China Makes Another High-Speed Rail Breakthrough
The Chongqing East to Qianjiang section of the Chongqing-Xiamen High-Speed Railway, a key part of China's high-speed rail network, began operation on Friday.
An inaugural train departed from Chongqing East Railway Station and reached Qianjiang Railway Station, marking the launch of the 242-kilometer segment of the Chongqing-Xiamen high-speed railway, according to China Daily.
Newsweek reached out to the Chinese Ministry of Transport for comment via email.
China operates the world's most extensive high-speed rail network, with more than 24,855 miles of operational lines, according to a 2023 report from the International Union of Railways. China alone accounts for nearly double the combined length of the rest of the world's high-speed rail systems, while Western competitors, such as the United States, struggle to develop at the same pace.
The new segment, which started construction in May 2020, operates at speeds of up to 350 kilometers per hour and will run up to 54 trains daily.
This development closes a crucial gap between Chongqing and Changsha, the capital of Hunan province, facilitating faster travel between two major regional economic hubs.
The completed Chongqing to Changsha link, together with the Ganzhou to Xiamen section and the under-construction Changsha to Ganzhou section, is set to form the entire Chongqing-Xiamen high-speed rail corridor.
Travel time from Chongqing to Changsha can be as short as three hours and 53 minutes, which is another fast passenger transport route between the Chengdu-Chongqing economic circle and the Changsha-Zhuzhou-Xiangtan area.
Xiamen, which will eventually be fully linked, is a major port city on China's southeast coast, meaning its infrastructure could fuel increases in trade and travel efficiency for the inland-to-coastal corridor.
The Chongqing East to Qianjiang section starts at Chongqing East Railway Station and passes through areas including the Nanan District, Wulong District, and Qianjiang District. It connects to the Qianjiang Railway Station of the Qianjiang-Zhangjiajie-Changde high-speed railway.
Yang Zhiyong, commander of the Wulong Command Center of the Chongqing-Guizhou Chongqing-Wanzhou Railway Company,in a statement to Bastille Post Global: "With the opening of the high-speed railway, travelers can reach Zhangjiajie from Chongqing East in two and a half hours and get to Changsha from Chengdu East in about six hours.
"This has established a new transport corridor connecting Chengdu, Chongqing, and Hunan, which is important for promoting rapid socio-economic development in the region."
With the full Chongqing-Xiamen corridor on track for completion, future segments are under construction as China maintains its position as a global leader in high-speed rail expansion.
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