Construction Begins on China's First Airport-train Station Rail Line

A ceremony was held to mark the start of construction of the urban rail line connecting the two airports and three train stations in Shanghai on June 28.

Generally designed by China Railway Siyuan Survey and Design Group Co., Ltd., it will be the first direct rail line linking airports and train stations in China.

It will offer the fastest travel between Hongqiao and Pudong airports, Hongqiao Railway Station, Shanghai South Railway Station and Shanghai East Railway Station.

It is worth mentioning that it will take only 40 minutes to travel between the Hongqiao and Pudong comprehensive transportation hubs when completed.

The line is one of the first demonstration projects of the guidance on promoting railway development in urban and suburban areas issued by the National Development and Reform Commission and a key program to support the implementation of the integration of the Yangtze River delta region strategy.

The project will collect design experiences of urban rail lines with high-speed and large transportation capacity.

According to the company, the rail line will be 68.6 kilometers' long and about 94 percent of its distance will be bridges and tunnels.

Starting from the Hongqiao Railway Station, the line will stop at seven stations - Qibao, Huajing, Sanlin South, Zhangjiang, Holiday Resort, Pudong International Airport and Pudong Airport Planning Terminal - and will terminate at Shanghai East Railway Station.

The design speed of the rail line will be 160 kilometers per hour and the project is expected to be completed in 2024.

The picture shows the route map of the Shanghai airport-train station rail line. [Photo/China Railway Construction Corporation Limited]

(Executive editor: Hao Wen)