BEIJING: China’s new northernmost high-speed railway opened officially at 10:26 am on Monday as train D7288 departed from Yichun West Station in Heilongjiang province.
The 318-kilometer line connecting Harbin and Yichun will cut the duration of the trip to 1 hour and 46 minutes.
To create a vibrant travel atmosphere, the railway department organized interactive activities, including singing, dancing and printmaking before the train’s departure.
“The opening of the new line integrates Yichun and regions along the route into the Harbin metropolitan area’s weekend, short-distance and family travel radius,” said Wang Xiaowei, deputy director of the city’s bureau of culture, radio, television and tourism. “It also connects Yichun to the national high-speed rail network via the Harbin hub, further expanding the tourist market in Northeast China and the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region.”
Wang Changyu, an employee at a State-owned electrical power company, boarded the first train. He lives in Harbin and works at the company’s Yinchun branch.
“Previously, travel between the two cities was either by slow train or driving a car and often took four or more hours each way,” he said. “Now, with the fastest trip taking about an hour and a half, I can enjoy more time with my family on weekends.” –The Daily Mail-China Daily news exchange item
