Beijing-Xiong'an high-speed railway tested

Test runs began on Wednesday on the high-speed railway line linking Beijing Daxing International Airport in the capital's Daxing district with neighboring Xiong'an New Area in Hebei province. The testing phase is a major step in the process of preparing transportation facilities between Beijing and Xiong'an.

The 60.65-kilometer line starts at the Daxing airport, passes Gu'an East Railway Station and Bazhou North Railway Station in Langfang, Hebei, and ends at Xiong'an Railway Station in Xiongxian county of Xiong'an. It is designed for speeds up to 350 km per hour.

The line is expected to be open to the public by year's end. It is one of two sections linking downtown Beijing with the new economic area. The other section, from Beijing West Railway Station to the Daxing airport, was launched last year.

The test's first stage focuses on the steel tracks, embankments, bridges, tunnels, overhead wires, communication systems and signals. The second stage will test the train itself, according to China Railway Beijing Group Co.