China begins construction of Chengdu-Lanzhou Railway

Feb. 24, 2009 (China Knowledge) - On Saturday China launched the construction of the Chengdu-Lanzhou Railway, which connects Sichuan and Gansu provinces.

The government will spend about RMB 62 billion (US$9 billion) on the 731-km line, which will be finished in December 2014.

It will only take four hours to travel between the two cities, compared to the 20 hours needed to travel the existing route.

It is believed that the new line will facilitate economic development and tourism in Northwest and Southwest China.

The new line will provide access to several famous tourist attractions, including scenic Jiuzhaigou in northwest Sichuan, culture-rich Gannan Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture in southern Gansu, and the Minshan Mountains, which are home to giant pandas.

China is expected to begin construction of several other railway lines this year, including the Lanzhou-Chongqing, Baoji-Chengdu, Sichuan-Qinghai and Sichuan-Tibetan lines, all of which will connect with the Chengdu-Lanzhou Railway.