The newly constructed Meizhou West to Longchuan West section of the Longyan to Longchuan high-speed rail in Guangdong province will commence operations on Saturday, according to the China Railway Group.

The operation of this section will inject new momentum into the integration of the old revolutionary base areas in eastern Guangdong into the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, the group stated.

The Longyan to Longchuan high-speed rail, spanning a total length of 290 kilometers, originates from Longyan Station in Longyan, Fujian province, passes through Meizhou in Guangdong, and terminates at Longchuan West Station in Heyuan, Guangdong.

The rail line was constructed in three sections: Longyan to Wuping in Fujian, which commenced operations on Dec 26; Wuping to Meizhou West, which is still under construction; and the Meizhou West to Longchuan West section.

The newly opened section spans 98 kilometers with a designed maximum speed of 350 kilometers per hour and includes four stations.

The railway department will schedule passenger trains based on daily and peak time requirements, with up to 62 high-speed train sets operating per day. Among these, 60 train sets will run between Meizhou West and Longchuan West stations, with a travel time as fast as 29 minutes.

There will be 30 high-speed train sets operating between Meizhou West and Guangzhou East stations daily, and 26 high-speed train sets between Meizhou West and Shenzhen North stations. The travel time from Meizhou, Longchuan, and other old revolutionary base areas in eastern Guangdong to the Greater Bay Area will be significantly reduced, it said.

The group said that flexible discounts and differentiated market-based ticket pricing mechanisms will be implemented on the section to provide passengers with more travel options.

In the future, once the Longyan-Longchuan High-Speed Rail is fully operational, it will establish another fast passenger transport channel between Fujian and Guangdong provinces, further strengthening the connection between the Western Taiwan Strait Economic Zone and the Greater Bay Area.