Qianjiang-Zhangjiajie-Changde Railway Opens to Traffic
The China Railway Corporation announced on December 24 that the Qianjiang-Zhangjiajie-Changde Railway is to open and put into operation on December 26. Passengers can begin to book tickets on Dec. 24. Starting from Dec. 26, eight pairs of intercity bullet trains marked with "C" will run between Changsha Station and Zhangjiajie West Station. The single-way running time is about 3 hours and the fare for a second-class ticket is at least 100 yuan.
At the initial operational stage, there is only one pair of bullet trains available departing from Changsha Station to Sangzhi Station and Longshan North Station in Xiangxi Tujia and Miao Autonomous Prefecture; and to Laifeng Station and Xianfeng Station in Hubei Province each day. It takes about 4 and a half hours from Changsha Station to Longshan North Station.
China will carry out a new train operation plan on December 30. Twelve pairs of bullet trains for regular periods, 8 pairs for peak periods and 7 pairs of ordinary-speed trains will run at the Qianjiang-Zhangjiajie-Changde Railway.
The railway starts from Qianjiang District in Chongqing Municipality, and runs eastward passing through Xianfeng and Laifeng counties in Hubei Province, and Longshan County in Hunan's Xiangxi Tujia and Miao Autonomous Prefecture and Sangzhi County and Yongding District in Zhangjiajie City, and comes to its destination in Hunan's Changde.
The route is 335 km long, with a running speed of 200 km/h at the initial operational stage. There are 9 passenger stations: Qiangjiang, Xianfeng, Laifeng, Longshan North, Sangzhi, Zhangjiajie West, Niuchehe, Taoyuan and Changde Stations.
Translator: Wu Lirong