Beijing builds inter-city railways to promote regional integration

BEIJING - Beijing authorities said Saturday that two inter-city railways are under construction, part of a strategy to push regional integration around Beijing.

The two railways will link Beijing to the cities of Tangshan and Bazhou in Hebei Province. Construction of the Beijing sections of the railways started recently, according to Beijing Municipal Commission of Housing and Urban-rural Development.

With an investment of 44.9 billion yuan (6.5 billion U.S. dollars), construction of the Beijing-Tangshan railway is expected to last four years.

The Beijing-Bazhou railway boasts a total investment of 27.43 billion yuan and is scheduled to open by the end of June 2020.

The railways are a key part of an inter-city railway network, to be built in the municipalities of Beijing, Tianjin, and Hebei Province by 2030, pushing forward Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei integration.