China Opens World's Longest High-Speed Railway

By Mark Stone, China Correspondent, in Beijing

The world's longest high speed rail route opens today in China, covering a distance of 1,427 miles (2,298km) between Beijing in the north and Guangzhou on the country's southern coast.

The line will carry new bullet-style trains at speeds of up to 220mph (350kph) and reduce the travel time from 22 hours to just eight hours.

There are 35 stops along the route in major cities spanning the length of the country including Shijiazhuang, capital of northern China's Hebei Province; Zhengzhou, the capital of Henan; Wuhan, the capital of central China's Hubei Province; and Changsha, in Hunan Province.

The bullet trains are capable of speeds of 220mph

The building cost has not been revealed, but it was built in a fraction of the time it has taken to build the Crossrail system in London, which spans a distance - through new tunnels - of 13 miles (21km) and is not due for completion until 2017, and the new UK High Speed Two (HS2), which is still awaiting the construction green light.

But China does not have the planning regulations required for UK projects and there is not as much concern about the environmental considerations.

China currently has 5,350 miles (8,600km) of operating high-speed railway, more than any other nation in the world. The plan is to extend the rail network to a staggering 9,950 miles (16,000km) of track by 2015.

The improved and expanded services have lured people away from the growing number of domestic airlines in China.

The line runs from Beijing in the north to Guangzhou in the south

The Chinese airline industry is increasingly suffering from chronic delays because of congested airspace and bad weather. The train is seen by many as a more reliable and cheaper alternative.

In a statement, China's ministry of railways said: "This service marks a significant milestone of our high-speed rail construction. It will ease pressure on the rail transport between Beijing and Guangzhou, especially during the peak Chinese New Year holiday."

The new line will compete with the first domestic route used by the Airbus superjumbo, the A380.

China Southern Airlines has operated the double decker A380 between Beijing and Guangzhou for the past year. The cost of a ticket is higher, but the journey time is just three hours.

Many Chinese see trains as a cheaper, more reliable alternative to planes

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