According to the Guizhou and Guangdong provincial publicity departments, the Guiyang-Guangzhou high-speed railway is expected to officially open on December 26. Ticket prices are still not published.

Guiyangbei Railway Station [Photo/gzgov.gov.cn]

"The opening of the Guiyang-Guangzhou high-speed railway marks that Guizhou province has stepped into the high-speed rail era," said Chen Shaorong, deputy mayor of Guiyang, capital city of Guizhou province.

There will be four more high-speed railways by 2017. By then, Guiyang will become a hub of Southwest China that boosts openness and cooperation.

The Guiyangbei station will be the departure station of the Guiyang-Guangzhou rail line. It is a newly-built station, and currently, staff are busy tidying up some loose ends. The whole station will open on December 20.

According to Fu Yingchun, director of the Guizhou Provincial Tourism Bureau, the Guiyang-Guangzhou high-speed railway will shorten the temporal and spatial distance between Guizhou province and the Pearl River Delta. It will bring opportunities to Guizhou's tourism market.

Starting from December 26, it will only take five hours from Guizhou to Guangzhou; the trip took as long as 20 hours before.

Taking the opportunity of the opening of the Guiyang-Guangzhou high-speed railway, Guizhou and Guangdong will cooperate to develop some popular travel routes and railway, scenic spots and hotel promotion packages.

From now on until February 28, 2015, passengers with valid Guiyang-Guangzhou rail tickets can get a 50 percent discount when purchasing scenic spot tickets in Guiyang and Guangzhou.