Construction of the Guangzhou-Wuhan passenger railway will start by the end of the year.

The 875-km project, which was recently approved by the Central Government, will cost 68 billion yuan (US$8.22 billion). It is expected to be finished by 2010, the Southern Metropolitan News reported Tuesday.

The new railway will be designed for speeds up to 250 kilometers per hour and there will be six stations along the line.

Traveling time could be reduced from the present 11 hours to 4 hours when it opens in 2010.

Guangdong deputies at the National People's Congress annual session proposed speeding up the construction of the Guangzhou-Wuhan section of a new Beijing-Guangzhou railway to relieve transport pressure early this year.

The Central Government had previously decided to build a new Beijing-Guangzhou railway starting next year as part of its railway network plan.

The project would relieve transport pressure on the existing railway network and fully utilize the new Guangzhou railway station which is expected to be finished by 2007.

The railway station will be one of four railway transport hubs in China and is expected to be handling 80 million passengers a year by 2020. 

2004/08/11
Source: Shenzhen Daily