Jinghu railway
Encyclopedia
The Beijing–Shanghai Railway or Jinghu railway is a railway line in China
between Beijing
and Shanghai
. The line has a total length of 1,462 kilometres and connects the municipalities of Beijing, Tianjin
, and Shanghai, as well as the provinces of Hebei
, Shandong
, Anhui
and Jiangsu
. It is commonly referred to as the Jinghu Railway, taking on the abbreviated names of the two terminal cities. In Chinese, "Jing" means "capital" and refers to Beijing
, and "Hu" is the abbreviatied name for Shanghai
.
. The first section is from Beijing
to Tianjin
, constructed as part of the Imperial Railways of Northern China between 1897 and 1900.
The second section is from Tianjin
to Pukoua suburb of Nanjing
and used to be called the Tianjin–Pukou Railway. Between Pukou and Xiaguan
, the railway crosses the Yangtze River
. Before the completion of the Nanjing Yangtze River Bridge
in 1968, the trains were ferried across car-by-car.
The third section is from Nanjing
to Shanghai
, built between 1905 and 1908. This section is called Shanghai–Nanjing Railway. During 1927–1949, however, when China's capital was Nanjing
, this section alone was called the "Jinghu" railway.
After the Nanjing Yangtze River Bridge
was completed in 1968, these three sections were linked together and renamed as a single Beijing–Shanghai or Jinghu Railway.
D type express day bullet and overnight sleeper bullet trains have now commenced operation between Beijing and Shanghai. There are currently 1 day and 3 overnight D bullet trains. Overnight Bullet trains take between 9 hours, 59 minutes and 10 hours, 4 minutes to complete the trip and are Soft sleeper
only.
On June 30, 2011, the Beijing–Shanghai High-Speed Railway opened and runs parallel for all of its length to the Beijing–Shanghai Railway. The opening of the high-speed railway relieved the Beijing–Shanghai Railway from overcrowding. The Beijing–Tianjin Intercity Railway also parallels much of the Beijing–Shanghai Railway from Beijing to Tianjin.
People's Republic of China
China , officially the People's Republic of China , is the most populous country in the world, with over 1.3 billion citizens. Located in East Asia, the country covers approximately 9.6 million square kilometres...
between Beijing
Beijing
Beijing , also known as Peking , is the capital of the People's Republic of China and one of the most populous cities in the world, with a population of 19,612,368 as of 2010. The city is the country's political, cultural, and educational center, and home to the headquarters for most of China's...
and Shanghai
Shanghai
Shanghai is the largest city by population in China and the largest city proper in the world. It is one of the four province-level municipalities in the People's Republic of China, with a total population of over 23 million as of 2010...
. The line has a total length of 1,462 kilometres and connects the municipalities of Beijing, Tianjin
Tianjin
' is a metropolis in northern China and one of the five national central cities of the People's Republic of China. It is governed as a direct-controlled municipality, one of four such designations, and is, thus, under direct administration of the central government...
, and Shanghai, as well as the provinces of Hebei
Hebei
' is a province of the People's Republic of China in the North China region. Its one-character abbreviation is "" , named after Ji Province, a Han Dynasty province that included what is now southern Hebei...
, Shandong
Shandong
' is a Province located on the eastern coast of the People's Republic of China. Shandong has played a major role in Chinese history from the beginning of Chinese civilization along the lower reaches of the Yellow River and served as a pivotal cultural and religious site for Taoism, Chinese...
, Anhui
Anhui
Anhui is a province in the People's Republic of China. Located in eastern China across the basins of the Yangtze River and the Huai River, it borders Jiangsu to the east, Zhejiang to the southeast, Jiangxi to the south, Hubei to the southwest, Henan to the northwest, and Shandong for a tiny...
and Jiangsu
Jiangsu
' is a province of the People's Republic of China, located along the east coast of the country. The name comes from jiang, short for the city of Jiangning , and su, for the city of Suzhou. The abbreviation for this province is "苏" , the second character of its name...
. It is commonly referred to as the Jinghu Railway, taking on the abbreviated names of the two terminal cities. In Chinese, "Jing" means "capital" and refers to Beijing
Beijing
Beijing , also known as Peking , is the capital of the People's Republic of China and one of the most populous cities in the world, with a population of 19,612,368 as of 2010. The city is the country's political, cultural, and educational center, and home to the headquarters for most of China's...
, and "Hu" is the abbreviatied name for Shanghai
Shanghai
Shanghai is the largest city by population in China and the largest city proper in the world. It is one of the four province-level municipalities in the People's Republic of China, with a total population of over 23 million as of 2010...
.
History
The Beijing–Shanghai railway is composed of three sections. These three sections are some of the earliest railways in China, built before 1910 during the Qing dynastyQing Dynasty
The Qing Dynasty was the last dynasty of China, ruling from 1644 to 1912 with a brief, abortive restoration in 1917. It was preceded by the Ming Dynasty and followed by the Republic of China....
. The first section is from Beijing
Beijing
Beijing , also known as Peking , is the capital of the People's Republic of China and one of the most populous cities in the world, with a population of 19,612,368 as of 2010. The city is the country's political, cultural, and educational center, and home to the headquarters for most of China's...
to Tianjin
Tianjin
' is a metropolis in northern China and one of the five national central cities of the People's Republic of China. It is governed as a direct-controlled municipality, one of four such designations, and is, thus, under direct administration of the central government...
, constructed as part of the Imperial Railways of Northern China between 1897 and 1900.
The second section is from Tianjin
Tianjin
' is a metropolis in northern China and one of the five national central cities of the People's Republic of China. It is governed as a direct-controlled municipality, one of four such designations, and is, thus, under direct administration of the central government...
to Pukoua suburb of Nanjing
Nanjing
' is the capital of Jiangsu province in China and has a prominent place in Chinese history and culture, having been the capital of China on several occasions...
and used to be called the Tianjin–Pukou Railway. Between Pukou and Xiaguan
Xiaguan District
Xiaguan District is an administrative district within the city of Nanjing, in Jiangsu province, China.-References:*...
, the railway crosses the Yangtze River
Yangtze River
The Yangtze, Yangzi or Cháng Jiāng is the longest river in Asia, and the third-longest in the world. It flows for from the glaciers on the Tibetan Plateau in Qinghai eastward across southwest, central and eastern China before emptying into the East China Sea at Shanghai. It is also one of the...
. Before the completion of the Nanjing Yangtze River Bridge
Nanjing Yangtze River Bridge
The Nanjing Yangtze River Bridge is the first bridge to be built across the Yangtze River in Nanjing, China. It was completed in 1968 and is the first double-decker, double-track highway and railway bridge designed and constructed by the Chinese without outside engineering assistance.After the...
in 1968, the trains were ferried across car-by-car.
The third section is from Nanjing
Nanjing
' is the capital of Jiangsu province in China and has a prominent place in Chinese history and culture, having been the capital of China on several occasions...
to Shanghai
Shanghai
Shanghai is the largest city by population in China and the largest city proper in the world. It is one of the four province-level municipalities in the People's Republic of China, with a total population of over 23 million as of 2010...
, built between 1905 and 1908. This section is called Shanghai–Nanjing Railway. During 1927–1949, however, when China's capital was Nanjing
Nanjing
' is the capital of Jiangsu province in China and has a prominent place in Chinese history and culture, having been the capital of China on several occasions...
, this section alone was called the "Jinghu" railway.
After the Nanjing Yangtze River Bridge
Nanjing Yangtze River Bridge
The Nanjing Yangtze River Bridge is the first bridge to be built across the Yangtze River in Nanjing, China. It was completed in 1968 and is the first double-decker, double-track highway and railway bridge designed and constructed by the Chinese without outside engineering assistance.After the...
was completed in 1968, these three sections were linked together and renamed as a single Beijing–Shanghai or Jinghu Railway.
Current status
The railway line is the principal line between Beijing and Shanghai and along with the Beijing–Shanghai High-Speed Railway, it serves as one of the busiest rail corridors in China. It has dual tracks between Tianjin and Shanghai, three tracks between Beijing and Tianjin and the full length of the railway has been electrified. Passenger rail service now offers non-stop overnight service on CRH Sleepers (Z series trains).D type express day bullet and overnight sleeper bullet trains have now commenced operation between Beijing and Shanghai. There are currently 1 day and 3 overnight D bullet trains. Overnight Bullet trains take between 9 hours, 59 minutes and 10 hours, 4 minutes to complete the trip and are Soft sleeper
Soft sleeper
The Soft Sleeper , abbreviated RW or WR , is a passenger railway compartment class in the People's Republic of China. Soft sleeper is the main class on most Z-series express trains, and are grouped in several carriages as part of slower trains...
only.
On June 30, 2011, the Beijing–Shanghai High-Speed Railway opened and runs parallel for all of its length to the Beijing–Shanghai Railway. The opening of the high-speed railway relieved the Beijing–Shanghai Railway from overcrowding. The Beijing–Tianjin Intercity Railway also parallels much of the Beijing–Shanghai Railway from Beijing to Tianjin.
See also
- Rail transport in the People's Republic of ChinaRail transport in the People's Republic of ChinaRail transport is the most commonly used mode of long-distance transportation in the People's Republic of China. Almost all rail operations are handled by the Ministry of Railways, which is part of the State Council of the People's Republic of China...
- List of railways in China
- Stations on the Jinghu Railway