Passengers board the train G828 bound for Hong Kong at Xi'an North Railway Station in Xi'an, northwest China's Shaanxi Province, Jan. 5, 2025. A direct high-speed train route was launched on Sunday between Xi'an, the capital of northwest China's Shaanxi Province, and the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region.A single trip in either direction takes less than 11 hours. Along the direct route, there are stations in the provinces of Shaanxi, Henan, Hubei, Hunan and Guangdong. (Xinhua/Li Yibo)

　　XI'AN/WUHAN, Jan. 5 (Xinhua) -- New high-speed rail services linking Hong Kong with Xi'an and Wuhan, two major cities in China, were officially launched on Sunday, significantly enhancing connectivity between the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region and the Chinese mainland.

　　A train departed from Xi'an, the capital of northwest China's Shaanxi Province, at 11:04 a.m., and another left Wuhan, the capital of central China's Hubei Province, at around 4 p.m., with both departure stations hosting performances and other celebratory activities.

　　Along the route linking Hong Kong with Xi'an, which also stops in Wuhan, a single trip in either direction takes under 11 hours, with other stations located in the provinces of Shaanxi, Henan, Hubei, Hunan and Guangdong.

　　Trains departing from Wuhan take no more than five hours to reach Hong Kong, stopping in the Hunan and Guangdong provinces. Return trains on the route are scheduled to leave Hong Kong at 7:19 a.m. the next day.

　　“To ensure top-notch services, we've trained our attendants to master necessary working Cantonese and English,“ said Luo Xin, deputy head of the Xi'an station under China Railway Xi'an Group Co., Ltd.