Guangzhou Railway Station in downtown Guangzhou has witnessed more than a century of history, tracing the journey of general-speed rail from its deployment to its decline.

With their iconic dark green carriages and a maximum speed of 160 km/h, these trains were once the backbone of long-distance travel in China, carrying generations of students, migrant workers and families between home and distant cities. As high-speed rail has become dominant in recent years, general-speed services have quietly faded.

Recently, Guangzhou Railway Station bid farewell to its last such train, marking the end of an era. Many passengers were middle-aged, drawn not by necessity but by nostalgia—revisiting memories of youthful trips with classmates or journeys between hometown and city during their early working years. Even those without tickets gathered on the platform, capturing photos with the train as keepsakes of a passing time.

As the train departed, Guangzhou Railway Station turned a definitive page. Now poised for comprehensive upgrades, it will soon integrate multiple high-speed rail lines, becoming a key hub in the Greater Bay Area’s “one-hour commute circle.”