A project proposal to build the Shijiazhuang-Jinan railway passenger line was recently approved by the State Development and Reform Commission.

 Construction is expected to begin later this year and will be completed by 2012. The estimated total investment amounts to 41.7 billion yuan, of which 39.7 billion yuan is being put into project investment and the remaining 2 billion yuan will be used to purchase motor train units.

The Shijiazhuang-Jinan railway passenger line is a section along the Taiyuan-Qingdao railway line. Once completed, it will contribute to the run-through of the Taiyuan-Qingdao line, strengthen communication among Shaanxi, Hebei and Shandong provinces, enhance Jinan’s status as a transport hub, and extend the scope of Jinan’s “one-hour economic circle”, according to the newspaper.

As a major passenger pathway linking the Northwest, North and East China, the Taiyuan-Qingdao railway passenger line is divided into three sections—Taiyuan-Shijiazhuang, Shijiazhuang-Jinan and Jinan-Qingdao. Passenger express trains are already operating along the Taiyuan-Shijiazhuang line and Jinan-Qingdao line, with one-way run-times of 1.09 hours and 2.15 hours respectively.

Based on the designed speed of 250km/h, once put into operation, the one-way run-time along the Shijiazhuang-Jinan railway line will be less than 1.30 hours, the newspaper said.

Nine stations will be set up along the Shijiazhuang-Jinan railway passenger line: three existing departure stations—Shijiazhuang Station, New Jinan East Station and Jinan West Station; five newly constructed intermediate stations—Shijiazhuang East Station, Gaocheng South Station, Xinji South Station, Dezhou East Station and Jihe Station; and one reconstructed station—the current Hengshui Station.

Once completed and with the help of express motor trains, the one-way run-time between Jinan and Beijing, Jinan and Shijiazhuang, and Jinan and Qingdao will all be shortened to within 2 hours. The Jinan “one-hour economic circle” will also extend its scope with the improvement of major passenger railway lines. During the process, Jinan will have more opportunities to attain balance between economic and social developments.