On 26 December 2019, Rizhao-Lankao HSR (Rizhao-Qufu section) marked its first month of being opened to traffic, with 340,000 journeys. The HSR has made travel for people in Yimeng Old Revolutionary Base Area more convenient and become an important engine for boosting local economic development.
After Rizhao-Lankao HSR (Rizhao-Qufu section) was put into operation, Linyi, which is located at the southeast of Shandong, joins the 1.5-hour traffic circle of Jinan and Qingdao, and the travel time between Linyi and Beijing and Shanghai has been reduced to three to four hours. The scenery in Yimeng, which were unknown in the past, are now favoured by tourists in and out of Shandong province. Mengshan Scenic Area, Menglianggu Campaign Memorial Hall, Wang Xizhi’s former residence and Guantang Hot Spring, now see tour groups and individual tourists every day.
“In the first month after Rizhao-Lankao HSR (Rizhao-Qufu section) opened to traffic, 11,000 passengers were dispatched on a daily basis, with a peak of 16,200 passengers on 1 December 2019.” Xu Meng, deputy chief of the passenger transport department of China Railway Jinan Group Co., Ltd., told reporters.
Recently, a tourist road connecting the Guimeng scenic spot of Mengshan National Forest Park and Mengshan Station has been under intensive construction. Ruan Yongqing, the general manager of the scenic spot, said that the road will open to traffic in April this year. By then, the scenic spot can be reached from Mengshan Station in 20 minutes by taking a tourist bus.
At the same time, Linyi, a major agricultural city, has a rich variety of high-quality and characteristic agricultural products. After Rizhao-Lankao HSR (Rizhao-Qufu section) opened to traffic, the “HSR express service” has greatly promoted the outward transport of local agricultural products. Lijiazhai Village, located in Linyi Lingang Development Zone, was awarded the title of “China’s First Cherry Village” by China Fruit Marketing Association. With Lijiazhai Village as the centre and 18 surrounding villages being radiated, the planting area of large cherries has reached 26,000 mu with an annual output of over 20 million kg.
Officials of the Jinan branch of China Railway Express Co., Ltd. said that they are working with logistics companies such as SF Express to arrange the HSR express service in southern Shandong. It is believed that in the spring of 2020, “Lijiazhai cherry will definitely take the high-speed trains and go everywhere”.
(Source: China State Railway Group)
