SHENZHEN, Feb. 25 (Xinhua) -- A direct air route was launched Monday between south China's technological powerhouse Shenzhen and Ireland's capital Dublin.

Shenzhen International Airport said that flight HU755, operated by a Boeing 787, departed Shenzhen at 1:30 a.m. Beijing time Monday and is scheduled to arrive in Dublin at 7:00 a.m. local time.

A one-way trip takes around 13 hours.

The return flight will leave Dublin at 9:00 a.m. local time and is expected to arrive in Shenzhen at 5:30 a.m. Beijing time.

The flights run twice a week on Monday and Friday, respectively, according to Shenzhen International Airport.

This is the third international passenger air route opened by the Shenzhen airport this year. Air routes linking Johannesburg and Tel Aviv, Israel's second-largest city, were launched in January.