The Chinese National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC) has approved feasibility studies for two new high-speed rail (HSR) lines with a total length of around 450 km. The first study examines a 318 km new section of the Beijing – Hong Kong railway link between Fuyang in the Anhui Province and Huanggang in the Hubei Province. This north-south connection, estimated to cost around EUR 6.4 billion (CNY 52.1 billion), would supplement the existing eastern line via Hefei and Anqing with a western alternative via Xinyang in Henan and Macheng in Hubei, rejoining the existing line north of Jiujiang. The second study considers a 132.3 km HSR line from Zhanjiang in the Guangdong Province to Haikou on Hainan Island, with an investment volume of around EUR 4.9 billion. A fixed crossing of the 23 km wide Qiongzhou Strait is not planned; the sea section would be traversed by ship. The Guangzhou – Zhanjiang HSR line, opened in May 2025, could enable direct long-distance connections in the future. Chinese state railway CR is planning to expand the HSR network by 10,000 km to around 60,000 km by 2030.
