URUMQI, March 4 (Xinhua) -- A new flight from the southern Chinese city of Guangzhou to Vienna via Urumqi, capital of northwest China's Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region, will open on June 18.

It will be the first direct flight linking Urumqi and a western European city. The service will be operated by China Southern Airlines on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays.

The new flight will save time for passengers traveling between northwestern China and Vienna, capital of Austria.

A Boeing 787 aircraft is scheduled to depart from Guangzhou at 9:30, arrive in Urumqi at 14:40 for a 90-minute stopover and land in Vienna at 17:30 local time.

The return flight will leave Vienna at 18:55, arrive in Urumqi at 7:55 for a 90-minute stopover and arrive in Guangzhou at 14:35.