million passengers. The accelerated flow of people, goods, and information highlights the strong radiating influence of the new rail links.
Transportation is a precursor to economic development, and high-speed rail connectivity brings prosperity to all industries. At dawn in Zhanjiang's Fisherman's Wharf, fishing boats return laden with catch. The fresh seafood is quickly sorted, packaged in low-temperature containers, and arrives at Zhanjiang North Station in under three hours, ready for nationwide dispatch via high-speed rail express services.
"They're large, fresh, and reasonably priced. We no longer have to wait days to enjoy authentic Zhanjiang seafood," said Ms. Chen, a resident happily holding her just-delivered Zhanjiang oysters at a Guangzhou seafood market. The convenience of high-speed rail express has opened new development opportunities for local specialty industries along the routes.
"The high-speed trains are fast and punctual. The survival rate for our seafood has increased by twenty percent compared to before, and our shipment volume has directly doubled," calculated Mr. Xiao, a Zhanjiang seafood wholesaler, highlighting the tangible benefits. Beyond seafood, specialty agricultural products from western Guangdong, such as Maoming lychees and Xuwen pineapples, are also leveraging high-speed rail express for "direct from farm to table" delivery. Same-day and next-day services enable these local specialties to reach national markets efficiently.
According to Hong Zhanbiao, manager of the China Railway Express office at Zhanjiang North Station, since the Guangzhou-Zhanjiang line opened, the office has consistently shipped over 100 items daily, with cumulative freight volume exceeding 100 tons. The range of goods has expanded from seafood and medical samples to various high-value products, establishing the line as a "golden channel" for industrial upgrading along its route.
The new rail lines have also invigorated the tourism market in eastern and western Guangdong. "Getting to Nan'ao Island used to require several transfers; it was not only cumbersome but also time-consuming. Now, taking the high-speed train directly allows our family to travel effortlessly. We can enjoy the island scenery and savor Chaoshan cuisine—it's incredibly convenient," remarked Mr. Zeng, a tourist from Maoming who visited Shantou for the New Year celebrations with his family.
During the Spring Festival, hotel bookings on Shantou's Nan'ao Island surged. Local delicacies like Chaoshan beef hotpot and raw marinated seafood attracted tourists from all over. The folk art Yingge Dance performed on the 2026 CCTV Intangible Cultural Heritage Gala, further revitalizing Chaoshan culture.
Zhanjiang's tourism market was equally vibrant. Over the nine-day Spring Festival holiday, Zhanjiang North and Zhanjiang West stations received a total of 207,500 arriving passengers. Zhanjiang successfully ranked first in the "Top 5 Year-on-Year Increases in Searched Tourist Destinations" on WeChat. China Railway Guangzhou Group collaborated with local governments to launch "high-speed rail + tourism" initiatives. Zhanjiang concurrently held a series of "Celebrate the New Year in Zhanjiang" events, allowing the vibrant local atmosphere and cultural appeal of eastern and western Guangdong to complement each other, creating a highlight of the travel season.
More profoundly, the high-speed rails facilitate the restructuring and concentration of developmental factors. "Before, business negotiations required a full day for travel, which was a high time cost. Now, with direct high-speed rail, same-day round trips are possible, making collaboration between companies much more efficient and closer," noted Mr. Chen, a logistics professional in Zhanjiang Port, reflecting the deeper impact on regional development.
The accelerated flow of talent, technology, and capital via high-speed rail is driving industrial upgrading and quality improvement in eastern and western Guangdong. Industrial parks leveraging the high-speed rail hubs are being rapidly developed, creating a virtuous cycle where the railway promotes industry, industry attracts talent, and talent fuels development.
An official from the Passenger Transport Department of China Railway Guangzhou Group stated that the new Guangzhou-Zhanjiang and Shantou-Shanwei lines carry the expectations for the integrated development of Guangdong's eastern and western wings with the bay area, as well as the mission of promoting regional coordinated development within Guangdong. These two "golden corridors" will continue to unleash the benefits of improved transportation, steadily propelling the eastern and western wings along the path of integration into the Greater Bay Area and injecting more vitality and momentum into Guangdong's high-quality development.
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