Guizhou's new rail line to aid tourism

A new high-speed rail line in Southwest China's Guizhou province, scheduled to open at the end of November, will connect all city-level administrative regions in the province to the national high-speed rail network and is expected to boost local tourism.

Construction on the 99-kilometer line linking Panzhou and Xingyi began in 2018. Designed for 250 km per hour operations, the line will form a T-shaped junction with the existing Shanghai-Kunming high-speed railway and put Xingyi — capital of the Qianxinan Bouyei and Miao autonomous prefecture — on the high-speed map.

Guizhou's unique natural scenery and ethnic cultures have long made it a popular tourist destination. But mountain roads have limited range, and visitors often have to transfer through the provincial capital, Guiyang.

"The opening of the rail marks Xingyi's full integration into the national high-speed network and injects powerful momentum into the development of Xingyi's tourism industry," said Zhou Ying, deputy mayor of Xingyi.

The new route will cut travel time between Xingyi and Guiyang to about two hours, creating new opportunities for growth for the local tourism sector.

Ma Yucan, general manager of Xingyi Wanfenglin Tourism Industry Operation Co, said tourists previously relied on long, uncomfortable bus trips to reach the popular Wanfenglin Scenic Area.

"High-speed rail will greatly improve the visitor experience and give people more travel choices. Transport will no longer be a barrier," Ma said. "If visitors save time on commuting, they can spend more time exploring other attractions instead of rushing back after a single stop."

Local innkeeper Wang Xiyun, who runs two guesthouses in the Wanfenglin area, said businesses are already preparing for increased visitor flows.

"The opening of the high-speed rail has been eagerly anticipated. Both residents and business owners feel their quality of life is rising. Scenic area statistics suggest daily visitor numbers could increase by about 30,000," Wang said.

Wang added that Guiyang's role as the province's tourism hub gives it national reach. Listed among the Chinese cities offering 240-hour visa-free transit, the provincial capital also serves as an international transfer point.

"This is a chance to show people that beyond the big cities, the mountains of Guizhou offer destinations worth staying for," she said.

According to Guizhou Railway Investment Group, the project investor, the line will create a one-to-two-hour high-speed travel circle that connects Guiyang with eight other prefectural centers in the province. The route is expected to improve the regional rail network, promote local economic development and strengthen interregional connectivity.

"Once this railway is completed, it will not only make local travel easier but also support Qianxinan's integration into Guizhou's broader socio-economic framework. It will help ecological protection, tourism and economic development," said Liu Weidong, deputy Party secretary of Guizhou Railway Investment Group.

Contact the writers at liuboqian@chinadaily.com.cn