Guangzhou–Zhuhai Intercity Railway

Not to be confused with Guangzhou-Zhuhai Railway.
Guangzhou–Zhuhai
Intercity Railway
广珠城际铁路

Zhuhai North Station
Overview
Type High-speed rail
Status Operational
Locale Guangzhou
Foshan
Zhongshan
Jiangmen
Zhuhai
Macau
Termini Guangzhou South
Zhuhai/Xinhui
Stations 22
Services 2
Ridership 342,000
Operation
Opened 7 January 2011
Operator(s) China Railway High-speed
Technical
Line length 187 km (116.196 mi)
Track gauge 1,435 mm (4 ft 8 1⁄2 in) standard gauge
Operating speed 200 km/h (124 mph)
Route map
Guangzhou-Zhuhai Intercity Railway
Line length:187 km (116 mi)
Track gauge:1,435 mm (4 ft 8 1⁄2 in)
Maximum speed:200 km/h (124 mph)
Stations and structures
Legend
0 Guangzhou South
5 Bijiang
11 Beijiao
15 Shunde
23 Shunde College
32 Ronggui
37 Nantou
45 Xiaolan
Xiaolan-Xinhui Branch Line
52 Dongsheng
64 Zhongshan North
70 Zhongshan
83 Nanlang
Cuiheng
93 Zhuhai North
97 Tangjiawan
109 Mingzhu
113 Qianshan
116 Zhuhai
Guangzhou–Zhuhai Intercity Railway
Simplified Chinese 广珠城际轨道交通
Traditional Chinese 廣珠城際軌道交通
Alternative Chinese name
Simplified Chinese 广珠城轨
Traditional Chinese 廣珠城軌
CRH1A in Guangzhou South Railway Station
Guangzhu Railway in construction, June 2010
Duninggang Tunnel (都宁港隧道) of Guangzhu Railway
Zhongshan Railway Station (中山站)
Xiaolan Railway Station (小榄站) Platform

Guangzhou–Zhuhai Intercity Railway or Guangzhu Intercity Railway (Chinese: 广州-珠海城际快速轨道; abbreviated as 广珠城轨 Guǎng-Zhū chéng guǐ[1]) is a dedicated, grade-separated passenger railway linking New Guangzhou Station in Panyu, Guangzhou, and Zhuhai Airport in Zhuhai, via Shunde, Zhongshan and Jiangmen, in Guangdong, China.[2] It is the first line completed in the currently under construction Pearl River Delta Rapid Transit network.

Overview

The railway has partly started operations in January 2011. It will be divided into three parts with a total of 27 stations. Its main line between Guangzhou and Zhuhai City, via Shunde and Zhongshan, is 117 km (73 mi) long, with 17 stations and a maximum speed of 200 km/h (124 mph). The planned extension from Zhuhai City to Zhuhai Airport is 35.3 km (22 mi) long, with 7 stations and a maximum speed of 160 km/h (99 mph). Its spur line between Zhongshan and Jiangmen is 26 km (16 mi) long, with 6 stations and a maximum speed of 200 km/h (124 mph).[3][4]

When fully completed, passengers traveling on the main line between Zhuhai and Guangzhou South will have a choice between a 46-minute non-stop and a 76-minute, 140 km/h all-stop service. The non-stop service is offered between Zhuhai and Guangzhou South only, and travel between Zhuhai (Gongbei) and Zhuhai Airport will be cut down to 25 minutes.[5] It currently takes 50 minutes to travel by auto from Gongbei, Zhuhai to Zhuhai Airport, and 1 hour 30 minutes from Gongbei, Zhuhai to Panyu, Guangzhou.

The construction of the railway began in 2005[6] and it was to be completed by 2010 to cope with the opening of the Guangzhou Asian Games, but missed this deadline.[7]

After the opening of the Guangzhu Line, Zhongshan will open nine new bus lines to support operations, according to Zhongshan Public Transportation Corporation. By the end of 2010, more than 100 shuttle buses will be put into operation.[8]

Name Confusion

Due to the confusing usage of the Chinese term "Qinggui" (轻轨, could refer to a Light Rail line or an elevated Mass Rapid Transit line) in the original name of this railway, this line was firstly conceived as a Mass Rapid Transit line. As later pointed out by the local media Nanfang Daily,[9] however, this is a mainline Chinese railway, run by the national Chinese Ministry of Railway (instead of a local agency or authority),[9] using mainline rolling stock CRH1,[9] and with a schedule (minimum interval at 30 minutes,[10] and with respective identifier for each train[10]) that is very unlikely to be a MRT line. The old term "Guangzhu Qingui" (广珠轻轨, Guangzhu Mass Rapid Transit) is discarded in favor of "Guangzhu Chengji Tielu." (广珠城际铁路, Guangzhu Intercity Railway) in news media.[9][10]

History

In April 2004, the ongoing Guangzhou–Zhuhai Intercity Railway traffic's preliminary feasibility study was finished, resulting in a proposed railway alignments, technical standards, and project design details.[11] Soon afterwards, the railway project was included on the list of major projects for 2005 in Zhuhai.[11] At the first Pearl River Dela Regional Economic and Trade Cooperation Fair on July 14, 2004, the Ministry of Railways and Guangdong's provincial government signed an agreement, forming the Guangdong Pearl River Delta Intercity Rail Company and giving each party a 50 percent share in the joint venture. Thus, the Guangzhou–Zhuhai Intercity Railway was born, incorporating officially on July 29.

On March 16, 2005, China's State Council considered the adoption of the "Bohai Sea, Yangtze River Delta, and Pearl River Delta Intercity Railway Network Plan" [12] during the May 2005 Guangzhou–Zhuhai Intercity Railway preliminary design review. The design of the Guangzhou-Zhuhai project was adjusted, and a single alignment was preliminarily determined. Substantial adjustments were made to the alignment south of Jiangmen, resulting in the current "Nanlang Alignment". The "Nanlang Alignment" runs from Cuiheng Village in Zhongshan to Zhuhai along the east side of Yangangwan Avenue, through the Fenghuangshan Tunnel, along Mingzhu Road, Gangchang Road, and Changsheng Road before reaching Zhuhai's Xiangzhou District.[13]

On December 18, 2005，construction on the Guangzhou–Zhuhai Intercity Railway commenced.[14] Construction of elevated lines in the form of aerial structures accounts for approximately 92.25% of the alignment, allowing for minimal changes in slope and grade that provides for a smooth train ride throughout the system.[15]

On March 25, 2008, the preliminary feasibility study for the Zhuhai(Gongbei)—Zhuhai Airport extension line was released. The 35.3 kilometer westward extension from the original terminus at Zhuhai Station passes over several waterways on its way to Sanzao and Zhuhai Airport, including the Qianshan, Maliuzhou, Modaomen and Niwanmen waterways. Six additional stations will be built, including Wanzai, Xiawan, Lianhua, Hengqin, Sanzao, and Zhuhai Airport. A possible seventh station, Hezhou South Station, will be built in the future depending on the realization of local development. Hengqin Station and Sanzao Station are separated by 15.7 kilometers, of which includes 6.97 kilometers passing over Jinhai bridge, the greatest distance between two stations along this line.[16][17] In addition, provisions for a future connection to the Macau Light Transit System will be made near Hengqin, possibly in the form of an underwater spur line linking to Macau Light Rapid Transit's Cotai line.[18] Construction, which was scheduled to be completed in 2011, will effectively link cities in the Pearl River Delta with Macau by rail.[16][17][18]

The light rail began operations between Guangzhou South and Zhuhai North (formerly named Jintang) Stations on January 7, 2011, while the extension of the line to Gongbei via the Fenghuang Shan Tunnel was postponed. Fares between Guangzhou and Zhuhai North are 44 RMB 1st class; 36 RMB economy class and 22 RMB for students. The journey time is 39 minutes. Express buses are available to link Zhuhai North Station with Xiangzhou and Gongbei, while regular buses 3A & 65 serve local residents.

In November 2012, testing started on the last section of the railway, from Zhuhai North to Gongbei;[1] it was expected to be opened for service on 1 January 2013.[19]

The airport extension

It was reported in November 2012 that the construction work on the line's extension from downtown Zhuhai to Zhuhai Sanzao Airport, via Hengqing Island, would start by the end of 2012. The extension is supposed to be completed by the end of 2016.[1]

At the Hengqing Island station, a connection is planned to the proposed Macau Light Rail Transit.[1]

Stations

Mainline

Station Name
English
Station Name
Hanzi
Total
Distance
Transfer
Location
Guangzhou South 广州南 0 Guangzhou Metro Line 2 JingGuangShenGang HSR Panyu, Guangzhou
Bijiang 碧江 5
Shunde, Foshan
Beijiao 北滘 11
Shunde 顺德 15
Shunde College 顺德学院 23
Ronggui 容桂 32
Nantou 南头 37 Nantou, Zhongshan
Xiaolan 小榄 45 (Branch Line) Xiaolan, Zhongshan
Dongsheng 东升 52 Dongsheng, Zhongshan
Zhongshan North 中山北 64 Shiqi, Zhongshan
Zhongshan 中山 70 Torch Development Zone, Zhongshan
Nanlang 南朗 83 Nanlang, Zhongshan
Cuiheng 翠亨
Zhuhai North 珠海北 93 Xiangzhou, Zhuhai
Tangjiawan 唐家湾 97
Mingzhu 明珠 109
Qianshan 前山 113
Zhuhai 珠海 116

Branch

Station Name
English
Station Name
Hanzi
Total
Distance
Transfer
Location
Xiaolan 小榄 45 (Main Line) Xiaolan, Zhongshan
Guzhen 古镇 54 Guzhen, Zhongshan
Waihai 外海 Jianghai, Jiangmen
Jiangmen 江门 65
Lile 礼乐
Xinhui 新会 71 Xinhui, Jiangmen

References

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External links

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