Beijing and Tianjin to Launch Inter-city Railway

Integrated transportation as one of the pioneering major areas of the national strategy - integrated development of Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region will welcome new actions by the end of the year.

The railway connecting Beijing and Tangshan in Hebei will be launched by the end of the year, according to the Beijing Municipal Development and Reform Commission. In addition, the second inter-city railway between Beijing and Tianjin – the Beijing-Binhai Inter-city Railway will be launched by the end of the year.

The National Development and Reform Commission decided to establish the "Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei regional railway system" this May. The plan includes a railway connecting Beijing and Bazhou in Hebei, supporting projects of the new Beijing airport railway, the inter-city railway between Beijing and Tanshan, and research on railways connecting Tianjin and Hebei.

Among the railways connecting Beijing, Tianjin, and Hebei, the Beijing-Tangshan Inter-City Railway has the fastest progress.

Liu Bozheng, deputy director of the Beijing Municipal Development and Reform Commission, said that the schedule of the Beijing-Binhai Railway is still unclear. But the commission will make every effort to start construction by the end of the year.

Beijing, Tianjin, and Hebei are establishing a transportation system based on inter-city railways and will realize the goal of one-hours travel across the region, added Liu.

The Beijing-Binhai Inter-City High Speed Railway will leave from Beijing, stop at Xianghe in Hebei and Baodi in Tianjin, and finally arrive at Binhai. The part connecting Beijing, Xianghe, and Baodi will also be involved in the Beijing-Tangshan Railway. The specific route is still in research.

Beijing, Tianjin, Hebei, and Beijing Railway have invested 10 billion yuan ($1.61 billion) in establishing the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei Inter-City Railway Company. The establishment has broken through the regional pattern in infrastructure investment and construction by the administrative area and is beneficial to form a united inter-city railway network, which contributes to the integrated transportation in Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region.