Photo taken on Dec. 30, 2019 shows the G2422 Fuxing (Rejuvenation) bullet train at the Hohhot East Railway Station in Hohhot, north China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region. (Photo by Bei He/Xinhua)
The launch of new high-speed railway service linking Beijing and north China's Inner Mongolia dramatically reduces the travel time between Hohhot, the region's capital, and Beijing from over nine hours to about two hours.
HOHHOT, Dec. 31 (Xinhua) -- The first high-speed railway linking Beijing and north China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region went into service Monday.
A Fuxing (Rejuvenation) bullet train arrived at Hohhot East Railway Station in the regional capital Hohhot at around 11:54 a.m. after departing from Beijing.
The travel time between Hohhot and Beijing, about 500 km apart, will be shortened to about two hours from over nine hours with the launch of the new service.
Members of Ulanmuqi, or mounted cultural troupe, play the Matouqin, a traditional musical instrument, on the G2422 Fuxing (Rejuvenation) bullet train running on the high-speed railway linking Beijing and Hohhot, capital of north China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, Dec. 30, 2019. (Photo by Bei He/Xinhua)
"We have innovated more than 30 techniques during the construction process and planted about 700,000 square meters of grass along the railway," said Bai Riqiang, an engineer of the railway's builder.
The new high-speed railway will also link Hohhot and Zhangjiakou, the co-host city of the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics.
E-ticket services have been launched to enable passengers to use their ID cards or scan QR codes for authentication instead of waiting in line for paper stubs.
A pasenger poses for photos at Hohhot East Railway Station in Hohhot, capital of north China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, Dec. 30, 2019. (Photo by Bei He/Xinhua)
"I have been looking forward to the launch of this line. Now I can visit my boyfriend who works in Zhangjiakou or see exhibitions in Beijing in a more convenient way," said Chen Jiaxin who lives in Hohhot.
The length of China's railroad lines in service has exceeded 139,000 km, including 35,000 km of high-speed rail, ranking first in the world. ■
