China is planning to develop its first cross-sea high-speed rail line, connecting to the island province of Hainan. According to the China Daily, authorities are planning to connect Hainan with mainland China across the Qiongzhou Strait for the first time in history. Ferry services currently take up to three hours to reach the island, and authorities believe that a rail link would help the island’s tourism industry.
Hainan Governor, Luo Baoming, was reported saying this week that the form of the “world class project” was still being decided. A tunnel would be the cheaper option, costing CNY50 billion (US$7.6 billion), compared to the estimated CNY120 billion investment needed for a bridge. The bridge would have to be at least 70 metres high to allow large ships to pass underneath.
Comments are closed.