Chongqing, already a vital rail transport and freight hub in Southwestern China, is to build a further seven high-speed rail lines over the next 15 years after a network expansion plan was approved by Premier Li Keqiang on June 29.

The medium-long-term railway network plan (2016-2030) will see the construction of high-speed railways linking Chongqing with Xi’an, Guiyang, Changsha and Lanzhou, as well as normal-speed railways such as the Chongqing to Shanghai cargo rail and Qianjiang to Zunyi in Western China. The length of track in Chongqing will reach 4,180 kilometers, with seven new high-speed rail destinations including Chengdu, Wuhan and Zhengzhou.

Chongqing is located at an important junction of three main north-south lines: the Beijing to Kunming railway, Baotou to Haikou railway and Lanzhou to Guangzhou railway, and two east-west lines: Shanghai to Chengdu railway and Xiamen to Chongqing railway. The expansion of the rail network will particularly benefit the more remote regions in Western and Central China.

The medium-long-term railway network plan was approved during a Council executive meeting chaired by Premier Li Keqiang, which set up three stage targets for the project of 2020, 2025 and 2030. By the end of the national plan China’s railway network is expected to expand to 150,000 km, covering 80 percent of all big cities in the country. 30,000 km of the new track will be high-speed rail.

Chongqing’s future railway map, according to the medium-long-term railway network plan, approved by Premier Li Keqiang, on July 29. [Photo/Chongqing Daily]