Commuters, tourists and companies all capitalize on intercity high-speed rail

Beijing has built an extensive high-speed railway network with Tianjin and Hebei province, improving the well-being of people in the three locales and advancing integrated regional development.

Every weekday morning, Cao Yan, a resident from Zhuozhou, Hebei province, takes the high-speed train to work in the capital.

"The travel time is only 25 minutes. After getting off at Beijing West Railway Station, I ride a subway for 20 minutes to my office," Cao said.

She added that compared with renting a house in Beijing, commuting by train is more cost-effective and she can have more time with her family.

By the end of 2022, the operating mileage of railways in the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region reached 10,933 kilometers, with nearly one-fourth being highspeed railways.

Thanks to high-speed rail services, most prefecture-level cites in Hebei have joined the one-hour transport circle of Beijing, enabling commuters like Cao to live "a life of two cities", local officials said.

High-speed railways have also transformed how people spend their leisure time and boosted regional tourism.

Earlier this month, Beijing resident Zhao Feng traveled with his son to Tianjin for a weekend.

"It only took us one hour from Beijing South Railway Station to Binhai Station in Tianjin," Zhao said.

"Things went very well. We visited the Dongjiang Qinhai Park and the National Maritime Museum and then returned on Sunday afternoon," he added.

Thaiwoo Ski Resort in Zhangjiakou, Hebei province, saw a surge in visitor numbers after the Beijing-Zhangjiakou High-Speed Railway opened in 2019.

"Tourists from Beijing used to drive to our resort, but now most people opt to take a high-speed train, which is more convenient," said Ren Xiaoqiang, manager of the marketing department at Thaiwoo Group. Ski enthusiasts therefore come more frequently, Ren said.

Data from the resort showed that it received 450,000 visits during the snow season of 2020, up 200,000 from 2019.

In addition, high-speed rail injected impetus into the logistics industry, making cross-city express delivery more efficient and affordable.

Beijing Jinyu Medical Test Lab, for example, has established a long-term partnership with China Railway Express. All cargoes of its headquarters and branches in Tianjin and Shijiazhuang, Hebei province, are now transported by high-speed rail between the three cities.

"The high-speed railway delivery is fast and reliable. In comparison with other express services, it's less affected by weather conditions," said Wang Jiandong, a delivery manager from the company.

In early May, China Railway Express launched an urgent delivery service that guarantee parcels are delivered within 24 hours.

So far, the service has expanded to 88 cities around the country including Beijing, Tianjin and Shijiazhuang.