XI'AN -- High-speed trains linking Xi'an, capital of Shaanxi Province, and Chengdu, capital of Sichuan Province, will begin operation on Dec 6, authorities said Sunday.

Tickets for the trains are available for purchase from 6 pm Sunday, according to railway authorities in Xi'an.

The Xi'an-Chengdu high-speed rail route covers a distance of 658 km. A total of 19 trains will run in each direction during the initial phase.

With a new train diagram to be put into operation at the end of this year, travel time between the two cities will be slashed by about 7 hours to just 3 hours and 27 minutes.