Guangzhou–Zhuhai intercity railway

Guangzhou–Zhuhai intercity railway
Zhuhai North Station
Overview
Native name 广珠城际轨道交通
广珠城际
R1线
Type Higher-speed rail
Status Operational
Locale Guangdong: Guangzhou, Foshan, Zhongshan, Jiangmen, and 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 143.03 km (88.875 mi)
Track gauge 1,435 mm (4 ft 8 1⁄2 in) standard gauge
Operating speed 200 km/h (124 mph)
Stations and structures
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
Abbreviation
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[1]) is a dedicated, grade-separated regional railway linking Guangzhou South railway station in Panyu, Guangzhou, and Zhuhai Airport in Zhuhai, via Shunde, Zhongshan and Jiangmen, in Guangdong province.[2] It is the first line completed in the currently under construction Pearl River Delta Rapid Transit network. The section in Zhuhai from Zhuhai North to Zhuhai is also known as Line R1.

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] The extension is now it own line known as the Zhuhai–Zhuhai Airport intercity railway.

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

Stations

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  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 Shunde College (Shunde Daxue) 顺德学院 7.54 22.57
● 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
●｜ DRQ Dongsheng 东升 6.71 51.50 Dongsheng
●｜ ZGQ Zhongshan North (Zhongshanbei) 中山北 12.15 63.65 Shiqi
●｜ ZSQ Zhongshan 中山 5.92 69.57 THIDZ
●｜ NNQ Nanlang 南朗 13.03 82.60 Nanlang
｜｜ IHQ Cuiheng 翠亨 5.26 87.86
●｜ ZIQ Zhuhai North (Zhuhaibei) 珠海北 4.28 92.14 Xiangzhou Zhuhai
●｜ PDQ Tangjiawan 唐家湾 4.25 96.39
●｜ MFQ Mingzhu 明珠 11.85 108.24
●｜ QXQ Qianshan 前山 4.05 112.29
●｜ ZHQ Zhuhai 珠海 3.81 116.10  ZJ  (R2)
 ● GNQ Guzhen 古镇 8.76 124.86 Guzhen Zhongshan
 ｜ Waihai 外海 4.68 129.54 Jianghai Jiangmen
 ● JWQ Jiangmen East (Jiangmendong) 江门东 6.71 136.25
 ｜ UEQ Lile 礼乐 3.20 139.45
 ● EFQ Xinhui 新会 3.58 143.03 Xinhui Jiangmen

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 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 2014-01-06 at the Wayback Machine.
  2. ↑ Intercity Railway in progress Archived 2009-07-08 at the Wayback Machine.
  3. ↑ PRD Planned Rail Network – West Bank
  4. ↑ Guangzhou-Zhuhai Railway Extension Proposal: from Gongbei to Zhuhai Airport Archived 2009-09-06 at the Wayback Machine.
  5. ↑ 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.
  6. ↑ Guangzhou-Zhuhai RMT Archived 2008-07-03 at the Wayback Machine.
  7. ↑ Lynns Industrial Park, Jiangmen
  8. ↑ Life of Guangzhou, Guangzhou–Zhuhai Intercity Railway: On Track, almost Home
  9. 1 2 3 4 广珠城际铁路 不是“轻轨” Archived 2012-04-25 at the Wayback Machine.
  10. 1 2 3 广珠城际铁路列车时刻表和试行运价出台
  11. 1 2 廣珠城際鐵路走向及技術標準初步確定 4年後通車
  12. ↑ 国务院通过珠三角城际轨道网规划 Archived 2011-07-07 at the Wayback Machine.
  13. ↑ 廣珠城際軌道珠海段預計於今年上半年開工建設
  14. ↑ 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.
  15. ↑ 乘坐广珠城际轨道将与城市公交一样便捷
  16. 1 2 廣珠城際軌道將延伸至珠海機場
  17. 1 2 广珠轻轨拟延伸至珠海机场 Archived 2011-07-21 at the Wayback Machine.
  18. 1 2 粵澳聯席會議達共識 廣珠城際軌道擬連澳門輕軌
  19. ↑ "Guangzhou-Zhuhai railway to open on New Year's Day". Macau Daily Times. 28 December 2012.
  • 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)
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