Four high-speed lines linking Hefei, Anhui's provincial capital, with Guangzhou, Guangdong province, will begin operations by the end of this month, according to Hefei Railway Station.

The new high-speed rail will shorten travel time from 20 hours to 6 hours. Two pairs of trains will operate on the line.

The Qingdao-South Guangzhou's G278/5 and G276/7 operates through the Qingdao-Jinan passenger railway, Beijing-Shanghai high-speed railway, Hefei-Bengbu high-speed railway, Hefei-Wuhan passenger line and Beijing-Guangzhou high-speed railway. The West Jinan-South Guangzhou's G279/G280 operates through the Beijing-Shanghai high-speed railway, Hefei-Bengbu high-speed railway, Hefei-Wuhan passenger line, and Beijing-Guangzhou high-speed railway.

To help students get tickets home for winter break, all 38 automatic ticket machines and more than 60 train ticket sales agencies in Hefei are equipped with student ID card readers.

Group tickets for students and migrant workers for Spring Festival, the most important festival for family reunions in China, were available starting Dec 8. Migrant workers buying five or more tickets can apply for group tickets with their ID cards and certificates from employers.

Hefei Railway Station has become a major station under the Shanghai Railway Bureau. The bureau now oversees 13 high-speed railway stations including Jinzhai, Quanjiao, Feixi and West Hefei along the Hefei-Nanjing high-speed rail and Hefei-Wuhan high-speed rail. More high-speed railway stations will be under its supervision when the Beijing-Wuhan high-speed rail opens. It is now in charge of the construction, operation and management of South Hefei Station.

Edited by Michael Thai, Huang Pei