China's high-speed rail links Winter Olympics cities

People wait to get on the G8811 high-speed train bound for Taizicheng Railway Station at Beijing North Railway Station in Beijing, capital of China, Dec. 30, 2019. The high-speed railway line connecting Beijing and Zhangjiakou in north China's Hebei Province went into service on Monday. Chongli railway, a branch line of the Beijing-Zhangjiakou high-speed railway, also came into service. (Xinhua/Xing Guangli)

BEIJING, Dec. 30 (Xinhua) -- The high-speed railway line connecting Beijing and Zhangjiakou, the co-host city of the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics, went into operation Monday, the China State Railway Group Co., Ltd. said.

With 5G signals, wireless charging and intelligent lighting, the smart train G8811 departed from Beijing North Railway Station at around 8:30 a.m. to Zhangjiakou in north China's Hebei Province.

The railway is 174 km long, with 10 stations along the line.

With a maximum design speed of 350 kph, it will reduce the travel time between Beijing and Zhangjiakou from over three hours to 47 minutes, facilitating inter-city traffic and crucial for the co-host of the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics.

Chongli railway, a branch line of the Beijing-Zhangjiakou high-speed railway, also went into service Monday. It is 53 km long, with a maximum design speed of 250 kph.

Yang Yang, a Winter Olympic champion and chairwoman of the Athletes' Commission of Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics, was among passengers on the high-speed train G8811.

Yang said Beijing-Zhangjiakou high-speed railway is important to the preparation of the 2022 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games. "It can improve the efficiency of our work, promote China's winter sports, and boost the ice and snow economy."

Construction of the high-speed railway lasted around four years. The railway underwent test runs earlier this month.

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.