A high-speed train is to leave Haikou Railway Station, Dec. 30, 2015. China's southernmost province of Hainan has commenced operations of the world's first island-looping high-speed train line. (Photo/Chinanews.com)
(ECNS) -- China's southernmost province of Hainan has commenced operations of the world's first island-looping high-speed train line.
The circular line allows people to travel around the whole island in about 3 hours.
Today, the loop's 345-kilometer west section was linked to its eastern counterpart, which opened in December 2010.
The train has a planned speed of up to 200 kilometers per hour. Tickets have been available for sale since Dec 29.
The 650-kilometer line now connects all airports in the tourist haven and has 25 stops along its route.
The 74 train attendants working on the western section were selected from more than 1,200 undergraduates across the nation who received professional training, a source at Hainan High Speed Railway said.