Shenzhen-Zhanjiang rail expansion supports regional economic ties

A railway employee assists a passenger at the service counter at Shenzhen Railway Station. Photos by Han Ximin

A new timetable has added six daily high-speed train services between Shenzhen and Zhanjiang in western Guangdong, as Shenzhen Railway Station continues its transformation into a regional rail hub.

Under the new national railway timetable, which took effect at midnight Sunday, the number of train services between the two cities increased to 20, with most high-speed trains heading to Zhanjiang now departing from Shenzhen Railway Station rather than Shenzhen North Railway Station.

The expansion is part of a broader transformation at Shenzhen Railway Station, a century-old hub shifting from conventional rail services toward high-speed operations and helping western Guangdong strengthen its connections with the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area. The improved rail links are expected to promote closer economic integration between the Pearl River Delta and western Guangdong.

From steam trains to high-speed rail

Shenzhen Railway Station’s history dates to 1911, when it opened as the southernmost stop on the Chinese mainland of the Kowloon-Canton Railway. Steam locomotives on the line traveled at about 30 kilometers per hour. Shenzhen Railway Station moved from its original site near Dongmen Old Street to the Luohu Port area in 1950. Its current station building opened in 1991.

The station has witnessed several milestones in China's railway development. The Guangzhou-Shenzhen railway began pioneering high-speed rail operations here. In December 1994, the Guangzhou-Shenzhen quasi-high-speed railway — China's first railway designed for speeds of up to 160 km/h — began service. The line introduced trains operating at speeds of up to 200 km/h in 1998.

Railway employees greet visitors behind a service counter at Shenzhen Railway Station.

The station later expanded its high-speed connections to eastern Guangdong via the Guangzhou-Shenzhen intercity railway, linking it to the Guangzhou-Shenzhen intercity railway, the Ganzhou-Shenzhen high-speed railway and the Guangzhou-Shanwei high-speed railway. On Jan. 26, 2026, it launched its first direct high-speed service to Zhanjiang North Railway Station, establishing a direct rail link to western Guangdong.

As of the end of September 2026, the station handled an average of 31,900 departing passengers and 197 passenger trains a day, according to Jing Xin, a passenger-service supervisor at Shenzhen Railway Station. Since the Guangzhou-Zhanjiang high-speed railway opened, the station has served 580,000 passengers bound for western Guangdong, Jing said.

“Now I can board at Shenzhen Station and reach Zhanjiang North in about three hours. Going home for the weekend is much easier,” said Chen, a Zhanjiang native who works in Shenzhen. 

Visitors browse seafood stalls at the bustling East Bank Aquatic Wholesale Market in Zhanjiang, western Guangdong Province.

The improved rail connections are also bringing more visitors to Zhanjiang, supporting its tourism and seafood industries.

According to Huang Ruoxi, office director of the Eastbank Aquatic Products Wholesale Market in Xiashan District, Zhanjiang, the market handles about 200,000 tons of seafood annually, with turnover exceeding 9 billion yuan. Since the Guangzhou-Zhanjiang high-speed railway opened, more out-of-town visitors have traveled to Zhanjiang to explore its attractions and sample its fresh seafood.

Riding the wave of high-speed rail traffic, Zhanjiang Tourism Group also launched a scenic-spot check-in pass in October, offering admission to eight attractions for 238 yuan, down from the regular price of 750 yuan. The attractions include Huguangyan, part of the Leiqiong UNESCO Global Geopark, Sanlingshan National Forest Park and Zhanjiang Military Museum Park.

A submarine is displayed at the Zhanjiang Military Culture Expo Park in Zhanjiang, western Guangdong Province.