Wuhan started a direct express rail service to Shenzhen, Guangdong province on 6 May. The Z23 service starts from the city’s Wuchang station at 19:49 and calls only at Guangzhou before reaching Shenzhen the following morning at 7:21. Three categories of beds, hard, soft and super soft, are available for a price ranging from Rmb263 to Rmb933.

Wuhan’s daily direct service to Guangzhou and Shenzhen now stands at nine in total. Another special service to Guangzhou will be added by the end of the year. Wuhan also operates direct rail services to Beijing, Hangzhou, Shanghai and Ningbo.

Elsewhere on the national network, a direct service linking two of China’s most popular scenic spots, Nanchang and Kunming, opened just before the May Day Holiday with occupancy rates hitting more than 80 per cent every day. The 1235/1236 service on the 1,902km line stops at 21 stations in Jiangxi, Hunan, Guizhou and Yunnan provinces. The price for a hard seat is Rmb107 and for a hard bed Rmb230.