Summary of Key Points
Xi'an has officially established a "rice-shaped" high-speed rail network by launching the Xishi High-Speed Rail (completing the "stroke") on June 30th and the upcoming Xikang High-Speed Rail (completing the "vertical stroke"), becoming the third city in China to have such a network, following Zhengzhou and Hefei. The simultaneous opening of Xi'an East Station will alleviate the passenger traffic pressure at the North Station and enhance its role as a comprehensive transportation hub. In the next five years, cities such as Nanjing, Jinan, Chongqing, and Wuhan will also gradually build their own "rice-shaped" high-speed rail networks. Experts point out that the rice-shaped network is a natural outcome of geographical key points and can promote regional economic development, although not all cities necessarily need it.
I. Xi'an's Rice-Shaped High-Speed Rail: Two New Lines Complete the Last Two Elements
Xi'an's "rice-shaped" high-speed rail network consists of routes in eight directions; six of these routes were already in place (Zhengxi, Xibao, Daxi, Baolan, Xicheng, Yinxī, and Xiyān), with only the "stroke" and "vertical stroke" missing:
- Xishi High-Speed Rail (Stroke): Launched on June 30th, it connects Xi'an to Shiyan and then via the Hanshi High-Speed Rail directly to Wuhan. Previously, the journey from Xi'an to Wuhan required a detour through Zhengzhou, taking a longer time; now, it can be completed in as fast as 2 hours and 41 minutes.
- Xikang High-Speed Rail (Vertical Stroke): Currently in the final testing phase, it is expected to open this year. This line is part of the high-speed rail connection between Xi'an and Chongqing, reducing the travel time from Xi'an to Ankang from three hours to within one hour, thus bridging the Guanzhong Plain with the southern Shaanxi Qinba Mountain region.
With the completion of these two lines, Xi'an's high-speed rail network in all eight directions is fully established, significantly boosting its status as a transportation hub.
II. The Opening of Xi'an East Station: Alleviating Pressure at the North Station and Creating a Northwest Comprehensive Hub
Xi'an East Station, which opened alongside the Xishi High-Speed Rail, is a "multi-functional" station:
- Integration of Three Networks: It connects with mainline railways and intercity trains, allowing passengers to transfer directly from the high-speed rail to the subway without additional transfers.
- Large Capacity: Although it has fewer platforms (13 for 27 tracks) compared to Xi'an North Station (18 for 36 tracks), it is expected to handle 36.5 million passengers annually, helping to distribute the heavy traffic load at the North Station (which will reach nearly 100 million passengers by 2025).
In the future, it will become an important transportation hub in the northwest region.
III. What Does the Rice-Shaped High-Speed Rail Network Bring?
The benefits of this network for Xi'an and its surrounding areas are tangible:
- Improved Travel: The travel times between Xi'an and Wuhan, as well as to Ankang, have been significantly reduced, enhancing connections between the northwest, central China, and southern Shaanxi.
- Economic Growth: For example, the Xikang High-Speed Rail will boost transportation demand in the Guanzhong area to southern Shaanxi, facilitating the distribution of agricultural products and tourism resources and promoting rural revitalization. The Xishi High-Speed Rail will create a vital link between the northwest and central China, making business activities and talent mobility more efficient, thus injecting new vitality into the regional economy.
IV. Four More Cities Will Establish Rice-Shaped Networks in the Next Five Years
In addition to Xi'an, four other cities are planning or building their own "rice-shaped" high-speed rail networks:
- Nanjing: Completion planned for 2027, with routes along the northern river, the Ninghuai intercity line, and Nanjing North Station, forming an eight-directional network.
- Jinan: Focusing on building six radial routes and one circular route to construct a "rice-shaped" framework.
- Chongqing: By 2030, it aims to have 11 high-speed rail lines (about 2000 kilometers), enabling travel to Chengdu/Guiyang in one hour, surrounding provincial capitals in three hours, and Beijing/Shanghai/Guangzhou in six hours.
- Wuhan: Planning a "super rice-shaped" network with twelve directions, making it an even more central hub.
V. Experts: The Rice-Shaped Network Is a Result of Geographical Advantages, Not Just a Desire to Build One
Professor Peng Qiyuan from Southwest Jiaotong University notes:
- Benefits: A rice-shaped network offers more routes than a cross-shaped one, improving external connectivity and facilitating travel and economic development.
- Key Factors: These cities are strategically located as key nodes in the high-speed rail network (e.g., Xi'an serves as a hub between the northwest and central China, southwest China). Not all cities require an eight-directional network; some may not benefit significantly from it despite being hubs.
In summary, the establishment of a rice-shaped high-speed rail network is a result of favorable geographical conditions, not merely a vanity project. The improvement of high-speed rail networks not only speeds up travel but also drives urban and regional development. Which cities can become such hubs depends on their strategic position within the national transportation system. Xi'an's success illustrates how transportation can transform a city.