A ceremony is held to mark the first direct flight from China's Shanghai to Kazan at the airport of Kazan in Kazan, Russia, Sept. 28, 2024. China's financial hub Shanghai launched its first direct air route to Kazan, Russia, expanding travel options for the upcoming National Day holiday. Operated by China Eastern Airlines, flight MU5065 departed from Shanghai Pudong International Airport on Saturday afternoon, carrying 240 passengers. Round-trip flights are scheduled three times a week. (Xinhua/Cao Yang)

SHANGHAI, Sept. 28 (Xinhua) -- China's financial hub Shanghai launched its first direct air route to Kazan, Russia, expanding travel options for the upcoming National Day holiday.

Operated by China Eastern Airlines, flight MU5065 departed from Shanghai Pudong International Airport on Saturday afternoon, carrying 240 passengers. Round-trip flights are scheduled three times a week.

Previously, travelers between Shanghai and Kazan had to transfer at a third location, such as Moscow or Dubai, resulting in an average travel time of over 15 hours. With the introduction of direct flights, the lengthy journey has been significantly reduced to just nine and a half hours.

Earlier this year, China Eastern Airlines opened a direct route linking Moscow and northeast China's Shenyang. To date, the airline operates six direct air routes between China and Russia.