Hainan western ring high-speed railway explained

Box Width:300px
Hainan Western Ring HSR
Native Name:海南西环高速铁路
Native Name Lang:zh
Type:High-speed railway, Loop line
System: China Railway High-speed
Status:Operational
Locale:Western Hainan
Start:Haikou
End:Sanya
Stations:15
Routes:1
Owner: CR Guangzhou
Operator: Hainan Railway Company Limited of China Railway Guangzhou Group
Character:Elevated
Linelength Km:344
Tracks:2
Electrification: (Overhead line)
Speed Km/H:200
Map State:collapsed

The Hainan western ring high-speed railway (often abbreviated [1]) is a high-speed railway operated by China Railway Guangzhou Group in Hainan Province. It started operation on 30 December 2015.[2]

The long rail line runs along the western half of the island's coastline, from Haikou railway station in the north to Sanya railway station. At its two end points, it connects with the existing Hainan eastern ring high-speed railway (opened in 2010), thus forming a high-speed railway ring spanning 653 km long, around the entire island, as well as the world's first and only circular high-speed railway line.[3] [4] The circular closed loop allows passengers to travel along the entire circumference of the island in approximately 3 hours at the shortest time, and connects all twelve coastal cities and counties, as well as having additional stops at Haikou and Sanya airports.[5]

Unlike the Hainan eastern ring high-speed railway, which runs along the coast previously not served by railway (other than at its end points, Haikou and Sanya), the Western Ring high-speed railway roughly parallels the conventional-speed Hainan Western Ring Railway, which has connected Haikou and Sanya since 2005.

History

The Hainan western ring railway was constructed in two stages.

The first short section connects the existing Sanya railway station with the new Phoenix Airport railway station, 10km (10miles) to the west. The section has one intermediate station, Sanya West railway station (Chinese: 三亚西站). The construction work on this section (Chinese: 凤三段) was planned to be completed by the end of 2014.[6]

On the rest of the railway - the much longer section from Sanya Phoenix Airport to Haikou - progress was only in its preliminary phase in 2012. Property was acquired, and demolition was conducted. According to the construction plans, 22,300 mu (14.8km2) of land will be permanently used by the railway and associated facilities, and another 8,800 mu (5.9km2) was temporary used during construction. Eighty-seven thousand m2 of housing was demolished. The necessary demolitions were completed by the end of 2013.[7]

In November 2015, the first test train travelled on the 344 km Western ring high-speed railway, and completed the 652 km circular railway loop around the island. The western ring high-speed railway became officially operational and open to the public in December 2015.[8]

Stations

As of 2018, many of the stations were not in use. The list below names the settlements where the stations are located. They will be named correspondingly.

Rolling stock

See also

Notes and References

  1. See e.g., archive of news items on this railway on gaotie.cn
  2. Web site: http://news.huochepiao.com/2015-4/20154711492265.htm . zh:海南西环高铁总投资约271亿元.预计2015年年底通车 . Hainan Western Ring total cost 27.1 billion yuan. Trains expected to start running by the end of 2015. . 2015-04-07.
  3. Web site: This Chinese High Speed Train Conquers Extreme Weather . 2023-02-14 . NDTV.com.
  4. Web site: China's most epic high-speed rail journeys . 2023-02-14 . Lonely Planet . en.
  5. Web site: Island highway loop set to boost tourism in China’s Hainan . 2023-02-14 . m.phnompenhpost.com.
  6. Web site: http://news.huochepiao.com/2012-12/2012121315190542.htm . zh:西环高铁凤三段计划2014年建成] . The Sanya to Fenghuang Airport section of the western ring high-speed railway was planned to be completed in 2014 . 2012-12-13.
  7. Web site: http://news.huochepiao.com/2012-12/2012121310291780.htm . zh:西环高铁2013年底完成拆迁 拆迁房屋8.7万平米 . Demolition work for the western ring high-speed railway was completed by the end of 2014. Eighty-seven thousand square meters of housing was demolished. . 2012-12-13 . zh-hans.
  8. Web site: Barrow . Keith . 2015-11-27 . Hainan Island high-speed line goes full circle . 2023-02-14 . International Railway Journal . en-GB.
  9. Web site: Blue high-speed trains match south China's Hainan island's sky and sea. South China Morning Post. February 2, 2021.