GUANGZHOU, Sept. 14 (Xinhua) -- The total length of operational rail tracks in China surpassed 160,000 km on Saturday, with the inauguration of a section linking two cities in Guangdong Province, south China.

 

On Saturday, a high-speed train departed from Meizhou to the provincial capital of Guangzhou, marking the launch of the new route. The new section is part of the Longyan-Longchuan High-Speed Railway, which connects Fujian and Guangdong provinces, spanning a total of 290 kilometers.

 

"The opening of this new high-speed railway (HSR) line will significantly shorten travel time between eastern Guangdong and the Pearl River Delta region," said Ren Yongshuang, a train conductor from China Railway Guangzhou Bureau Group Co., Ltd.

 

According to China State Railway Group Co., Ltd., the operating mileage of China's HSR has reached 46,000 kilometers, ranking first in the world and surpassing the combined total of all other countries' HSR networks.

 

China's railway network now serves a vast portion of the country's urban areas, covering 99 percent of cities with populations over 200,000, while HSR serves 96 percent of cities with more than 500,000 residents.

 

"China's railways have experienced a remarkable transformation, excelling in areas such as passenger and freight transport, technological innovation, environmental practices and safety," said Li Jianqiang, a senior engineer at China Railway Economic and Planning Research Institute. "This progress represents a new milestone in the development of China's railway system."