It is estimated that the six nationwide railway speed-up will start in April or October next year, according to official of the Ministry of Railways. Preparatory work is underway.

The sixth speed-up will cover many lines, including that from Beijing to Harbin, from Beijing to Shanghai, from Beijing to Guangzhou, from Lanzhou of Gansu Province to Lianyungang in Jiangsu Province, from Lanzhou to Urumqi, capital city of Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, from Jinan to Qingdao, both in Shandong Province, that from Wuchang in Hubei Province to Jiujiang in Jiangxi Province and that from Hangzhou, capital city of Zhejiang Province to Zhuzhou in Hunan Province. Train speed will be lifted to 200 kilometers per hour.

Now, it takes T109 13 hours and 32 minutes to complete the 1,453 kilometers from Beijing to Shanghai. After the speed-up, it will take only over seven hours.

Vice railways minister Hu Yadong visited 60 outstanding drivers who took the second-round test in the Party school of the ministry, encouraging them to make new contributions to the operation of the sped-up trains and to the successful speed-up.

It is said that after the six wide railway speed-up in China, the lines at a speed over 120 kilometers per hour will total 22,000 kilometers, including more than 5,300 kilometers at 200 kilometers per hour.

By People's Daily Online