Nanjing connected - High-speed rails to slash travel time Go back »

2009-04-30 | Nanjing

As residents of Nanjing we are surrounded by evidence of our city’s improving infrastructure. Particularly noticeable is the construction associated with the new metro lines whether it be the sight of arches supporting the new overland rail tracks being constructed along the highway, or the temporary metal sheets which provide a temporary (and noisy) road through the heart of Xinjiekou. Municipal projects however come against a backdrop of bold provincial and nationwide developments in rail links. Located in the heart of the affluent and rapidly developing East coast , the focal point for China’s continued economic growth, Nanjing finds itself at the centre of ambitious and large scale rail and infrastructure projects. 

Nanjing  - Wuhan

Two high-speed railways opening on April 1st have dramatically slashed travel time between inner Chinese provinces and the coastal regions. Stretching more than 350 km, the Hefei-Wuhan passenger railway, along with the Hefei-Nanjing lines opened last year provide the shortest link between Central China and East China's Yangtze River Delta region. “Riding a bullet train at 250 kph from Wuhan to Nanjing will need less than three hours, almost eight hours less than now," said Zhang Shuguang, chief of the transportation department of the Ministry of Railways.

European Chamber members commented on the rail links: “It’s amazing, it allows me to have breakfast meeting  in Xinjiekou with Board members and later lunch with my clients in Jianghan Road (CBD in Wu Han), the train is tidy and comfortable and only took me 2 hour and 50 minutes, very convenient. “   “We have a warehouse in Wuhan, now it is very convenient for us to travel to Wuhan. We expect more bullet trains operating between the hinterland in the future” said Zhang Shu, GM of Nanjing Merial Animal Health.

The knock on effect which will benefit the consumer as Airlines and bus companies, feeling the pinch from the new railways feel forced to cut prices. Wuhan-based Chutian Metropolis News reported that discounts of up to 70 percent will be given to flights from Wuhan to Shanghai starting from April 1. The cost of a bus ticket will be reduced from 185 yuan ($27) to 90 yuan.

Nanjing - Hangzhou

A little further in the future Nanjing will also be benefit from a massive cut in journey time to Hangzhou. In three years time the route will no longer necessitate going via Shanghai – this means that the journey can be completed in only one hour.  At present, most trains from Nanjing to Hangzhou take five to eight hours and the fastest one, the D471 takes four hours. Compared with railway, highway passenger transportation at present makes far more sense as a means of transport as it takes only about three and a half hours by long-distance bus to travel from Nanjing to Hangzhou.

This new link will not only increase convenience for travelers between Nanjing and Hangzhou but will also promote communications between Ningbo and Nanjing. With the construction of the Hangzhou and Ningbo section of the Shanghai-Hangzhou-Ningbo passenger transportation special line, the time from Nanjing to Ningbo will be shortened largely, from 7-10 hours to 2 hours. Citizens of Nanjing and Ningbo will be able to make a round trip within one day.

The Nanjing-Hangzhou intercity railway is a component of the Yangtze Delta intercity express passenger transportation net. According to the infrastructure plan, the Yangtze Delta will form a ‘1 - 2 hour transportation circle’ with Shanghai, Nanjing and Hangzhou at the centre. It will take a maximum of four hours to travel between any two of the 16 cities in the Yangtze Delta area.

This ‘Yangtze Delta intercity express passenger transportation net’ and the improvement of links to China’s inner provinces are part of a national scheme for improving rail links throughout China. Starting next month, the ministry will add 89 sets of passenger trains on a number of popular routes, increasing passenger capacity by 10.6 percent. At present, 200 bullet trains are on the tracks, connecting China’s major cities, with 600 more expected to be on the tracks by 2012, when China's high-speed rail network takes shape and securing a train ticket in peak travel seasons will no longer be a problem.

European Chamber member commented on how these plans will affect his business. “We are expecting more business and traveling guests from all over the country, the convenient transportation also boosts the business for our hotel.”