Passenger train services are expected to increase in China this 2016 as the latest adjustment to the national railways upgrade disclosed plans to increase train services to 571 this year, according to a report by China Daily.
The national railways plan also includes the addition of 563 high-speed services.
Due to the adjustment, the capacity of high-speed links between several lines like Beijing and Hangzhou, Beijing and Shenyang, and Guiyang and Shenyang, are also expected to increase, chinanews.com reported.
Pressure on regular service will also be relieved as a result of the adjustment, thanks to the addition of express train lines such as Shanghai and Shaoguan, Lanzhou and Hefei, and Shenzhen and Luoyang.
"In 2014, the Beijing-Shanghai high-speed railway transported more than 100 million people, with more than 250 trains running everyday," said Cai Qinghua, former chairman of Beijing-Shanghai High-Speed Railway Corp., in an interview with The Paper.
"Even that capacity cannot meet demand in peak periods. If demand keeps growing at speed, we may need a second Beijing-Shanghai high-speed railway someday," added Cai.
According to He Huawu, chief engineer for China Railway Corp., there is no need to worry for there is enough room for expansion.
"There is still enough space to improve," said He in an interview with China Daily. "In the near future, the passenger flow will be split by new railway lines; for example, the Beijing-Kowloon line will ease some of the pressure on the Beijing-Guangzhou and Beijing-Shanghai high-speed railways."
Furthermore, the Beijing-Shanghai line currently runs at speeds from 250 to 300 km/h. The line was originally designed to run at speeds up to 350 km.
"We have to calculate the economic feasibility if we increase the speed. We're collecting data to calculate the additional costs . . . and we'll try to figure out an optimal speed that is both economic and meets the increasing demand," said He.
There are currently 6,284 passenger train services running in the country, 60 percent of which are high-speed. China also boasts around 18,000 kilometers of high-speed railway in operation, according to data released by China Railway Corp. This expanse has made it possible to connect cities with large populations.