The train is the first major transportation artery connecting the Greater Bay Area with the western part of Hunan. Its operation has added a new chapter to regional coordinated development, according to the railway group.

The train travels north along the Guangzhou-Shenzhen-Hong Kong High-Speed Railway and Beijing-Guangzhou High-Speed Railway arteries, passing dozens of scenic spots in the western area of Hunan.

The number of Hong Kong tourists traveling to western Hunan has increased by 57 percent, while tourists traveling through the high-speed route to Hong Kong to shop and study account for 23 percent of the cross-border passenger flow, according to data from the railway company.