A C2701 train is ready to depart from Beijing West Railway Station, Sept 26, 2019. (Photo by Wang Zhuangfei/chinadaily.com.cn)
A section of the Beijing-Xiongan intercity railway linking Beijing West Railway Station and Beijing Daxing International Airport began service on Thursday, one day after operation at the new airport began, according the country's railway operator.
The section is composed of two parts: the rail line between Beijing West to Liying station in Daxing district made use of the current track of Beijing-Kowloon Railway; the rest, which starts from Liying station and ends at Daxing airport, was newly constructed with a length of 33.97 km.
Passengers check their tickets at a ticket check designated for the Beijing-Xiongan intercity rail line at Beijing West Railway Station, Sept 26, 2019. [Photo by Wang Zhuangfei/chinadaily.com.cn]
It only took about 30 minutes for passengers to reach the new airport at a cost of 30 yuan for a second-class seat, 48 yuan for first-class, and 90 yuan for a business-class seat. Passengers can also enjoy discounts of around 20 percent.
The railway adopted Fuxing bullet trains with eight carriages, which can seat 392 passengers in total. 24 train services will run on a daily basis.
Passengers take their seats on a train running between Beijing West Railway Station and Beijing Daxing International Airport, Sept 26, 2019. [Photo by Wang Zhuangfei/chinadaily.com.cn]
The whole railway line, set to be fully operational by 2020, will be an important link between the urban areas of Beijing, Beijing Daxing International Airport and Xiongan New Area.