A new high-speed railway in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area will open on Dec 22, further strengthening connectivity between the bay area and the Beibu Gulf urban cluster, China State Railway Group said on Thursday.

The Guangzhou–Zhanjiang high-speed railway will cut the fastest travel time from Guangzhou to Zhanjiang to just 1 hour and 32 minutes, down from more than 2 hours and 30 minutes at present, significantly narrowing the time and space distance between the two regions.

The 401-kilometer line, designed for a top speed of 350 kilometers per hour, connects major cities across Guangdong province, including Guangzhou, Foshan, Zhaoqing, Yunfu, Yangjiang, Maoming and Zhanjiang.

After opening, trains will operate at speeds of up to 350 kilometers per hour, with up to 64 high-speed services scheduled daily during the initial phase.