The direct train service from Xi'an -- home to the world-famous Terracotta Warriors -- to Hong Kong will make travel between the two cities more convenient, and will also boost cooperation and exchanges in the fields of the economy, trade, talent and culture, the group said.

　　According to China Railway Wuhan Group Co., Ltd., the opening of the two new routes means that four train services now operate between Hong Kong and Wuhan, which has a population of more than 13 million, bringing greater convenience to passengers traveling for short-term vacations, business, or visits.

　　Hong Kong entered its high-speed rail era in 2018, when the Hong Kong section of the Guangzhou-Shenzhen-Hong Kong Express Rail Link opened.

　　China aims to expand the length of its operational high-speed rail tracks to about 60,000 kilometers by 2030, up from 48,000 kilometers at the end of 2024, data from the country's railway operator shows.■

　　This photo shows the high-speed train G828 bound for Hong Kong pulling out of Huashan North Railway Station in Weinan City, 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)