New rail route on track to deliver far-reaching economic advantages

Cross-regional transport offers a wealth of business opportunities for the coordinated development of the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region

The new high-speed rail line linking Beijing and Zhangjiakou in North China's Hebei province will not only provide excellent transportation for the 2022 Winter Olympic Games but boost the integrated development of the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region, said local officials.

The 174-kilometer railway opened on Dec 30, 2019. The new rail line has cut the travel time between the two host cities from more than three hours to less than one hour, said China Railway Beijing Group.

In addition, a 53 km branch line named Chongli Railway began service on the same day.

The line connects Xiahuayuan North Station to Taizicheng Railway Station in Zhangjiakou's Chongli district, where most of the snow sports events will be held.

By Jan 13, the Beijing-Zhangjiakou high-speed railway had carried 783,300 passengers. Its general capacity had reached 95 percent, according to CR Beijing.

Zhu Dianping, a senior official at the station management department of CR Beijing, said the high-speed line has helped to alleviate traffic conditions in the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region, delivering more convenient travel to the public.

"As an important part of China's rail network between Beijing and Lanzhou, capital of West China's Gansu province, this line, along with the Zhangjiakou-Hohhot and Datong-Zhangjiakou high-speed lines, can promote the coordinated development of China's northwestern areas," Zhu said.

The railway has incorporated Zhangjiakou into Beijing's one-hour economic circle. This is of great importance for the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region's economic growth, said Li Guoping, dean of Beijing Development Institute at Peking University.

The enhanced connections offer local enterprises more business opportunities. Regional goods and services have gained faster access to markets in big cities, Li said.

Considering that Zhangjiakou and its surrounding areas boast rich ecological and tourism resources, the high-speed line gives the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region new momentum to develop its tourism industry, according to industry insiders.

Chongli, a well-known skiing destination, has seen its tourist numbers grow since the high-speed rail line's opening. Taizicheng Railway Station handled some 2,000 passengers per day in January.

"A majority of passengers are from neighboring areas coming to Chongli for winter sports," said Gao Lei, head of the Taizicheng Railway Station.

According to the local government, Chongli received 221,004 tourist visits between Dec 30, 2019 and Jan 12, 2020－up 15 percent year-on-year.

Apart from the increase in numbers, the makeup of tourists has also changed, said Li Yongtai, deputy chairman of Thaiwoo Ski Resort in Chongli.

"Most people preferred to come here by car and stay at least two days for a good rest after a long drive. Now more tourists take highspeed trains here and return the same day," Li said.

For tourists' convenience, the district's traffic department is operating free shuttle buses linking Taizicheng Railway Station with six ski resorts.

Wang Shujuan, a skiing enthusiast from Beijing, said: "It used to take me four hours to drive to Chongli for skiing, which is tiring and time-consuming. But now I can have a nap on the train and take a 10-minute bus to get to the resort." There were seven pairs of trains running between Beijing and Chongli in Hebei province in January, according to CR Beijing.

zhanglinwan@chinadaily.com.cn