Source: China Railway
Recently, the Western Railway has attracted much attention
The Lanxin high-speed railway has been in operation for nearly ten years
The transportation performance is outstanding
The Lanwu section of the Lanzhang high-speed railway was put into operation
Wuwei, an important town on the Silk Road, has since been connected to high-speed rail
Central media have focused their cameras on these two high-speed railways
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People's Daily
It has been in operation for nearly 10 years,
It has sent more than 140 million passengers
The Lanxin high-speed railway is speeding to help the development of the western region
"People's Daily", July 4, page 13
As the world's longest high-speed railway with the longest mileage in one go, the Lanzhou-Singapore high-speed railway, which connects Lanzhou in Gansu Province and Urumqi in Xinjiang, has been in operation for nearly 10 years.
In the past 10 years, with the Lanxin high-speed railway as the skeleton, the western high-speed railway has broken through the barriers of mountains and rivers and woven a dense network. The western high-speed railway network is providing solid support for the high-quality development of the northwest region through the "hard connection" of infrastructure.
The Lanzhou-Singapore high-speed railway, which runs from Lanzhou City in Gansu Province in the east, passes through Xining City in Qinghai Province and ends in Urumqi City in Xinjiang, with a total length of 1,786 kilometers, is the world's longest high-speed railway with the longest mileage completed and opened to traffic at one time.
Since the opening of the whole line on December 26, 2014, the Lanxin high-speed railway has built a fast passenger corridor in the northwest region of the mainland. In the nearly 10 years since its opening, the Lanxin high-speed railway has sent more than 140 million passengers, with continuous expansion of transportation capacity, continuous improvement of service quality, and significant enhancement of radiation effect.
Take the Lanxin high-speed railway as the skeleton
The road network in the northwest is getting denser and denser
The road is open, and all industries are prosperous.
In the past 10 years, with the Lanxin high-speed railway as the skeleton, the western high-speed railway has broken through the barriers of mountains and rivers and woven a dense network.
In December 2014, the Lanxin high-speed railway was completed and opened to traffic, and the three provinces of Gansu, Qinghai and Xinjiang jointly entered the "high-speed rail era";
In September 2015, the first intercity railway in the western region, the Lanzhou-Zhongchuan Airport Intercity Railway, was put into operation;
In July 2017, the Baoji-Lanzhou high-speed railway, an important part of the "eight vertical and eight horizontal" land bridge corridor, was put into operation. So far, relying on the Lanxin and Baolan high-speed railways, Gansu and Xinjiang have been fully integrated into the national high-speed rail network;
In June 2024, the Zhongchuan Airport to Wuwei East section of the Lanzhou-Zhangye high-speed railway was officially put into operation, and the feasibility study report of the Wuwei-Zhangye section was approved. As the second high-speed railway corridor into Xinjiang in the mainland, the Lanzhou-Zhangjiakou high-speed railway will help the western region together with the Lanxin high-speed railway in the future.
In the past 10 years, the road network structure in Northwest China has changed from "channel type" to "channel + local road network type".
Data show that since 2014, Gansu, Qinghai and Xinjiang provinces have completed a total investment of 320.04 billion yuan in railway construction. By the end of May 2024, the operating mileage of railways in Gansu, Qinghai and Xinjiang provinces reached 17,685 kilometers, an increase of 92.3% compared with 9,195 kilometers at the end of 2013.
With dense railways and high-speed railways, the connection between the northwest and the east is getting closer and closer.
At present, Xining Station has reached 84.5 pairs of direct trains to all parts of the country, covering 24 provincial capitals (autonomous region capitals) and 3 municipalities directly under the central government, with an accessibility rate of 90.3%, and the snowy plateau is no longer far away; The Xinjiang Railway runs through most of the north and south of the Tianshan Mountains, connects all prefectures and cities in Xinjiang, and covers more than 80% of Xinjiang's county-level administrative regions.
The pace of railway construction in the northwest region is still accelerating, and key projects such as the Sichuan-Qingdao Railway, the Huinong-Yinchuan section of the Baoyin High-speed Railway, the Wuwei-Dong-Zhangye West Section of the Lanzhou-Zhangjiakou High-speed Railway, the Lanzhou-Cooperative Railway, and the Tianshui-Longnan Railway are progressing in an orderly manner.
"The formation of a modern railway infrastructure system in the western part of the mainland has been accelerated, and the accessibility and coverage of high-speed railways have been significantly enhanced." The relevant person in charge of the Development and Reform Department of China Railway Group said.
Passenger capacity has increased substantially
Invigorate the economic development of the regions along the Belt and Road
The Lanzhou-Singapore high-speed railway has effectively compressed the space-time distance of cities along the line. The travel time of the Urumqi-Lanzhou railway has been reduced from 25 hours to 11 hours and 50 minutes; Urumqi to Xining to achieve morning and evening, the fastest travel time is 10 hours and 37 minutes; Lanzhou to Xining into the 1-hour "high-speed rail circle".
Time and space are closer to stimulate economic vitality.
In summer, the vegetation is lush under the Qilian Mountain, and the plateau bullet trains are like silver lightning on the road, speeding between the mountains and valleys.
Qinghai Menyuan Hui Autonomous County, 150 kilometers away from Xining, benefited from the Lanxin high-speed railway, from a remote town without a railway directly into the high-speed rail era, tourism products have also sprung up, and the cultural tourism industry is booming.
"Before 2014, to come to Menyuan to cross the Daban Mountain, the traffic is very inconvenient, now the high-speed rail directly to Menyuan, Baili rape flower sea, Gangshika Snow Peak, Xianmi National Forest Park and other key tourist attractions are more influential, cultural tourism vitality continues to release." An Ling, a staff member of the Menyuan County Bureau of Culture, Sports, Tourism, Radio, Film and Television, said.
According to the data, at present, the number of hotels in Menyuan County has increased to 65, an increase of 3.8 times over 2014, 95 farmhouses, an increase of 11.8 times over 2014, 3,600 tourism employees, an increase of 3.2 times over 2014, and 78 buses, an increase of 2.6 times over 2014.
There are many more cases like this along the Lanxin high-speed railway.
Relying on the Lanxin high-speed railway, Xinjiang has successively opened a number of distinctive tourist trains such as "New Oriental Express", "Tianshan", "Xinghua" and "Chuanhe", and "traveling in Xinjiang by train" has become a new choice for many passengers.
In 2023, Xinjiang will receive 260 million domestic and foreign tourists, with tourism revenue of 296.7 billion yuan, an increase of 117% and 227% year-on-year, respectively. This year, China Railway Urumqi Bureau Group Co., Ltd. plans to run 116 special tourist trains.
Gansu actively promotes the construction of the Hexi Corridor tourism loop, launches the "Western Railway Tour" classic Silk Road tour, and builds an industrial chain integrating food, accommodation, transportation, travel, shopping and entertainment.
In 2023, the "Western Railway Tour" will receive 86.998 million tourists and achieve a total tourism income of 64.41 billion yuan.
According to the data, in the nearly 10 years since the opening of the Lanxin high-speed railway, the number of passengers sent has increased significantly. In 2023, a total of 21.28 million passengers will be sent, an increase of 99.1% compared with 2015 at the beginning of the operation. After the map adjustment in the third quarter of this year, the Lanxin high-speed railway arranged to run 92 passenger trains, including 2 additional fast passenger trains between Urumqi and Emei and Xi'an, from Urumqi to Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Chengdu and other places, and the transportation capacity was further improved.
Release the transportation capacity of the Lanxin railway
Enhance the transportation capacity of the western corridor of the China-Europe freight train
The Lanxin high-speed railway has also played a key role in improving the railway freight capacity in Northwest China.
"After the Lanxin high-speed railway was put into operation, the railway department adjusted some general-speed passenger trains to the Lanxin high-speed railway, which released the freight capacity of the Lanxin railway, provided reliable capacity support for the transportation of key materials in and out of Xinjiang, and further improved the transportation capacity of the western corridor of the China-Europe train." The head of the freight department of the China Railway Group said.
The data speaks for itself. In 2023, the freight volume of Lanxin Railway will be 251.14 million tons, an increase of 47.1% over 2014, of which 69.77 million tons of coal will be transported, an increase of 124.3% over 2014.
Relying on the two major railway ports of Alashankou and Khorgos, the China-Europe and Central Asia trains running through the Lanxin Railway have maintained a strong growth trend, and 14,421 China-Europe and Central Asia trains will be operated in 2023, an increase of 45 times compared with 2014; From January to May this year, 6,419 trains from Central Europe and Central Asia were opened, a year-on-year increase of 8.7%.
The train roared, and the cotton, cotton yarn, walnut, prune and other characteristic agricultural and sideline products in Xinjiang quickly entered the national market by train, pressing the "acceleration button" to promote the development of rural revitalization; More than 1,000 kinds of food and daily necessities from Russia, Belgium, France, Germany and other countries and regions through which the China-Europe Express passes have entered the homes of ordinary people through the China-Europe Express and the Central Asia Express.
In particular, Gansu Province, which stretches for more than 1,600 kilometers from east to west, has been a vital "golden passage" since ancient times. Today's Gansu Province, relying on the Lanxin high-speed railway and the Lanxin railway, has built a land-port national logistics hub, and the regional economic and social development is changing with each passing day due to the "Belt and Road" to accelerate the opening up to the outside world.
In 2016, the first "Lanzhou" (Lanzhou-Shigatse-Kathmandu) South Asia road-rail intermodal international freight train at Gansu (Lanzhou) International Dry Port was successfully shipped. Since then, the Gansu (Lanzhou) International Dry Port has opened 10 port passages such as Alashankou, Erenhot and Khorgos, and the trains can reach 34 cities in 22 countries including Duisburg and Hamburg in Germany and Almaty in Kazakhstan and Tashkent in Uzbekistan.
In 2023, Gansu Province will achieve cross-border e-commerce import and export volume of 1.221 billion yuan, a year-on-year increase of 20%. Since the "14th Five-Year Plan", 27 new foreign-invested enterprises have been added, 71 Fortune 500 enterprises and internationally renowned brands have been introduced, and overseas investment of 49.2717 million US dollars has been completed.
The wheels roll forward, and the train sps at high speed. Today, the western high-speed railway network is providing solid support for the high-quality development of the northwest region through the "hard connection" of infrastructure.
Gansu Lanzhou to Zhangye high-speed railway
The section from Zhongchuan Airport to Wuwei East was put into operation on June 29
People's Daily, July 3, page 3
The eastern section of the Lanzhou-Zhangye high-speed railway from Zhongchuan Airport to Wuwei in Gansu Province was put into operation on June 29, and since then, Wuwei City, an important town on the Silk Road, has been connected to the national high-speed rail network, and the rail transit network of the Hexi Corridor has been further improved. The Lanzhang high-speed railway starts from Lanzhou West Railway Station, passes through Lanzhou City, Wuwei City, Jinchang City and Zhangye City in Gansu Province, and connects to Zhangye West Station, with a total length of about 498 kilometers and a design speed of 250 kilometers per hour.
Xinhua Daily Telegraph
Wuwei, Gansu Province is connected to the national high-speed rail network
Xinhua Daily Telegraph, June 30, page 4
On June 29, the train crew sang and danced on the first train.
On the same day, the new Lanzhou-Zhangye high-speed railway Zhongchuan Airport to Wuwei East Section (hereinafter referred to as the Lanwu section of the Lanzhou-Zhangye high-speed railway) was put into operation. Wuwei City, Gansu Province, an important town on the Silk Road and a tourist symbol, has been connected to the national high-speed rail network, further improving the rail transit network of the Hexi Corridor of the mainland.
The Lanwu section of the Lanzhang high-speed railway leads from Zhongchuan Airport Station, Lanzhou New District, Lanzhou City, passes through Yongdeng County, Lanzhou City, Tianzhu County, Gulang County, Wuwei City to Wuwei City, and connects to Wuwei East Station. There are 6 stations on the whole line, namely Zhongchuan Airport, Yongdeng North, Tianzhu West, Heisongyi, Gulang North and Wuwei East Station. The maximum speed of the Lanwu section of the Lanzhang high-speed railway is 250 kilometers per hour, and in the early stage of operation, the railway department will arrange passenger trains according to the daily line and weekend line, and the maximum number of locomotive trains per day is as high as 20.
CCTV "News Network"
The Lanwu section of the Lanzhang high-speed railway opened for operation today
"News Network" June 29
On June 29, the Lanzhou-Wuwei section of the Lanzhou-Zhangjiakou high-speed railway was put into operation, and Wuwei, Gansu Province was connected to the national high-speed rail network. At the beginning of operation, a maximum of 20 locomotive trains will be operated every day, and the fastest from Wuwei East to Lanzhou West Railway Station will be 1 hour and 56 minutes, which is 58 minutes shorter than the current general-speed passenger trains.
CCTV "24 Hours"
The 2024 Summer Games start today, igniting a travel boom
The first special train of the Lanzhang high-speed railway "Western Railway Tour" departed
"24 Hours" July 1
On the morning of June 30, more than 220 passengers took the C9831 train from Lanzhou West Railway Station to Wuwei East Railway Station to start a two-day cultural and leisure journey. This is the first high-speed rail tourist train for the Lanwu section of the Lanzhang high-speed railway.
People's Daily Overseas Edition
The Lanwu section of the Lanzhang high-speed railway was put into operation
The high-speed rail network in the western region has been further improved
The small plateau town is also connected to the high-speed railway
"People's Daily Overseas Edition" July 4, page 5
Early in the morning of June 29th, the square in front of Wuwei East Station in Gansu Province was crowded, and many citizens spontaneously came here to witness a long-awaited moment-
At 10:50, a bright white "Harmony" EMU drove out of Wuwei East Station and headed for Lanzhou West Railway Station, marking the official opening of the Zhongchuan Airport to Wuwei East Section of the Lanzhou-Zhangye High-speed Railway (referred to as the Lanwu Section of the Lanzhou-Zhangye High-speed Railway), and Wuwei City, an important town on the Silk Road, was connected to the national high-speed rail network.
"My hometown is connected to the high-speed rail, I am very happy, I must come to see it and take pictures as a souvenir." In the square in front of Wuwei East Station, a citizen told reporters.
The Lanzhang high-speed railway is a major project of the national medium and long-term railway network planning, and will become an important part of the fast passenger transport channel of the Hexi Corridor after the completion of the whole line, further improving the high-speed rail network in western China, greatly facilitating the travel of the people along the line, and is of great significance to promoting the urbanization process along the line and promoting the development of the western region.
Convenient travel -
"Visiting relatives" becomes commuting
Wuwei, also known as Liangzhou, is an important town on the ancient Silk Road, with a long history and a rich collection of humanities. Walking into the newly built Wuwei East Station, the eyes are full of "ancient charm of the Han and Tang Dynasties": the ceiling keel of the waiting hall is horizontal and vertical, the façade colonnade adopts Han Que and dougong elements, and the "Wuwei" and "Liangzhou" in the bronze plaque are taken from the Han Dynasty Jianmu font......
Ye Wenliang, deputy commander of the Lanzhou Engineering Construction Headquarters of China Railway Lanzhou Bureau Group Co., Ltd., introduced that the Lanwu section of the Lanzhang high-speed railway leads from Zhongchuan Airport Station, Lanzhou New District, Lanzhou City, passing through Yongdeng County, Lanzhou City, Tianzhu County, Wuwei City, Gulang County to Wuwei City, and connects to Wuwei East Station. There are 6 stations on the whole line, namely Zhongchuan Airport, Yongdeng North, Tianzhuxi, Heisongyi, Gulangbei and Wuwei East Station, of which Zhongchuan Airport is an existing station and the rest are newly built stations.
On the morning of June 29, Mr. Li walked into the waiting hall and became the first passenger after the official operation of Wuwei East Station. "I've been on the high-speed rail many times, and today I can take the high-speed train from my doorstep. The station service is attentive and warm. Mr. Li said.
The reporter followed Mr. Li and other passengers to board the first C9832 EMU train bound for Lanzhou West Railway Station. The train was speeding away, and the farmland, trees, and houses outside the window flew by, and the passenger Sun Xuebao looked out the window with a smile on his face: "When I was a child, I often heard my fathers talk about the experience of riding donkeys, and now we are on the high-speed rail, and the way of travel has changed dramatically." ”
"I used to see high-speed rail in other places, and I was very envious. Now that the Lanwu section of the Lanzhang high-speed railway has been opened, it is more convenient for us to travel. Passenger Han Wenting said that the biggest feeling of taking the high-speed rail is "fast".
According to reports, the Lanwu section of the Lanzhang high-speed railway operates at a maximum speed of 250 kilometers per hour, and in the early stage of operation, the railway department arranges passenger trains according to the daily line and weekend line, and the daily train group trains are up to 20. Among them, Wuwei East to Lanzhou West Railway Station can be reached in 1 hour and 56 minutes at the earliest, which is 58 minutes shorter than the current general-speed passenger train; Wuwei East to Zhongchuan Airport can be reached in 1 hour and 11 minutes at the earliest.
The "one-hour commuting circle" created by high-speed rail has changed the way many people live. Liu Qian works in Tianzhu Tibetan Autonomous County, Gansu Province, while her husband and children live more than 130 kilometers away in Lanzhou. "I only go home two or three times a month, like visiting relatives. I wish the journey home would be shorter and the train faster. Liu Qian said.
After the Lanwu section of the Lanzhang high-speed railway was put into operation, Liu Qian said that now returning home is no longer a "family visit", but a commute, and "twin city life" has become a reality.
"After the completion of the Lanzhou-Zhangjiakou high-speed railway, it will form a high-speed rail dual channel between Lanzhou and Zhangye together with the Lanxin (Lanzhou to Xinjiang Urumqi) high-speed railway from Lanzhou West to Xining to Zhangye West, which will further improve the high-speed rail network in western China." Ye Wenliang said.
Overcoming difficulties –
Smart technology in action
The Lanwu section of the Lanzhang high-speed railway passes through the Qilian Mountains, and the geological and hydrological conditions along the line are complex, and the construction is difficult. The most difficult in the construction of the Lanzhang high-speed railway line is the Wusheling Tunnel. Wusheling is located at the southeast end of Lenglongling, the northern branch of the Qilian Mountains, with high cold and hypoxia, thin air, large temperature difference between day and night, harsh natural environment and fragile ecological environment.
The train taken by the reporter passed through the 17-kilometer-long Wusheling Tunnel and took about 5 minutes. Zhang Zhenqiong, commander of the Tianzhu Headquarters of the Lanzhou Engineering Construction Headquarters of China Railway Lanzhou Bureau Group Co., Ltd., told reporters that the high-speed rail train passed through the third generation of the Wusheling Tunnel, from the 50s of the last century to the present, the railway crossed the Wusheling through three generations of tunnel construction process.
The construction of the first generation of Wusheling Tunnel started in 1953, due to technical and conditional constraints, the line was extended by the line design to reduce the slope and improve the climbing ability of the train. The construction of the second-generation Wusheling Tunnel started in 2003, which is significantly shorter than the first-generation tunnel, and the transportation capacity has been rapidly increased. The construction of the third-generation Wusheling Tunnel started in 2019, which is parallel to the second-generation Wusheling Tunnel, effectively using the existing inclined shaft of the second-generation Wusheling Tunnel for construction and using the existing line ventilation.
Zhang Zhenqiong said that the third-generation Wusheling Tunnel passes through four rock mass fracture zones, which is a soft rock with large deformation, high geostress, and high-risk tunnel, and the excavation face is easy to deform and collapse during the tunneling process, which is difficult to construct and has high safety risks. In the process of construction, the participating units overcame many difficulties.
The three generations of Wusheling Tunnel have witnessed the changes from simple construction machinery and tools to a full set of tunnel construction machinery and chemical equipment, and a number of intelligent technology applications. During the construction of the third-generation Wusheling Tunnel, the unmanned vertical arch drilling and anchoring integrated operation was adopted, and the main operation area was monitored 24 hours a day through data collection, early warning analysis, and auxiliary decision-making.
Another difficult construction project of the Lanwu section of the Lanzhang high-speed railway is the Yongdeng Special Bridge. As a key control project with the longest length, the most continuous beams and the widest intersection surface, the Yongdeng Bridge is difficult to construct and has high technical requirements.
"In the entire bidding section, the construction team has developed more than 20 new processes and technologies, and obtained more than 10 patented technologies, which are the crystallization of the wisdom and sweat of the builders." Chen Xiangjun, the project manager of the 2nd bid in front of the Lanwu section of the Lanzhang high-speed railway of China Railway 21st Bureau, said that for example, the construction team developed a three-dimensional induction paver for bridge deck concrete that integrates bridge deck concrete paving and maintenance, which successfully replaced the conventional manual construction process, effectively ensured the thickness and flatness of the bridge deck concrete, and greatly improved the construction efficiency.
Industry Prosperity –
Featured products add "selling points"
After the train arrived at Tianzhu West Station, the reporter followed a group of passengers off the train. Walking out of the station, Tibetan compatriots held hata, sang and danced to celebrate the opening of the high-speed railway, and welcomed the arrival of the first batch of passengers.
The square in front of Tianzhu West Station also held an exhibition and sales of local special agricultural products. Yak beef jerky, plateau quinoa, wild mushrooms...... A variety of special products attract tourists to stop and understand, taste and buy.
Build a high-speed railway to benefit the people. The opening of the Lanwu section of the Lanzhang high-speed railway has ushered in new development opportunities for this small plateau city in Tianzhu.
When the high-speed rail arrives at the doorstep, Tashi Phuntsok, a yak buyer in Tianzhu County, is more confident in his business: "The yak slaughter time, quality and price are different in various places, and the business is fast and punctual by sitting on the high-speed rail, and you can purchase the freshest yak meat, package it and send it to Chengdu, Xi'an and other regions to sell it at a good price through the 'China Railway Express'!" ”
Mazara, a yak farmer in Maozang Township, Tianzhu County, plans to open a specialty experience store near the high-speed rail station. "My yak jerky is handmade, the taste is pure and delicious, and the opening of the high-speed rail has brought a large number of passengers, and it will definitely bring good business." Mazara said.
"The Lanwu section of the Lanzhang high-speed railway has been completed and put into operation, making up for the shortcomings of the transportation infrastructure of the Tianzhu railway, improving the transportation network, and greatly shortening the time and space distance between Tianzhu and Lanzhou and Wuwei." Zhao Tao, deputy director of the Tianzhu County Development and Reform Bureau, said that the high-speed rail has accelerated the exchange of personnel, commodities and technologies between regions, effectively reduced the cost of social transportation, and expanded the market for plateau characteristic agricultural and sideline products such as Tianzhu white yak, plateau summer vegetables and edible fungi.
On June 30, the C9831 train carried more than 220 tourists from Lanzhou to Wuwei for a two-day cultural and leisure trip. This is the first "Western Railway Tour" high-speed rail tourist special train from Lanzhou West to Wuwei East after the Lanwu section of the Lanzhang high-speed railway was put into operation.
Wang Fengying is one of the tourists. She used to be a green train conductor, and after retiring, she got on the high-speed train as a tourist. "Now that the railway capacity has increased, the riding experience has been greatly improved, and it has become a fashion to travel by high-speed rail." Wang Fengying said, "In the 80s of the last century, passengers were crowded with cars, and some passengers lifted one foot and couldn't find a place to put it down. Nowadays, the high-speed rail carriages are spacious and comfortable, running smoothly, and there is no need to worry about spilling a glass of water on the small table. ”
Ms. Fu, a passenger, is a salesperson at a travel agency who travels with tourists to experience the special train. Ms. Fu feels that the opening and operation of the Lanwu section of the Lanzhang high-speed railway has given the local cultural tourism products a new "selling point". "Taking the bus from Lanzhou to Wuwei takes nearly 4 hours, and many elderly tourists can't bear it. Now with the high-speed rail, the elderly can participate in the 'Wuwei Tour'. Ms. Fu said.
Wuwei has abundant tourism resources. The first high-speed rail tourist train tourists went to the Lei Taihan Tomb as planned to explore the secrets of the ancient tomb; Stroll through the Tiantai Mountain Grottoes and touch the thickness of bricks and tiles; Visit the Binggou River Scenic Area, enjoy snow-capped mountains, waterfalls, forests, grasslands, and ......
Wei Hongxia, director of the Wuwei Municipal Bureau of Culture, Sports, Radio, Television and Tourism, said: "In order to make full use of the 'high-speed rail dividend', Wuwei has launched a series of preferential activities such as high-speed rail tourist preferential tours, constellation birthday gift tours, zodiac dragon free tours, and poetry recitation prize tours, welcoming tourists from all over the world with full sincerity. ”
Luan Shouwei, deputy general manager of China Railway Lanzhou Bureau Group Co., Ltd., introduced that next, customized high-speed rail tourism special trains such as "weekend tours", "self-guided tours", "short-term tours" and holiday "multi-day tours" will be normalized, giving full play to the driving role of the whole industry chain of the "high-speed rail + tourism" model, allowing passengers to take the "Western Railway Tour" special train "one-stop" to enjoy the beautiful scenery of the Hexi Corridor, and promote the high-quality development of tourism along the high-speed railway.
China Daily
New high-speed railway
line connects Lanzhou and Wuwei
China Daily English Edition, July 1
A high-speed railway line from Lanzhou, Gansu's provincial capital, to Wuwei, a city in central Gansu, commenced operations on Saturday, further improving the high-speed rail network in Northwest China.
The line runs from Lanzhou's Zhongchuan Airport Station and passes through Lanzhou's Yongdeng county and Wuwei's Tianzhu Tibetan autonomous county and Gulang county before ending at Wuwei East Station, China Railway Lanzhou Bureau Group said.
It serves six stations, spans 193 kilometers and has a maximum operating speed of 250 kilometers per hour. During the initial phase of operation, railway authorities will schedule a maximum of 20 passenger trains a day.
The travel time from Wuwei East Station to Lanzhou West Station will be 1 hour and 56 minutes, shaving 58 minutes from the journey on conventional trains, the group said.
To improve service quality and meet diverse travel needs, railway authorities have implemented flexible discounts and market-based fare mechanisms, offering more travel options. Specific fares can be checked on the 12306 ticket booking system.
Wuwei resident Han Wenting, who rode the inaugural high-speed train with her two daughters, said she had been eagerly awaiting the opening of the high-speed line in her hometown for a long time.
Han said that whenever she had traveled on other high-speed lines for work in the past, she had envied those regions and wondered whether Wuwei would ever have one. Now that her dream has come true, she said she felt excited and proud.
"The new high-speed train will make traveling with my children for vacations and other activities much more convenient, and I am delighted and happy about the rapid development of my hometown," she said.
Long Haishan, a 28-year-old member of the Tibetan ethnic group born and raised in Tianzhu, is now a high-speed train attendant for China Railway Lanzhou Bureau Group. She said she was honored to take part in the inaugural run of the route through her hometown.
"The opening of the high-speed railway has brought my hometown and other cities closer, making our travel faster and more convenient," she said. "When I learned that this route would undergo testing, I applied to join it because I wanted to witness the moment that the high-speed railway goes through my hometown."
Gao Yongsheng, deputy director of Wuwei's Regional Economic Development Research Center, said the new line can further optimize the business environment, expand distribution channels and encourage more enterprises to invest in and develop Wuwei.
The opening of the high-speed railway will also significantly enhance the urban image of Wuwei and surrounding cities and better leverage Wuwei's role as a passenger transport hub, he said.
It is expected that the western railway network will become denser and denser
Bring convenience to more people!