Shiziyang Tunnel

Map of the Guangzhou–Shenzhen–Hong Kong Express Rail Link

The Shiziyang Tunnel is a high-speed railway tunnel under the Pearl River estuary in China.[1]

Route

The 10.8 km long tunnel is part of a 140 km high-speed line from Guangzhou to Shenzhen and Hong Kong. It is designed for speeds of up to 350 km/h - the fastest underwater tunnel in the world.[2] as well as being China's longest underwater tunnel.[3] This allows rail journeys between Guangzhou and Hong Kong to take only 40 minutes – much faster than the previous 2-hour journey. The Guangzhou–Shenzhen–Hong Kong express rail link is part of a broader expansion of high-speed rail in China; journeys from Beijing to Hong Kong will take only 8 hours.[4]

Construction

Construction began in November 2007, with a budget of CNY2.4 billion;[5] the tunnel was completed in 2011, and passenger services began on 26 December 2011.[4] Unusually, the tunnel boring machines were designed to be dismantled inside the tunnel.[5]

References

  1. ↑ "News in Brief". Railway Gazette. 16 April 2011. Retrieved 14 August 2011.
  2. ↑ "China completes construction of world's fastest underwater railway tunnel". 12 March 2011. Retrieved 14 August 2011.
  3. ↑ "Study on Shiziyang Tunnel Engineering Geology and Shield Tunneling". 2010. Retrieved 14 August 2011.
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 "Shiziyang underwater tunnel ready as part of High Speed Line to Hong Kong". HSL Zone. 15 March 2011. Retrieved 14 August 2011.
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 "Construction Starts at Shiziyang Tunnel in China". Retrieved 14 August 2011.

Coordinates: 22°52′40″N 113°34′25″E / 22.87778°N 113.57361°E