High-speed line opens, reducing distances and connecting people
A new high-speed railway linking east and central China opened on Saturday, pushing thetotal length of high-speed track in service above 20,000 kilometers in China, the most in theworld.
The new 360-km line links Zhengzhou, Henan province with Xuzhou, Jiangsu province. Trainswill run up to 300 km/h in the initial period.
"The new railway links China's two most important north-southrailways - the Beijing-Guangzhou and Beijing-Shanghai railways -
and also connects East, Central and West China," said Huang Xin,an official from the transportation bureau of China Railway Corp.
The Xuzhou-Lanzhou railway is one of China's four most importantrailways from east to west, which will link Asia and Europe and play akey role in the Belt and Road strategy, he added.
It also greatly reduces east-west travel time between big cities.
People can commute between Shanghai and Zhengzhou in fourhours, cutting 2 hours and 47 minutes from the trip.
Travel between Shanghai and Xi'an was also reduced to 6 hoursfrom 10 hours and 47 minutes.
"The new railway is not long, only 360 km, but it cuts across threeprovinces, Henan, Anhui and Jiangsu," Huang said.
"It not only reduces distances, but also connects people, informationand logistics, greatly boosting the regional economy, people'slivelihoods and tourism."
Lu Weili, a 23-year-old from Xuzhou, Jiangsu province, was thrilled atthe opening of the new railway.
"I own a clothes factory in Zhengzhou, and my business is all overJiangsu province and Shanghai. The new railway will surely benefitme and my business a lot in the future," he said.
"High-speed rail is safer and faster, providing better service for thepassengers. The old trains are not too bad, but they have severalissues such as hygiene and intensive sales of local specialties," Lusaid.
"I take the train to go home or do some clothes deliveries once or twice a month," he said,adding that his family is looking forward to taking the high-speed line as well.
"China has led many high-speed railway technologies in the world and has abundantmanagement experience," said Zhang Zhifang, deputy director of the technologyadministration department of China Railway Corp.
High-speed rail has become the transportation of choice for many Chinese people.
According to China Railway Corp, about 4,200 bullet trains run in China each day, providingmore than 4.5 million passenger trips.
In July, the National Development and Reform Commission, the country's top economicplanner, issued a national railway development plan that envisions a 175,000-km rail networkby the end of 2025. Under the plan, China will have 38,000 km of high-speed railways.
Wu Jiaquan contributed to the story.