China is planning to increase the high-speed rail network in the Yangtze River Delta by half over the next five years as part of a $150bn rail investment programme.
According to Reuters, Shanghai Securities News reported today that the overall network will grow by around 8,000km to more than 22,000km, with 17,000km of that being main lines.
The aim is to construct a network that connects cities which have more than 200,000 residents, with high-speed links between all cities at prefecture or higher level.
The planned growth, which is expected to reach $11.6bn this year, was revealed to the paper by sources at China Railway Shanghai Group, however it is consistent with the goals set out in July by the National Development and Reform Commission, and by China Railway Shanghai in February (see further reading).
The Yangtze Delta area, which is centred on Shanghai, has a population of 220 million and an industrial output of $3 trillion, making up about a quarter of China’s GDP.
Image: A high-speed CR300AF leaves Shanghai station (MNXANL/CC BY-SA 4.0)
