We told you earlier this year that the next leg of the nation’s high-speed rail network is set to open, connecting Shenzhen with the scenic port city of Xiamen.

The original plan was to have the three-hour journey open in September this year, but it appears that’s been pushed back a few months.  Most of the track has been laid, and testing and commissioning is expected to be complete by the end of this year. Passenger operations will begin early next year.

Xiamen will only be 3 hours away

The ticket prices have also finally been revealed: it will cost RMB160 for a second-class trip between Shenzhen and Xiamen, and RMB190 for a first-class ticket.

It currently takes 14 hours by train to travel to Xiamen, so this will save a lot of time. It will also probably take another bite out of struggling airline companies.

(Image: Carelong.cn)