Analysts believe the high-speed railway is crucial for regional integration. Many ASEAN members have shown a strong interest in building high-speed railways.

Guangxi occupies an important position in China's trade and connection with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations. It is the only region in China linked to Southeast Asia by land, sea and air.

The high-speed railways connecting Guangxi and Hunan province were connected in Liuzhou in northern Guangxi in mid-December, integrating Guangxi's regional high-speed railways with the national high-speed network.

Nanning railway bureau's passenger-transport division director Xie Shi said the bureau will run 24 trains on the six lines in the early stage. That provides 17,000 seats a day. It will adjust the transport capacities according to market fluctuations.

The ticket price from Guilin to Beijing is 2,530 yuan ($415) for a business-class seat, 1,250 yuan for a first-class seat and 806 yuan for a second-class seat. The cost is comparable to flight prices.

Guilin's tourism agencies are optimistic about the new travelers the bullet train will bring from inland China.

Ticket prices for a high-speed train in the region range from 30 yuan to 150 yuan.

Some counties in Guangxi's economic hubs Guilin and Liuzhou boast their own high-speed railway stations.

Spokespeople for Guilin's Quanzhou county and Liuzhou's Luzhai county said that not only will the counties' commuters enjoy more convenient travel but also investors and travelers will more easily access these locations. Previously, county-level prefectures could be reached only by expressways.