A CRH380A train runs on the Shanghai-Hangzhou high-speed railway near Jiashan county, East China's Zhejiang province, Oct 26, 2010. Photo: Xinhua

Shanghai/Hangzhou, China - October 26, 2010

High-speed trains began traveling between the eastern Chinese cities of Shanghai and Hangzhou Tuesday morning, the latest milestone in China's effort to build the world's fastest rail network.

Two bullet trains equipped with China's CRH380A system simultaneously took off at 9:00 am Tuesday from Shanghai's Hongqiao Station and from Hangzhou Station.

A CRH380A train departs from Shanghai Hongqiao Railway Station to start its journey on the Shanghai-Hangzhou Railway, Oct 26, 2010. Photo: Xinhua

Trains on the line will travel at an average speed of 350 kilometers per hour, shortening the trip between to 45 minutes from 78 minutes.

After 20 months of construction, the 202-km high-speed railway linking Shanghai, China's economic hub, and Hangzhou, capital of East China's Zhejiang province, extends the nation's in-service high-speed rail network to 7,431 kilometers.

A CRH380A train reaches a speed of 353 km/h on the Shanghai-Hangzhou Railway which starts operation on Tuesday, Oct 26, 2010. Photo: Xinhua

Earlier last month, the Shanghai-Hangzhou high-speed line stunned the world when in a trial run, a train hit a speed of 416.6 kilometers per hour, a world train speed record.

A CRH380A train departs from Hangzhou Railway Station to start its journey on the first day of operation of the Shanghai-Hangzhou high-speed railway, Oct 26, 2010. Photo: Xinhua

"The operation of the Shanghai-Hangzhou high-speed rail line will help alleviate traffic pressure in the Yangtze River Delta region," Liu Zhijun, Minister of Railways, said at the line's inauguration ceremony.

"It will not only promote economic and personnel exchange but facilitate the integration of the Yangtze River Delta region as well," Liu said.

A passenger takes a photo of her friend on a train on Shanghai-Hangzhou high-speed railway, Oct 25, 2010. Photo: Xinhua

According to Ministry of Railways (MOR) forecasts, passengers are expected to make 3.05 billion trips in and out of the Yangtze River Delta in 2010, with the figure jumping to 5.5 billion in 2020.

A ticket price for the nine-stop trip between Shanghai and Hangzhou costs 156 yuan ($23.4) for a first-class seat and 98 yuan for a second-class seat.

A woman buys train tickets for high-speed railway linking Shanghai and Hangzhou from an automatic ticket selling machine at the Hangzhou Railway Station in Hangzhou, capital of East China's Zhejiang province, Oct 25, 2010. Photo: Xinhua

China launched its first high-speed line - a service linking the capital and the port city of Tianjin - during the Beijing Olympics in 2008.

Since then, more fast-train lines have been put into service: the Wuhan-Guangzhou line linking Central and South China; the Zhengzhou-Xi'an line connecting Central and West China; and the Shanghai-Nanjing line in the country's east.

China has an ambition to make its high speed rail network the world's longest.

Passengers on the first train running from Hangzhou to Shanghai on the high-speed railway linking the two cities, Oct 26, 2010. Two CRH380A trains depart simultaneously from Hangzhou Railway Station and Shanghai Hongqiao Railway Station at 9:00 am Tuesday, marking the inaugural of the 202-km Shanghai-Hangzhou high-speed railway. Photo: Xinhua

According to the MOC, China will have a rail network of 110,000 km by 2012, with 13,000 km of it high-speed rail.

The highlight of China's high-speed rail network will be the 1,318-km Beijing-Shanghai line.
Currently under construction, the 220.9 billion yuan ($33.1 billion) line is scheduled to open in 2012.

Once complete, train travel time between the country's two most important cities will be cut in half to less than five hours.


SOURCE: Xinhua / China Daily

http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/china/2010-10/26/content_11457391.htm  

China begins research on faster high-speed trains

Wuhan, China - October 19, 2010

China has begun research and development on a new "super-speed" railway technology, an official with China's Ministry of Railways (MOR) said Tuesday.

The new technology will increase the average speed of trains to over 500 kilometers per hour, said MOR Chief Engineer He Huawu at conference held in central China's Wuhan City.

Meanwhile, the 400-500 km/h high-speed railway technology is in its final phase of development and the 380-km/h trains are already coming off production lines, He added.

As of September, China had put into service 7,055 kilometers of high-speed railway tracks - the longest in the world - and that is expected to reach hit 13,000 kilometers by 2012.

"We aim to lead the world in high-speed railway construction," said He.

In September, the China-made CRH380A train hit a speed of 416.6 kilometers per hour on a test run to set a new world train speed record.

High-speed train run at a speeds in excess of 200 kilometers per hour. Their use is rapidly expanding in China as the country strives to relieve pressures on its transportation systems.


SOURCE: Xinhua / China Daily

http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/china/2010-10/19/content_11430672.htm  


ASTROMAN Magazine - 2009.12.27

World's fastest rail journey starts operation

http://www.astroman.com.pl/index.php?mod=magazine&a=read&id=626