Passengers board a high-speed train bound for Nanning at Yulin North Railway Station in the Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region on Monday. LU BOAN/XINHUA

The Nanning-Yulin section of the Nanning-Zhuhai High-speed Railway, located in South China's Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region, began operations on Monday, marking the completion of the region's HSR network and establishing it as the first ethnic minority autonomous region in China with high-speed rail connectivity across all its cities.

The operation has reduced travel time between Yulin and Nanning — capital of Guangxi — from one hour and 44 minutes to just 48 minutes, injecting new impetus into regional economic and social development.

This newly operational 193-kilometer section, running from Nanning to Yulin, is part of the larger 648-km Nanning-Zhuhai HSR line and boasts a design speed of 350 kilometers per hour. The new section includes five stations — Nanning East, Luancheng, Hengzhou, Xingye South and Yulin North.

While Nanning East is an existing station, the remaining four are newly built.

This development is expected to significantly impact the region's economy and facilitate travel for both local people and far-off travelers. Huang Dixiang, a manager at Guangxi Xingyu Agriculture and Animal Husbandry Co Ltd in Xingye county, expressed his enthusiasm.

"The high-speed rail will greatly benefit our company in terms of talent recruitment. It will also enhance the visibility of our products, as Xingye is a major livestock breeding county. Additionally, it will greatly improve the convenience of travel for our employees and business trips," said Huang.

Li Longsen, stationmaster of Yulin North Station under China Railway Nanning Group Co Ltd, said 18 bullet trains will run daily.

The construction of the Nanning-Yulin section, which began in December 2019, was a challenging endeavor.

The line traverses complex geological terrain, including multiple rivers like the Yujiang and Yongjiang. With a bridge-tunnel ratio of 85 percent, the project involved constructing 125 bridges and 38 tunnels in total.

The project prioritized incorporating cutting-edge technologies, resulting in over 80 invention patents.

Yulin North Station, the largest newly constructed station on the line, features solar panels installed on its 7,470-square-meter metal roof.

As a crucial part of the rapid passenger transport channel connecting the Beibu Gulf Economic Zone and the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, the Nanning-Yulin section is poised to significantly enhance regional connectivity and bolster economic development.

China Railway Nanning said the operating mileage of high-speed railways in Guangxi has exceeded 2,400 kilometers.

By ZHANG LI and SHI RUIPENG in Nanning