NANJING, Dec. 26 -- A new high speed rail line linking Nanjing, capital of east China's Jiangsu Province with Nanning, capital of south China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, opened on Friday.

The travel time between the two cities was slashed in half to 12 hours and 17 minutes. Previously it took 26 hours and 28 minutes from Nanjing to Nanning, and 20 hours and 24 minutes from Nanjing to the south China scenic city of Guilin.

The first high-speed train left Nanjing station at 8:40 a.m. and is expected to arrived at Nanning east station at 8:57 p.m.. It also passes through Hengyang City in central China's Hunan Province, Guilin and Liuzhou cities in Guangxi.

Another two high-speed rail lines also started operation on Friday linking Urumqi with Lanzhou and Guizhou with Guangzhou.