The central government has approved plans for a 58.41-billion-yuan ($9.22 billion), 174-kilometer, Beijing-Zhangjiakou, northern Hebei province, high-speed rail project, Beijing News reported.
To be constructed over four and a half years, it will ferry 60 million people one-way annually at speeds from 120 to 350 kilometers per hour and shorten the time between the two cities to within one hour from the current three or more. It will be used during the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing, according to the Zhangjiakou Development and Reform Commission's website.
The railway will have 10 stations, five in Beijing, including Beijing North, Qinghe, Shahe, Changping, and Badaling Great Wall (underground), and others in Zhangjiakou, including Donghuayuan North (preserved for future use), Huailai, Xiahuayuan North, Xuanhua North, and Zhangjiakou South.
The design of the railway has been given to related departments in Hebei province and Zhangjiakou city to solicit opinions and the construction will start soon after all preparations are done.
The railway is among China's 60 rail projects to start construction this year and it will play a significant role in improving regional rail networks and boosting the integrated development of Beijing, Tianjian, and Hebei province, said a representative of the Zhangjiakou local railway administrative office.
The Beijing-Zhangjiakou high-speed railway and the to-be-constructed Chongli branch line will jointly serve the 2022 Winter Olympics, which will be co-hosted by Beijing and Zhangjiakou.
A high-speed train arrives at Hunchun Railway Station, in Jilin province. [Photo by Jiang Shengsong/Asianewsphoto] |