A major transportation breakthrough is on the horizon for travelers from Huizhou, Guangdong, as plans advance for a direct high-speed rail connection to Hainan. Following the official opening of the Guangzhou-Zhanjiang High-Speed Railway on December 22, 2025, the recently approved Zhanjiang-Haikou link will extend the network southward, bridging the Qiongzhou Strait and seamlessly connecting mainland China with the Hainan Free Trade Port.
The newly operational Guangzhou-Zhanjiang line terminates at Zhanjiang North Station, which will also serve as the starting point for the future Zhanjiang-Haikou Railway. With the Guangzhou-Shanwei High-Speed Railway, which includes four stops in Huizhou (Luofushan, Boluo, Huizhou South, and Huidong), set to connect directly to the Guangzhou-Zhanjiang line by the first quarter of 2026, passengers from Huizhou will soon be able to board a southbound train directly to Hainan.
A key step forward came with the recent approval by China's National Development and Reform Commission of several major projects, including the Zhanhai Sea-Crossing Ferry and Rail Link. As a core component of the Zhanjiang-Haikou High-Speed Railway, this approval indicates that construction is drawing closer.
The Zhanjiang-Haikou Railway will start in Zhanjiang, pass through Leizhou and Xuwen, and cross the Qiongzhou Strait via a 23-kilometer ferry route to Haikou, utilizing a "passengers on board" ferry model. As part of the national "Eight Vertical and Eight Horizontal" high-speed rail network, it will dramatically reduce travel times: Xuwen to Zhanjiang from about 2 hours to under 30 minutes, and Zhanjiang to Haikou from 3–4 hours to under 2 hours.
Once completed, the line will integrate Hainan's island high-speed rail network with the national grid, creating an efficient transport corridor between the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area (GBA) and the Hainan Free Trade Port. This connection is expected to enhance resource sharing, industrial coordination, and collaborative development between these two major economic zones.
The combined "high-speed rail + sea-crossing" corridor formed by the Guangzhou-Zhanjiang and Zhanjiang-Haikou railways will redefine the role of western Guangdong, transforming it from a relative hinterland into a strategic gateway. It is also anticipated to boost industrial upgrading, particularly in manufacturing and logistics, under Hainan's free trade policies, and to catalyze the development of a golden tourism belt stretching from the GBA to Hainan.
According to a recent press conference on Hainan's transport development, preparatory work for the Zhanjiang-Haikou Railway is progressing steadily, with aims to complete and open the line within the 15th Five-Year Plan period (2026–2030).
For residents of Huizhou and the broader region, the upcoming link promises not only greater convenience but also new opportunities for business, leisure, and regional integration.
Author | Jiang Chang
Photo | Huizhou Fabu
Editor | Wei Shen, James Campion, Shen He
