With the official opening of the Chihuang high-speed railway, people's expectations and controversies coexist. The high-speed rail line does not seem to be integrated into the national high-speed rail network as expected, but has become a relatively independent regional intercity line, and its functional positioning does not seem to be high.
First of all, the opening of the Chihuang high-speed railway is not directly connected to the Hefu line, which means that its passenger flow is mainly limited to Shanghai, Hangzhou, Nanjing, Hefei and other cities in the Yangtze River Delta region. This relatively isolated line layout makes the position of the Chihuang high-speed railway in the regional transportation network more awkward.
Although there are seven trains running between Hefei and Jiuhuashan, all of them choose to bypass the Beijing-Hong Kong He'an Line and the Ning'an Line, rather than passing directly through the Hefu Line. This route choice not only increases the operating time and cost, but also reflects the awkward position of the Hefu Line in the regional transportation network. Originally, the Hefu Line was supposed to take on the important task of connecting Anqing, but it was bypassed for various reasons, which weakened Anqing's status as a hub in the high-speed rail network.
Tongling, another city to be mentioned, is also controversial for its status as a high-speed rail hub. Although Tongling North Railway Station is the intersection of two high-speed rail lines, its hub status is not worthy of its name due to the lack of sufficient passenger flow support. The situation is even more awkward at Chizhou and Jiuhuashan stations, which not only have fewer trains, but are also planning to build new high-speed rail stations to divert traffic, and this forced construction of hubs does not seem to be accepted by the market.
Recent GDP and population figures show that these cities are growing steadily in terms of economic strength and population size. However, the layout and operation of the high-speed rail network have not evolved in tandem. This mismatch not only affects the city's transportation efficiency and economic development, but also triggers people's deep thinking about the planning and operation of the high-speed rail network.
The opening of the Chi-Huang high-speed railway should be an important step in promoting regional economic development and improving the transportation network, but this is not the case. Its relatively isolated route layout and limited passenger flow support make it an "island" rather than a real traffic artery. This situation is not only regrettable, but also full of expectations and doubts about the future planning and operation of the high-speed rail network.