Guangdong's intercity rail network will add 274 train services during the Mid-Autumn Festival and National Day holidays as authorities prepare for a surge in passenger demand. Tickets for some services will also be available up to 10 days in advance, rather than the usual three.
The additional services will run on busy sections of the network's six intercity rail lines from September 24 to October 7.
The busiest days will be October 1, with 48 extra services, and September 30, with 31. Another 23 will run on September 24 and 27, and October 7, with 18 on each of the remaining days: September 25–26 and October 2–6.
Passengers can check schedules through the Guangzhou Metro (广州地铁) app, Guangdong Intercity's (广东城际) official WeChat account or China's 12306 railway ticketing platform.
Longer ticket window, earlier morning service
Tickets for the six intercity lines will be available 10 days before departure from 2 p.m. on September 21 through September 28. That means tickets for October 1 will go on sale at 2 p.m. on September 21, while tickets for October 8 will be available on September 28.
The advance-purchase window will return to three days from 2 p.m. on October 6, when tickets for October 9 go on sale.
The C4731 service on the Guangzhou-Huizhou intercity railway, bound for Huizhou North, will start at Panyu Station on September 25 and 28 and October 1, 7 and 8 to connect with late-night high-speed rail services. The station will open at 5:30 a.m. on those days.
The discount rates on the Guangzhou-Zhaoqing and Guangzhou East Ring intercity railways will also change during the holiday period. Fares will be 25 percent lower through September 23 and 10 percent lower from September 24 through October 11. The regular discount schedule will resume on October 12, with 25 percent discounts from Monday to Thursday and 10 percent discounts from Friday to Sunday.
Passengers can use the Guangzhou Metro app's intercity QR code, registered Yang Cheng Tong (Canton Pass), China T-Union or Lingnan Pass cards, or buy tickets through the 12306 app to receive the applicable discounts.
The operator advised passengers to allow extra time at stations during the holidays and follow staff instructions when boarding and leaving trains. Trains have passenger capacity limits, and additional services may be arranged if cars become overcrowded.
Author | Liu Xiaodi
Photo | Nanfang Daily
