Hunan–Guangxi Railway

The Hunan–Guangxi Railway or Xianggui Railway (simplified Chinese: 湘桂铁路; traditional Chinese: 湘桂鐵路; pinyin: xiāngguì tiělù), is a mostly electrified railroad in southern China that connects Hunan province and the Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region. The shortform name of the line, Xianggui, is named after the Chinese short names of Hunan, Xiang and Guangxi, Gui. The line runs 1,013 km (629 mi) from Hengyang in Hunan to Friendship Pass on Guangxi's border with Vietnam.^[1] Major cities along route include Hengyang, Yongzhou, Guilin, Liuzhou, Nanning, Pingxiang, and Friendship Pass.

DF7D locomotives alongside the Hunan-Guangxi Railway in Guilin.

History

CRH380A high-speed train at Guilin

The original single-track Xianggui Line was built in sections from 1937-1939 and 1950-1955.

In December 2008, construction began on a capacity-expansion project to a new pair of 723.7 km (450 mi) electrified tracks from Hengyang to Nanning, which will create a three-track line of 497.9 km (309 mi) between Hengyang and Liuzhou and a four-track line of 225.8 km (140 mi) between Liuzhou and Nanning.^[2][3] The expansion project was completed in December 2013. The new double-track from Hengyang to Liuzhou is called the Hengyang-Liuzhou Railway and the new double-track from Liuzhou to Nanning is called the Liuzhou–Nanning Intercity Railway.

As of May 2014, the southern-most section of the Xianggui Line, from Nanning to Pingxiang on the Vietnamese border, is undergoing capacity expansion to accommodate high-speed trains.^[4]

Passenger service

The Hunan–Guangxi Railway is used by most trains traveling from Beijing, Shanghai, and other points in eastern China to Guangxi (Guilin, Nanning) and to the Vietnamese border. This includes the Beijing-Nanning-Hanoi Through Train.

At the end of 2013, high-speed passenger service was introduced on the Hunan–Guangxi Railway as well. A direct G-series trains from Beijing makes it to Guilin in about 10.5 hours. D-series trains continue from Guilin to Nanning, taking less than 3 hours for the trip.^[5][6]

Rail connections

The electrified tracks of the Xianggui Railway at Lingchuan County, north of Guilin, in Guangxi.

• Hengyang: Beijing–Guangzhou Railway
• Yongzhou: Luoyang–Zhanjiang Railway
• Liuzhou: Jiaozuo–Liuzhou Railway, Guizhou–Guangxi Railway
• Litang Township: Litang–Zhanjiang Railway, Litang–Qinzhou Railway
• Nanning: Nanning–Kunming Railway; branch line to Qinzhou and Beihai
• Pingxiang:Hanoi–Dong Dang Railway

See also

• List of railways in China

References

1. "兴安县为湘桂铁路建设提供有力保障". 广西日报》 (in Chinese). 3 March 2011.
2. "湘桂铁路驶入快车道". 科技日报》 (in Chinese). 6 December 2010.
3. "湘桂铁路改造工程分别在湘桂开工 衡阳3小时到南宁" (in Chinese). 12 December 2008.
4. "探索建设"泛亚铁路"示范段推动广西成重要节点" (in Chinese). 22 May 2014.
5. "桂林列车时刻表" [Guilin train schedule] (in Chinese).
6. "广西再开通运营9对动车组 陈武宣布高铁开通" [Guangxi opens new CRH service, with 9 pairs of train a day] (in Chinese). 31 December 2013.