Starting this Sunday, direct train services will become available between Hong Kong and the cities of Suzhou, Jiangsu and Huangshan, Anhui, thanks to an adjustment to China's national train schedule.

The G99/G100 trains connecting Shanghai Hongqiao and Hong Kong West Kowloon will change routes, stopping at Hangzhouxi (Hangzhou West, 杭州西), Suzhounan (Suzhou South, 苏州南), and Huangshanbei (Huangshan North, 黄山北) railway stations along the way.

This new route provides a convenient option for Hong Kong visitors.

Suzhou, often referred to as the "Venice of the East", is renowned for its classical gardens, ancient canals, and strong manufacturing base in industries like iron, steel, IT, and electronics.

Huangshan meanwhile is home to the namesake mountain range, a UNESCO World Heritage site famous for its stunning scenery.

The revised train routes will also shorten the journey time by three hours for passengers departing from Hangzhou. Currently, they have to take the overnight G899 sleeper train from Shanghai.

The schedule change is partly due to the recent launch of the Shanghai-Suzhou-Huzhou high-speed railway in late December, according to Lizhi News, a verified WeChat public account of the Jiangsu Radio and Television Station.