China plans to invest 700 billion yuan in the construction of railways this year. That could take the total length of high-speed railways to 13,000 kilometres by the end of 2011.
China's Railways Minister Liu Zhi-jun says high speed rail linking Beijing and Shanghai, will be put into operation in mid June this year. The 14-hundred kilometer long railway was scheduled to open in 2012, but is now opening one year ahead of schedule. Travel time between the capital and the country's financial hub, will be cut to less than five hours. That's half the current travel time by train. High speed trains can now reach 380 kilometers per hour in China.
China's Railways Minister Liu Zhi-jun says high speed rail linking Beijing and Shanghai, will be put into operation in mid June this year. The 14-hundred kilometer long railway was scheduled to open in 2012, but is now opening one year ahead of schedule. Travel time between the capital and the country's financial hub, will be cut to less than five hours. That's half the current travel time by train. High speed trains can now reach 380 kilometers per hour in China.
