China to roll out new railway operating plan

Travelers take a train at the Nanjing Railway Station in Nanjing, east China's Jiangsu Province, Jan. 1, 2024. (Photo by Yang Suping/Xinhua)

BEIJING, Jan. 8 (Xinhua) -- China is set to implement a new railway operating plan starting from Jan. 10, 2024, aimed at improving passenger and cargo transport capacity, the national railway operator said on Monday.

Under the new plan, 233 passenger trains will be newly added across the country, bringing the total count to 11,149, according to the China State Railway Group Co., Ltd.

A total of 22,264 freight trains will operate nationwide after the adjustment, an increase of 40 compared with the current schedule.

Coupled with the launch of new train lines and stations nationwide, the adjustment aims to bolster connectivity in areas such as the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area and the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region, the operator said.

Efforts will also be made to enhance the efficiency of freight logistics, thereby safeguarding livelihoods and boosting social and economic development, according to the operator.