Tests begin for Nanjing-Hangzhou-Ningbo high-speed rails  

宁杭、杭甬高铁试运行 南京至杭州可不再绕行上海

记者22日从上海铁路局获悉，宁(南京)杭(州)、杭(州)甬(宁波)高铁21日至23日进行全线拉通试验。24日起，宁杭、杭甬高铁转入试运行；这两条高铁的设计时速为每小时350公里，初期运营时速为300公里。

Beijing (CNS) -- The Nanjing-Hangzhou and Hangzhou-Ningbo high-speed railways are conducting a push-pull test until May 23, to be followed by a test run on May 24, according to the Shanghai Railway Bureau on Wednesday.

Each railway has a designed speed of 350 km/h but during initial trial operation their speeds will stay at 300km/h.

The new rail line linking Beijing South Railway Station and Hangzhou East Station has a length of 249 kilometers with 9 stations.

The line will greatly reduce travel time from Nanjing to Hangzhou and other coastal cities in southeast China. Direct routes between cities including Nanjing, Beijing, Jinan, Hefei and Wuhan will also be available.

According to the bureau, the opening of the new high-speed lines will serve as a supplement to railway travel within China's Yangtze River Delta region.

This will be of great significance to promoting economic and social development in regions along the railway lines, and accelerate urbanization and integrated development in the region.