A direct high-speed train service between Tianjin Municipality and Hong Kong was launched on Wednesday. This route is 2,450 kilometers and takes about 10 hours. A second-class seat for the 10-hour ride costs just over 1,000 yuan (about 159 U.S. dollars).

The route runs through several stations, including Baiyangdian Station in the Xiongan New Area, a new development zone in north China about 100 kilometers southwest of Beijing. Baiyangdian Station is an important transport hub between Xiongan and other regions in the country.

The direct high-speed train service between Tianjin and Hong Kong is part of a new national train network that is opening on Wednesday. The service can boost the development of Xiongan and the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, according to the China Railway Beijing Group.