Guangzhou–Zhuhai intercity railway

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Guangzhou–Zhuhai intercity railway
Front square of the Zhuhai Railway Station
Overview
Other name(s)Guangzhu intercity railway
Native name广珠城际铁路
StatusOperational
OwnerGuangzhou–Zhuhai intercity railway Co. Ltd.
LocaleGuangdong province
Termini
Stations22
Service
TypeHigher-speed rail
Inter-city rail
System
Services2
Operator(s)China Railway CR Guangzhou
Daily ridership342,000
History
Commenced8 December 2005 (18 years ago) (2005-12-08)
Opened7 January 2011 (13 years ago) (2011-01-07)
Technical
Line length143.03 km/h (88.87 mph) (Main line)
187 km/h (116 mph) (Branch line)
Number of tracksDouble-track
CharacterElevated
Track gauge1,435 mm (4 ft 8+12 in) standard gauge
Electrification25 kV 50 Hz AC (Overhead line)
Operating speed200 km/h (120 mph) (Design)
250 km/h (160 mph) (Maximum)
120 km/h (75 mph) (Zhuhai - Zhuhai Airport)
Chinese name
Simplified Chinese广珠城际铁路
Traditional Chinese廣珠城際鐵路
Route map

0
Guangzhou South
5
Bijiang
11
Beijiao
15
Shunde
23
Shunde College
32
Ronggui
37
Nantou
45
Xiaolan
Guangzhou South-Jiangmen Branch Line
52
Dongsheng
64
Zhongshan North
70
Zhongshan
83
Nanlang
Cuiheng
93
Zhuhai North
97
Tangjiawan
109
Mingzhu
113
Qianshan
Zhuhai–Zhuhai Airport intercity railway
116
Zhuhai

Guangzhou–Zhuhai intercity railway or Guangzhu intercity railway (simplified Chinese: 广珠城际铁路; traditional Chinese: 廣珠城際鐵路; pinyin: guǎngzhū chéngjì tiělù) is a dedicated, grade-separated regional railway linking Guangzhou South railway station in Panyu, Guangzhou, Jiangmen railway station in Xinhui, Jiangmen,and Zhuhai Jinwan Airport in Zhuhai, via Shunde, Zhongshan and Jiangmen, in Guangdong province.[1] It is the first line completed in the Pearl River Delta Metropolitan Region intercity railway network. It is operated by China Railway Guangzhou Group.

Overview[edit]

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).[2][3]

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.[4] 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.[citation needed]

The construction of the railway began in 2005[5] and it was to be completed by 2010 to cope with the opening of the Guangzhou Asian Games, but missed this deadline.[6]

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.[7] Initially with trains operating about every 30 minutes,[8] services have gradually been increased to cope with rising passenger numbers. Do to high demand for local stopping services, the amount of express services between Jiangmen and Zhuhai to Guangzhou is limited. To remedy this, a parallel regional railway, the Guangfojiangzhu ICR, running between Zhuhai Jinwan Airport and Guangzhou via Jiangmen and Foshan's Nanhai District is proposed to be constructed.[9][10]

Name confusion[edit]

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,[11] however, this is a mainline Chinese railway, run by the national Chinese Ministry of Railway (instead of a local agency or authority),[11] using mainline rolling stock CRH1,[11] and with respective identifier for each train,[8] that is very unlikely to be a Mass Rapid Transit line. The old term "Guangzhu Qinggui" (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.[11][8]

History[edit]

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.[12] Soon afterwards, the railway project was included on the list of major projects for 2005 in Zhuhai.[12] 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.[citation needed]

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"[13] 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.[14]

On December 18, 2005, construction on the Guangzhou–Zhuhai intercity railway commenced.[15] 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.[16]

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.[17][18] 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.[19] Construction, which was scheduled to be completed in 2011, will effectively link cities in the Pearl River Delta with Macau by rail.[17][18][19]

The railway line 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.[citation needed]

In November 2012, testing started on the last section of the railway, from Zhuhai North to Zhuhai Gongbei;[20] it was expected to be opened for service on 1 January 2013.[21]

The airport extension[edit]

It was reported in November 2012 that the construction work on the line's extension from downtown Zhuhai to Zhuhai Jinwan Airport, via Hengqing Island, would start by the end of 2012. The extension is now known as the Zhuhai–Zhuhai Airport intercity railway. The phase 1 of the extension, from Zhuhai to Zhuhai Changlong started operation on 18 August 2020.[22] At the Hengqin Railway Station, a connection is planned to the proposed Hengqin Extension Line of Macau Light Rail Transit.[20] The phase 2 opened on 3 February 2024.

Stations[edit]

Route Station
Station Name Chinese Distance
km
PRD MIR (CR C-train)
transfers/connections
Metro
transfers/connections
Location
IZQ Guangzhou South (Guangzhounan) 广州南 0.00 0.00  GFZ   GFC   FG  Guangzhou Metro  2   7   22  Foshan Metro  2  Panyu Guangzhou
BLQ Bijiang 碧江 5.05 5.05 Shunde Foshan
IBQ Beijiao 北滘 5.13 10.18
ORQ Shunde 顺德 4.85 15.03
OJQ Shundexueyuan (Shunde Polytechnic) 顺德学院 7.54 22.57 Foshan Metro  3 
RUQ Ronggui 容桂 9.42 31.99
NOQ Nantou 南头 4.27 36.26 Nantou Zhongshan
EAQ Xiaolan 小榄 8.53 44.79 Xiaolan
align="center" DRQ Dongsheng 东升 6.71 51.50 Dongsheng
align="center" ZGQ Zhongshan North (Zhongshanbei) 中山北 12.15 63.65 Shiqi
align="center" ZSQ Zhongshan 中山 5.92 69.57 THIDZ
align="center" NNQ Nanlang 南朗 13.03 82.60 Nanlang
align="center" IHQ Cuiheng 翠亨 5.26 87.86
align="center" ZIQ Zhuhai North (Zhuhaibei) 珠海北 4.28 92.14 Xiangzhou Zhuhai
align="center" PDQ Tangjiawan 唐家湾 4.25 96.39
align="center" MFQ Mingzhu 明珠 11.85 108.24
align="center" QXQ Qianshan 前山 4.05 112.29
align="center" ZHQ Zhuhai 珠海 3.81 116.10  ZJ 
  GNQ Guzhen 古镇 8.76 124.86 Guzhen Zhongshan
  JNQ Jianghai 江海 4.68 129.54 Jianghai Jiangmen
  JWQ Jiangmen East (Jiangmendong) 江门东 6.71 136.25
  UEQ Liyue 礼乐 3.20 139.45
  EFQ Xinhui 新会 3.58 143.03 Xinhui Jiangmen
  JOQ Jiangmen 江门 Shenzhen–Zhanjiang high-speed railway

References[edit]

  1. ^ Intercity Railway in progress Archived 2009-07-08 at the Wayback Machine
  2. ^ "PRD Planned Rail Network – West Bank" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2011-07-17. Retrieved 2009-04-05.
  3. ^ Guangzhou-Zhuhai Railway Extension Proposal: from Gongbei to Zhuhai Airport Archived 2009-09-06 at the Wayback Machine
  4. ^ 廣珠城際軌道交通工程設計方案初定, 力爭七月正式動工 Archived 2011-07-07 at the Wayback Machine
  5. ^ Guangzhou-Zhuhai RMT Archived 2008-07-03 at the Wayback Machine
  6. ^ Lynns Industrial Park, Jiangmen[permanent dead link]
  7. ^ Life of Guangzhou, Guangzhou–Zhuhai Intercity Railway: On Track, almost Home
  8. ^ a b c 广珠城际铁路列车时刻表和试行运价出台
  9. ^ "关于政协江门市第十三届委员会第四次会议2020052建议答复的函_公告公示_江门市发展和改革局". www.jiangmen.gov.cn. Retrieved 2020-08-17.
  10. ^ "广佛江珠城际轻轨将启动 与广佛环线实现换乘". www.sohu.com. Retrieved 2020-08-17.
  11. ^ a b c d 广珠城际铁路 不是"轻轨" Archived 2012-04-25 at the Wayback Machine
  12. ^ a b 廣珠城際鐵路走向及技術標準初步確定 4年後通車
  13. ^ 国务院通过珠三角城际轨道网规划 Archived 2011-07-07 at the Wayback Machine
  14. ^ 廣珠城際軌道珠海段預計於今年上半年開工建設
  15. ^ 广珠城际轨道动工 顺德到珠海仅需40分钟 Archived 2008-10-02 at the Wayback Machine
  16. ^ 乘坐广珠城际轨道将与城市公交一样便捷
  17. ^ a b 廣珠城際軌道將延伸至珠海機場
  18. ^ a b 广珠轻轨拟延伸至珠海机场 Archived 2011-07-21 at the Wayback Machine
  19. ^ a b 粵澳聯席會議達共識 廣珠城際軌道擬連澳門輕軌[permanent dead link]
  20. ^ a b 京广高铁拟12月下旬开通届时广州直达北京最快约8小时, 二等座票价估计近千元. 信息时报. 2012-11-21. Archived from the original on 2014-01-06. Retrieved 2012-11-22.
  21. ^ "Guangzhou-Zhuhai railway to open on New Year's Day". Macau Daily Times. 28 December 2012.
  22. ^ "粤港澳大湾区又有新线开通!珠机城际铁路开始售票". 羊城晚报. 2020-08-17.

External links[edit]

  • 珠海北列车时刻表 - train schedule for Zhuhai North. It lists all trains in service on this line, all of them circulating between Zhuhai North (珠海北) and Guangzhou South (广州南)