Plans have been approved for a RMB70.8 billion (US$10.6 billion) high-speed rail link to connect the inland cities of Chengdu and Xi’an, the China Railway First Survey and Design Institute announced on its website.
The 510-kilometer railway, one-quarter of which will run through tunnels, will cut travel time between the two cities to about two hours from the current 13. It is expected to carry some 70 million passengers a year once it is finished in four years time.
The Xi’an-Chengdu high-speed railway will run at 250 kilometers per hour (156 miles per hour), slower than the super rapid Shanghai-Hangzhou link, which operates at a maximum 350 kph.
ABC News reports Xi’an, capital of central China’s Shaanxi province, will be a hub for several high-speed rail lines which should, based on past experience, bring extra prosperity.
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