Xiamen–Shenzhen Railway

Hangzhou–Fuzhou–Shenzhen
High-Speed Railway
Xiamen–Shenzhen Section
杭福深高速铁路厦深段
Overview
Type CRH
Locale China
Termini Shenzhen North
Xiamen North
Operation
Owner China Railway
Operator(s) China Railway High-speed
Technical
Line length 502.4 km (312 mi)
Track gauge 1,435 mm (4 ft 8 1⁄2 in)
Electrification 50Hz 25,000V
Operating speed 200 km/h (124 mph)
Route map
Xiamen-Shenzhen Railway
Simplified Chinese 厦深铁路
Traditional Chinese 廈深鐵路
Xiamen-Shenzhen High-speed Railway
Line length:502.4 km (312 mi)
Track gauge:1,435 mm (4 ft 8 1⁄2 in)
Maximum speed:200 km/h (124 mph)
Legend
 To Fuzhou South via Fuxia Railway
0 km Xiamen North
-13 km Xiamen
Qianchang
24 km Jiaomei
To Yingtan via Yingxia Railway
42 km Zhangzhou
To Longyan via Longxia Railway
87 km Zhangpu
118 km Yunxiao
150 km Zhao'an
Guangdong / Fujian border
168 km Raoping
Guangmeishan Railway
209 km Chaoshan
Chaoyang
262 km Puning
293 km Kuitan
323 km Lufeng
358 km Shanwei
391 km Houmen
426 km Huidong
458 km Huizhou
478 km Pingshan
514 km Shenzhen North
To Guangzhou on Guangshen'gang XRL

The Xiamen–Shenzhen Railway (simplified Chinese: 厦深铁路; traditional Chinese: 廈深鐵路; pinyin: Xiàshēn Tiělù) is a dual-track, electrified, high-speed rail line on the southern coast of China. The line, also known as the Xiashen Railway, is named after its two terminal cities Xiamen in Fujian Province and Shenzhen in Guangdong Province, next to Hong Kong. The line has a total length of 502.4 km and forms part of China's Southeast Coast High-Speed Rail Corridor.[1] Construction of the Xiashen Line began on November 23, 2007, and the line entered into operation on December 28, 2013.[2]

The line is designed for trains running at top speeds of 250 kilometres per hour, and has reduced travel time between Xiamen and Shenzhen from 11 hours to 3 hours and 40 minutes.[1]

Route

The Xiamen–Shenzhen Railway follows the rugged southern coast of China. Major cities and towns along route include Zhangzhou, Zhao'an, Raoping, Chaoshan, Chaozhou, Shantou, Puning, Shanwei, Huidong and Huizhou.[1]

History

The Xiamen–Shenzhen Railway is the first railway to be built on the southern coast of China. Most high-speed rail lines in China follow the routes of older conventional railroads, but there were no railways on the southeast coast before the arrival of high-speed rail.

Historically, the southeast coastal region relied on maritime transportation, and rugged terrain made railway construction more expensive. In the first half of the 20th century, warfare and political instability delayed railway construction. During the Cold War, the southeast coast faced the threat of invasion from Republic of China on Taiwan and all railways were built inland. Only when political tensions across the Taiwan Strait eased in the late 1990s did planning of the Xiashen Line proceed.

Construction of the Xiashen Line commenced in November 2007 and the line was initially expected to open in 2011. But the anticipated completion was repeatedly delayed due to further safety reviews and inspections after the Wenzhou High-Speed rail crash. In December 2012, the anticipated opening date was pushed to October 2013.[3] Test runs did not commence until November 2013,.[4] The line officially opened on December 28, 2013 with trains service from Shenzhen North to Shanghai Hongqiao.[2][5]

At the time of the line's opening, the price of a ticket between Xiamen and Shenzhen was Y181.50 and Y160, respectively, for first and second class seats.[6]

Rail connections

See also

References