EXPERIENCE THE YANGTZE RIVER DELTA REGION ON THE G8388

High-speed rail loop offers convenient access to rich tourism resources, Zheng Zheng and He Qi report in Shanghai.

Every evening, the G8388 high-speed train pulls into Shanghai Hongqiao Station, its terminal stop — 15 kilometers from its starting point of Shanghai Railway Station — after a loop spanning over 1,200 kilometers.

This loop line, an 8-hour and 9-minute journey, crisscrosses the densely populated and economically vital Yangtze River Delta region. Major hubs, red-hot traffic arteries and dense passenger links are featured along this new high-speed rail loop.

Since its launch on June 15, the G8388 loop has witnessed soaring demand, with about 349,000 riders as of Sept 9 and an average occupancy rate of 90 percent. Even after the summer travel period, the train remains almost fully booked, with another peak expected during the upcoming National Day holiday at the beginning of October.