NANCHANG -- A bullet train departed from Ganzhou, East China's Jiangxi province, for the southern metropolis of Shenzhen, on Friday morning, marking the start of official operations of the new high-speed railway.

The Ganzhou-Shenzhen high-speed railway, with a total length of 434 km and designed speed of 350 km per hour, shortens the existing train journey of more than five hours to one hour and 49 minutes at the top speed.

The railway with 13 stations is connected to China's vertical artery of the Beijing-Hong Kong Railway.

The launch of this railway linking the old revolutionary base of Ganzhou and the Shenzhen Special Economic Zone brought an end to Ganzhou's history of being without a high-speed train connection to the neighboring Guangdong Province.

Zhong Meidi, who runs a guesthouse in Ganzhou, said that the railway is expected to boost tourism prospects in the region.

"Many of my guests are from the cities of Shenzhen and Guangzhou in Guangdong. With the opening of the high-speed railway, we are confident to cash in on the development of the B&B industry," she said, adding that she now hopes to open more business chains.

Ganzhou has rich resources of revolutionary sites and natural scenic spots, and is welcoming opportunities for rapid development.

The city is now a hub for railways, roads and shipping transportation along the Yangtze River. It has launched 19 freight train routes, connecting 26 cities in 11 countries along the Belt and Road.