All flights between the cities of Wuhan and Nanjing have been cancelled since March 27th, due to fierce competition from high speed railways.
After high-speed trains began operating in Wuhan, the Wuhan-Nanjing air route became the first route to be discontinued amid a sharp drop off of air-travellers.
It takes only 3 hours to travel by high-speed rail from Wuhan in Hubei Province to Nanjing in Jiangsu province. A total of 3 high-speed trains currently run between the two cities every day. It costs 180 yuan, or about 30 US dollars, for a second-class seat. On average, 90 percent of the train seats are sold out each journey.
In contrast, air tickets between the two cities cost around 730 yuan, excluding fuel surcharges and construction fees. There are two flights each day between Wuhan and Nanjing. On a typical flight, more than 50 percent of the seats are empty.
Although airline companies have tried several means to attract passengers, including an 80 percent discount on the ticket price, they have still failed to compete with the new high-speed trains.
High speed rail has also dealt a blow to road transport. The number of people taking intercity buses sees an annual drop of about 200 thousand passengers.
After high-speed trains began operating in Wuhan, the Wuhan-Nanjing air route became the first route to be discontinued amid a sharp drop off of air-travellers.
It takes only 3 hours to travel by high-speed rail from Wuhan in Hubei Province to Nanjing in Jiangsu province. A total of 3 high-speed trains currently run between the two cities every day. It costs 180 yuan, or about 30 US dollars, for a second-class seat. On average, 90 percent of the train seats are sold out each journey.
In contrast, air tickets between the two cities cost around 730 yuan, excluding fuel surcharges and construction fees. There are two flights each day between Wuhan and Nanjing. On a typical flight, more than 50 percent of the seats are empty.
Although airline companies have tried several means to attract passengers, including an 80 percent discount on the ticket price, they have still failed to compete with the new high-speed trains.
High speed rail has also dealt a blow to road transport. The number of people taking intercity buses sees an annual drop of about 200 thousand passengers.
