China’s bullet trains facilitate market integration and mitigate the cost of megacity growth
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TaiShang
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High-speed Rail to Link Beijing, Co-bidding 2022 Olympic City
2015-03-10 20:37:15 CRIENGLISH.com
An inter-city express linking Beijing and Zhangjiakou, the two candidate co-host cities for the 2022 Winter Olympics, will start construction this year, the Beijing Youth Daily reported.
The high-speed rail line stretches 174 kilometers, covering nine stations, construction is expected to last four and a half years.
It's estimated that the travel time between the two cities would be shortened to 50 minutes from around three hours.
Besides a shorter travel time, some scenic spots along the planned rail line is another reason that makes the express worth trying.
1 Tsinghua University
The Tsinghuayuan Station is the first stop setting off from Beijing North Railway Station. Tsinghuayuan refers to the campus of the country's top educational institute, Tsinghua University. Its alumni includes many top political leaders, scholars and scientists, such as the current President Xi Jinping, who graduated with a degree in chemical engineering in 1979, and former President Hu Jintao, who graduated with a degree in hydraulic engineering in 1964.
With a history of more than 100 years, the university is blessed with many ancient-style buildings and a good academic atmosphere, which makes it an attractive place to visit.
2 Badaling section of the Great Wall
The Badaling area is the most difficult part of the Beijing-Zhangjiakou Inter-city Express project, it is also home to the most visited section of the Great Wall. This section was built in 1504 during the Ming Dynasty.
3 Guanting Reservoir
Guanting Reservoir in Hebei province is the first large reservoir built after the founding of People's Republic of China. As one of the main water sources of Beijing, Guanting Reservoir once served for flood control, irrigation and electricity generation.
Suffering from serious pollution in the 1980s and 1990s, the reservoir stopped providing drinking water to the city in 1997. After years of efforts, it was reused as a source of drinking water provision in 2007.
Now it is a good relaxation destination especially for Beijingers.
4 Xuanhua
Xuanhua district of Hebei province is rich in historic and cultural deposits. The bell tower, drum tower, and Lihuasi pagoda in the ancient Xuanhua city were built several hundred years ago.
Sun Yat-sen, forerunner of the Chinese revolution, visited the Jingzhang railway line site in 1912. [File Photo]
5 Old Beijing-Zhangjiakou Railway
This line reminds Chinese people of the country's first self-designed and self-invested rail line, Jingzhang railway line, linking Beijing and Zhangjiakou. It marks the introduction of modern industrial civilization to China.
Zhan Tianyou, China's railway and modern engineering pioneer, was assigned as the chief engineer.
Starting in 1905, the historical project was completed in only four years, two years ahead of schedule.
At a time lacking of advanced machines, the line was built by Chinese people's bare hands.
Jingzhang railway line, also the first section of Beijing-Baotou railway, ran until July 1, 2014.
At present, the old Jingzhang railway line is reserved as a historical site. Several sculptures and museums of Zhan Tianyou are standing along the rail line designed by him.
Restored Zhangjiakou Station of the old Jingzhang railway line. [Photo: Xinhua]
2015-03-10 20:37:15 CRIENGLISH.com
An inter-city express linking Beijing and Zhangjiakou, the two candidate co-host cities for the 2022 Winter Olympics, will start construction this year, the Beijing Youth Daily reported.
The high-speed rail line stretches 174 kilometers, covering nine stations, construction is expected to last four and a half years.
It's estimated that the travel time between the two cities would be shortened to 50 minutes from around three hours.
Besides a shorter travel time, some scenic spots along the planned rail line is another reason that makes the express worth trying.
1 Tsinghua University
The Tsinghuayuan Station is the first stop setting off from Beijing North Railway Station. Tsinghuayuan refers to the campus of the country's top educational institute, Tsinghua University. Its alumni includes many top political leaders, scholars and scientists, such as the current President Xi Jinping, who graduated with a degree in chemical engineering in 1979, and former President Hu Jintao, who graduated with a degree in hydraulic engineering in 1964.
With a history of more than 100 years, the university is blessed with many ancient-style buildings and a good academic atmosphere, which makes it an attractive place to visit.
2 Badaling section of the Great Wall
The Badaling area is the most difficult part of the Beijing-Zhangjiakou Inter-city Express project, it is also home to the most visited section of the Great Wall. This section was built in 1504 during the Ming Dynasty.
3 Guanting Reservoir
Guanting Reservoir in Hebei province is the first large reservoir built after the founding of People's Republic of China. As one of the main water sources of Beijing, Guanting Reservoir once served for flood control, irrigation and electricity generation.
Suffering from serious pollution in the 1980s and 1990s, the reservoir stopped providing drinking water to the city in 1997. After years of efforts, it was reused as a source of drinking water provision in 2007.
Now it is a good relaxation destination especially for Beijingers.
4 Xuanhua
Xuanhua district of Hebei province is rich in historic and cultural deposits. The bell tower, drum tower, and Lihuasi pagoda in the ancient Xuanhua city were built several hundred years ago.
Sun Yat-sen, forerunner of the Chinese revolution, visited the Jingzhang railway line site in 1912. [File Photo]
5 Old Beijing-Zhangjiakou Railway
This line reminds Chinese people of the country's first self-designed and self-invested rail line, Jingzhang railway line, linking Beijing and Zhangjiakou. It marks the introduction of modern industrial civilization to China.
Zhan Tianyou, China's railway and modern engineering pioneer, was assigned as the chief engineer.
Starting in 1905, the historical project was completed in only four years, two years ahead of schedule.
At a time lacking of advanced machines, the line was built by Chinese people's bare hands.
Jingzhang railway line, also the first section of Beijing-Baotou railway, ran until July 1, 2014.
At present, the old Jingzhang railway line is reserved as a historical site. Several sculptures and museums of Zhan Tianyou are standing along the rail line designed by him.
Restored Zhangjiakou Station of the old Jingzhang railway line. [Photo: Xinhua]
cirr
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Construction of the 595km 16 billion yuan Xi'an-Yinchuan HSR is set to start in the 2nd half of 2015：
银川至西安高铁下半年开建 全长595公里_凤凰资讯
Journey time from Xi'an to Yinchuan（capital city of Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region）will be shortened from 14 hours to 3 hours。
银川至西安高铁下半年开建 全长595公里_凤凰资讯
Journey time from Xi'an to Yinchuan（capital city of Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region）will be shortened from 14 hours to 3 hours。
cirr
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2015 railway project spending in Yangtze delta to hit RMB 55.9 billion
Friday, 13 March 2015
In 2015, RMB 55.9 billion will be invested in railway construction in China's Yangtze River Delta region, with six projects due to be commissioned and construction commencing on 12 other projects, as announced by Shanghai Railway Bureau on March 12.
The six projects due to enter operation include the Beijing-Fuzhou passenger line, the Nanjing-Anqing interurban railway, the Jinhua-Lishui-Wenzhou railway, the Nanjing-Qidong line, the Ningbo hub northern line and the second Nanjing-Xi'an railway line, with the total length of the railways in question amounting to over 1,200 kilometers, which will improve railway transport capacity in the Yangtze River Delta.
Anhui Kicks off Seven Railway Projects
Pub Date: 15-03-13 10:54 Source: Anhui
Shanghai Railway Bureau Thursday announced a budget of 55.9 billion yuan ($9.1 billion) for railway projects in the Yangtze River Delta region, pledging to put six rail links into operation and start construction of another 12 ones this year.
As part of the region, Anhui province will pitch in with the work
Hefei-Fuzhou HSR to open in late June
The under-construction high-speed railway linking Hefei, capital of the province, and Fuzhou, capital of East China's Fujian province, is undergoing an overall test. The 808-km-long rail, designed to allow trains to run at a speed of 300 km per hour, is due to open to traffic in late June. It will cut the travel time between the two cities to about three hours.
Nanjing-Anqing Intercity Railway to open in October
The 258-km railroad from Nanjing, capital of East China's Jiangsu province, to Anqing in the southwest of Anhui is nearing completion. After it opens in October, passengers will be able to travel among the five cities in the Anhui-section Yangtze River region by bullet trains. The railway will join the Shanghai-Nanjing Intercity Railway and the Nanjing-Hangzhou Intercity Railway in Nanjing, and the Hefei-Fuzhou High-Speed Railway in Tongling.
Nanjing-Xi'an railway to open in December
The 952-km-long rail passes Shaanxi, Henan, Hubei, Anhui and Jiangsu provinces. Upon completion in December, the travel time between Hefei and Xi'an, capital of Shaanxi province, will be slashed by half.
To-be-built projects
1.A 793.5-km high-speed railway from Shangqiu in Central China's Henan province to Hefei and Hangzhou, capital of East China's Zhejiang province
2.A 517-km high-speed railway from Zhengzhou, capital of Henan province, to Hefei
3.A railway to connect Hefei, Anqing in Anhui with Jiujiang of East China' Jiangxi province
4.Electrification of the Wuhu-Hangzhou Railway
5.Electrification of the Anhui-Jiangxi Railway
6.Electrification of the Nanjing-Wuhu-Tongling Railway
7.Expansion of the Fuyangbei Station
Anhui Kicks off Seven Railway Projects-english-?а?????
Friday, 13 March 2015
In 2015, RMB 55.9 billion will be invested in railway construction in China's Yangtze River Delta region, with six projects due to be commissioned and construction commencing on 12 other projects, as announced by Shanghai Railway Bureau on March 12.
The six projects due to enter operation include the Beijing-Fuzhou passenger line, the Nanjing-Anqing interurban railway, the Jinhua-Lishui-Wenzhou railway, the Nanjing-Qidong line, the Ningbo hub northern line and the second Nanjing-Xi'an railway line, with the total length of the railways in question amounting to over 1,200 kilometers, which will improve railway transport capacity in the Yangtze River Delta.
Anhui Kicks off Seven Railway Projects
Pub Date: 15-03-13 10:54 Source: Anhui
Shanghai Railway Bureau Thursday announced a budget of 55.9 billion yuan ($9.1 billion) for railway projects in the Yangtze River Delta region, pledging to put six rail links into operation and start construction of another 12 ones this year.
As part of the region, Anhui province will pitch in with the work
Hefei-Fuzhou HSR to open in late June
The under-construction high-speed railway linking Hefei, capital of the province, and Fuzhou, capital of East China's Fujian province, is undergoing an overall test. The 808-km-long rail, designed to allow trains to run at a speed of 300 km per hour, is due to open to traffic in late June. It will cut the travel time between the two cities to about three hours.
Nanjing-Anqing Intercity Railway to open in October
The 258-km railroad from Nanjing, capital of East China's Jiangsu province, to Anqing in the southwest of Anhui is nearing completion. After it opens in October, passengers will be able to travel among the five cities in the Anhui-section Yangtze River region by bullet trains. The railway will join the Shanghai-Nanjing Intercity Railway and the Nanjing-Hangzhou Intercity Railway in Nanjing, and the Hefei-Fuzhou High-Speed Railway in Tongling.
Nanjing-Xi'an railway to open in December
The 952-km-long rail passes Shaanxi, Henan, Hubei, Anhui and Jiangsu provinces. Upon completion in December, the travel time between Hefei and Xi'an, capital of Shaanxi province, will be slashed by half.
To-be-built projects
1.A 793.5-km high-speed railway from Shangqiu in Central China's Henan province to Hefei and Hangzhou, capital of East China's Zhejiang province
2.A 517-km high-speed railway from Zhengzhou, capital of Henan province, to Hefei
3.A railway to connect Hefei, Anqing in Anhui with Jiujiang of East China' Jiangxi province
4.Electrification of the Wuhu-Hangzhou Railway
5.Electrification of the Anhui-Jiangxi Railway
6.Electrification of the Nanjing-Wuhu-Tongling Railway
7.Expansion of the Fuyangbei Station
Anhui Kicks off Seven Railway Projects-english-?а?????
cirr
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17 March 2015
PolyU Study Finds High-speed Rail Boosts Chinese Domestic Tourism Demand
In a pioneering study, Professor Hanqin Qiu of the School of Hotel and Tourism Management (SHTM) at The Hong Kong Polytechnic University and two co-authors have found that China's high-speed railway has increased domestic tourism demand. The researchers investigated the effects of the 1,070-kilometre Wuhan-Guangzhou stretch of the railway on domestic tourism receipts in three Chinese provinces, finding that it has produced significant benefits for tourism in Guangdong and Hunan, with Hubei lagging behind. Yet the overall situation, they suggest, broadly confirms that "transport infrastructure is a necessary precondition for the development of the tourism industry".
Advancements in transportation technology have long been "regarded as one of the three pillars underlying the prosperity of modern tourism", according to the researchers, with the other two being disposable income and adequate leisure time. They explain that China has seen major strides in all three since launching its open-door policy in 1978, and the benefits for tourism are clear. The country's growing middle class, with higher salaries and more free time than ever before, is fuelling domestic tourism. The number of domestic tourist visits totalled 1.6 billion in 2010, they note, generating revenue of RMB777 billion.
In a country as vast as China, robust transport infrastructure is needed to move all those people around – a feat partly accomplished by China's high-speed rail network. Yet the project has not been without controversy over safety and huge costs. The researchers believe that a study of the relationships between high-speed train operations and "tourism development in local destinations" will go a long way towards addressing these concerns and demonstrating the network's important economic contributions.
Although it is relatively well accepted that transport is critical to destination development, with trains in particular promoting sustainable tourism, the news for the tourist trade is not always positive. The researchers note that some evidence suggests that the expansion of China's high-speed rail network has deprived hotels of guests by making certain destinations too accessible, "with gains for one destination being losses for another along the route". They thus set out to determine the overall economic value of the network "in tourism terms".
The researchers selected the Wuhan-Guangzhou stretch of the high-speed rail network because it is the longest, spanning 11 destinations with various levels of economic and social development. Hubei, Hunan and Guangdong provinces also differ in the extent to which they host tourism activities and have developed the appropriate infrastructure. The decision was made to concentrate on domestic rather than international tourism because receipts from domestic tourists far outstrip those from international visitors. The researchers note that domestic tourism receipts in 2011 were US$30.6 billion in Hubei, $27.3 billion in Hunan and $62.4 billion in Guangdong compared to international receipts of $0.94 billion, $1 billion and $13.9 billion, respectively.
To ensure that they captured the situation both before and after the opening of the Wuhan-Guangzhou railway, which reduced the travel time between the two cities from 11 hours to 3, the researchers studied two periods: from January 2008 to December 2009, and from January 2010 to December 2011. They used tourism receipts in the three provinces to approximate tourists' disposable income, and sought to determine the tourism-related economic effect of the opening of the high-speed line.
The researchers report that there were significantly higher domestic tourism receipts in Guangdong and Hunan than in Hubei after the Wuhan-Guangzhou section of the high-speed railway commenced operations. Indeed, receipts in Hubei shifted very little. On a more positive note, they suggest that if the respective characteristics of Guangdong and Hunan are taken into account, the railway's economic effects are "more widespread and pronounced" than would at first seem obvious, with the relatively less-developed inland province of Hunan experiencing greater growth than its more developed coastal counterpart.
Also of interest are the railway's "spill-over effects", the researchers note, citing reports indicating that even nearby destinations not on its route have benefitted, with some achieving 100% growth since the line opened. They take this as evidence that "transport can contribute to the optimization of tourism product structure and enhance the overall attractiveness of the broader region". Their findings also indicate "new opportunities for inter-destination cooperation and integration", as Guangdong has traditionally been the major tourist source market for Hunan.
The railway has also had considerable "knock-on effects", according to the researchers. These have included competition-induced reductions in airfares, greater flexibility in flight schedules and a major boost for short-haul weekend tours. The end result, they argue, is "a wider range of choices for the tourist", which has influenced "many aspects of their 'travel career' beyond increased spending".
Given that Hubei province seems to have missed out on the railway's benefits, the researchers cautiously suggest that "high-speed rail should not be treated as a panacea for tourism", with no attention paid to the existing tourism infrastructure and attractions in a given destination. They emphasise, however, that they focused on a period soon after the railway commenced operations, and "positive impacts may be manifest in the longer term" for Hubei.
In addition, the researchers measured the railway's economic effects in the form of tourism receipts and, with the exception of its capital Wuhan, Hubei features few attractions other than the natural landscape. Hence, without the development of more attractions, the railway can offer little economic benefit to the tourism industry and may even be detrimental to the hotel and hospitality sector by reducing the need for overnight stays.
The continued popularity of the Wuhan-Guangzhou high-speed railway despite its relatively high ticket price – RMB450 one-way versus RMB330 for a normal-speed train – indicates that "it has become a tourist attraction in its own right", the researchers believe. The way forward, they note, is more "regional cooperation, enrichment of tourism products and integration of the broader tourist transport infrastructure". This could be complemented by marketing campaigns that emphasise the benefits of high-speed rail travel, and travel packages and itineraries that incorporate rail components and "experience optimisation".
Despite finding few short-term economic benefits for Hubei province, the researchers believe that they have provided "solid evidence for the positive effects of the high-speed railway on the development of an industry that is assuming rising significance in the Chinese economy". This, they hope, will spur the tourism sector towards more creative ways of capitalising on the railway to achieve further growth. Most importantly, their findings should provide the very important service of helping to dispel criticisms of the high-speed railway's economic value for the country as a whole.
Yan, York Qi, Zhang, Hanqin Qiu and Ye, Ben Haobin (2014). Assessing the Impacts of the High-speed Train on Tourism Demand in China. Tourism Economics, 20(1), 157-169.
http://www.hospitalitynet.org/news/4069509.html
PolyU Study Finds High-speed Rail Boosts Chinese Domestic Tourism Demand
In a pioneering study, Professor Hanqin Qiu of the School of Hotel and Tourism Management (SHTM) at The Hong Kong Polytechnic University and two co-authors have found that China's high-speed railway has increased domestic tourism demand. The researchers investigated the effects of the 1,070-kilometre Wuhan-Guangzhou stretch of the railway on domestic tourism receipts in three Chinese provinces, finding that it has produced significant benefits for tourism in Guangdong and Hunan, with Hubei lagging behind. Yet the overall situation, they suggest, broadly confirms that "transport infrastructure is a necessary precondition for the development of the tourism industry".
Advancements in transportation technology have long been "regarded as one of the three pillars underlying the prosperity of modern tourism", according to the researchers, with the other two being disposable income and adequate leisure time. They explain that China has seen major strides in all three since launching its open-door policy in 1978, and the benefits for tourism are clear. The country's growing middle class, with higher salaries and more free time than ever before, is fuelling domestic tourism. The number of domestic tourist visits totalled 1.6 billion in 2010, they note, generating revenue of RMB777 billion.
In a country as vast as China, robust transport infrastructure is needed to move all those people around – a feat partly accomplished by China's high-speed rail network. Yet the project has not been without controversy over safety and huge costs. The researchers believe that a study of the relationships between high-speed train operations and "tourism development in local destinations" will go a long way towards addressing these concerns and demonstrating the network's important economic contributions.
Although it is relatively well accepted that transport is critical to destination development, with trains in particular promoting sustainable tourism, the news for the tourist trade is not always positive. The researchers note that some evidence suggests that the expansion of China's high-speed rail network has deprived hotels of guests by making certain destinations too accessible, "with gains for one destination being losses for another along the route". They thus set out to determine the overall economic value of the network "in tourism terms".
The researchers selected the Wuhan-Guangzhou stretch of the high-speed rail network because it is the longest, spanning 11 destinations with various levels of economic and social development. Hubei, Hunan and Guangdong provinces also differ in the extent to which they host tourism activities and have developed the appropriate infrastructure. The decision was made to concentrate on domestic rather than international tourism because receipts from domestic tourists far outstrip those from international visitors. The researchers note that domestic tourism receipts in 2011 were US$30.6 billion in Hubei, $27.3 billion in Hunan and $62.4 billion in Guangdong compared to international receipts of $0.94 billion, $1 billion and $13.9 billion, respectively.
To ensure that they captured the situation both before and after the opening of the Wuhan-Guangzhou railway, which reduced the travel time between the two cities from 11 hours to 3, the researchers studied two periods: from January 2008 to December 2009, and from January 2010 to December 2011. They used tourism receipts in the three provinces to approximate tourists' disposable income, and sought to determine the tourism-related economic effect of the opening of the high-speed line.
The researchers report that there were significantly higher domestic tourism receipts in Guangdong and Hunan than in Hubei after the Wuhan-Guangzhou section of the high-speed railway commenced operations. Indeed, receipts in Hubei shifted very little. On a more positive note, they suggest that if the respective characteristics of Guangdong and Hunan are taken into account, the railway's economic effects are "more widespread and pronounced" than would at first seem obvious, with the relatively less-developed inland province of Hunan experiencing greater growth than its more developed coastal counterpart.
Also of interest are the railway's "spill-over effects", the researchers note, citing reports indicating that even nearby destinations not on its route have benefitted, with some achieving 100% growth since the line opened. They take this as evidence that "transport can contribute to the optimization of tourism product structure and enhance the overall attractiveness of the broader region". Their findings also indicate "new opportunities for inter-destination cooperation and integration", as Guangdong has traditionally been the major tourist source market for Hunan.
The railway has also had considerable "knock-on effects", according to the researchers. These have included competition-induced reductions in airfares, greater flexibility in flight schedules and a major boost for short-haul weekend tours. The end result, they argue, is "a wider range of choices for the tourist", which has influenced "many aspects of their 'travel career' beyond increased spending".
Given that Hubei province seems to have missed out on the railway's benefits, the researchers cautiously suggest that "high-speed rail should not be treated as a panacea for tourism", with no attention paid to the existing tourism infrastructure and attractions in a given destination. They emphasise, however, that they focused on a period soon after the railway commenced operations, and "positive impacts may be manifest in the longer term" for Hubei.
In addition, the researchers measured the railway's economic effects in the form of tourism receipts and, with the exception of its capital Wuhan, Hubei features few attractions other than the natural landscape. Hence, without the development of more attractions, the railway can offer little economic benefit to the tourism industry and may even be detrimental to the hotel and hospitality sector by reducing the need for overnight stays.
The continued popularity of the Wuhan-Guangzhou high-speed railway despite its relatively high ticket price – RMB450 one-way versus RMB330 for a normal-speed train – indicates that "it has become a tourist attraction in its own right", the researchers believe. The way forward, they note, is more "regional cooperation, enrichment of tourism products and integration of the broader tourist transport infrastructure". This could be complemented by marketing campaigns that emphasise the benefits of high-speed rail travel, and travel packages and itineraries that incorporate rail components and "experience optimisation".
Despite finding few short-term economic benefits for Hubei province, the researchers believe that they have provided "solid evidence for the positive effects of the high-speed railway on the development of an industry that is assuming rising significance in the Chinese economy". This, they hope, will spur the tourism sector towards more creative ways of capitalising on the railway to achieve further growth. Most importantly, their findings should provide the very important service of helping to dispel criticisms of the high-speed railway's economic value for the country as a whole.
Yan, York Qi, Zhang, Hanqin Qiu and Ye, Ben Haobin (2014). Assessing the Impacts of the High-speed Train on Tourism Demand in China. Tourism Economics, 20(1), 157-169.
http://www.hospitalitynet.org/news/4069509.html
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