China's high-speed rail expansion brings convenience to Spring Festival travelers

Passenger traffic at Guangzhounan Station in south China's Guangdong Province has surged during the Spring Festival travel rush, as expanding high-speed rail services bring greater convenience to holiday travelers.

Falling on February 17 this year, the Spring Festival marks the start of the Chinese New Year and ushers in the Year of the Horse, the seventh animal in the Chinese zodiac.

Among the passengers is Hoang Thi Khanh Linh, a Vietnamese student who has spent five years studying in China. Carrying a suitcase packed with gifts for her family, she began a journey that reflects both personal nostalgia and the country's rapid advances in rail transport.

Her route takes her through Nanning, capital of south China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, and onward to Dongxing, a border city in Guangxi, before crossing back into Vietnam.

"I'm going to take the high-speed train from the Guangzhounan Station to the Dongxing Station, and then pass customs checks to go back to Vietnam. In the past, I had to take a bus home, which took seven to eight hours. Since the high-speed rail opened, everything has changed," she said.

Five years ago, before the Fangchenggang-Dongxing Railway opened, her route from Vietnam's Uong Bi to Nanning involved multiple transfers: crossing the Dongxing border, catching a ride to the Fangchenggang North Station, and finally boarding a high-speed train to Nanning. The journey was long and exhausting.

That changed dramatically in late 2023, when the Fangchenggang-Dongxing Railway officially opened. Dongxing, a border town once reliant on buses, stepped into the high-speed rail era. Travel time shrank to just 19 minutes to Fangchenggang North Station and 73 minutes to Nanning East Station.

By mid-2025, the network expanded further, with Dongxing offering direct trains to Guangzhou. What once took nearly a full day could now be done in just four and a half hours.

This year, her journey is smoother than ever. After boarding in Guangzhou, she transferred at Nanning East Station, where she was originally scheduled to catch a 14:30 train to Dongxing. With the help of a station staff member, she switched to an earlier departure at 12:43. By 13:56, she arrived at Dongxing Station. In just two more hours, she would reunite with loved ones across the border.

"I'll be home soon. China's high-speed rail is amazing. I wish all my friends traveling home for the Spring Festival a safe journey and a Happy New Year!" she said.

China's high-speed rail expansion brings convenience to Spring Festival travelers

Malaysia's durian-themed restaurants are booming as record numbers of durian lovers are flocking to the country, eager to sample what many consider the world's best varieties of the pungent fruit.

Often described as a fruit people either love or hate, durian has long been a favorite among many Chinese visitors as well.

New outlets have sprung up across Kuala Lumpur and Penang, branding themselves as restaurants but serving little beyond durian in different forms, from fresh fruit to ice cream, cream puffs, milkshakes and even deep-fried versions.

"We opened this place nearly a year ago, and our customers come from all over the world," said Ophelia Ng, branch director of Laifa in Petaling Street in Kuala Lumpur, capital of Malaysia.

Visitors said the draw was the wide range of durian varieties on offer.

"My friend is from Singapore, and this friend is from Indonesia. So we are here to try out different varieties of durian. I think there is different flavors, [some are] a little bit bitter, some are sweeter or creamier, yes, so that's why we are trying it out first before we order the big one," said Wen Ni, a Malaysian durian lover.

Some tourists, however, found the taste less appealing.

"I'm not sure if I like it. I don't really like it. It's not really good," said a tourist from Austria.

For Chinese tourists, sampling Malaysia’s finest durian remains an essential experience.

"When you come to Malaysia, you can't afford to miss the best durian. The finest varieties are Musang King and Black Thorn. It's best to enjoy them in a restaurant, where you can eat comfortably in a cool, air-conditioned setting. The durian is delicious, and relaxing here while savoring the fruit is the best experience," said Zhao Bin, a tourist from Guangzhou, capital city of south China's Guangdong Province.

With durians banned from hotels and public transport, restaurants offering air-conditioned comfort have become the preferred way for tourists to enjoy Malaysia's most divisive fruit.

Malaysia's durian restaurants thrive amid booming demand