A major breakthrough has been achieved in the construction of the Shenzhen-Jiangmen High-Speed Railway, a critical infrastructure project in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area (GBA).
Recently, the 11,216-ton T-shaped structure of the Guangzhongjiang Bridge, part of the railway's Hutiaomen section, completed a precise 30.2-degree rotation in the air. This successful maneuver marks the completion of the first swivel bridge construction along the entire railway line.
The railway stretches approximately 116 kilometers and connects five key cities in the Greater Bay Area: Shenzhen, Dongguan, Guangzhou, Zhongshan, and Jiangmen. It is an essential component of China's "Eight Vertical and Eight Horizontal" high-speed rail network, specifically the coastal passage.
The railway includes seven stations: Shenzhen Xili (Note: The under-construction section does not yet include Xili Station), Shenzhen Airport East, Dongguan Binhaiwan, Nansha, Zhongshan North, Henglan, and Jiangmen Station. The designed speed varies by section—200 km/h between Xili and Nansha, and 250 km/h from Nansha to Jiangmen.
Upon its expected completion, the railway will significantly shorten travel times across the region. For instance, a trip from Xili in Shenzhen to Jiangmen will take under one hour. Additionally, travel between Shenzhen Airport and Zhongshan North Station will be reduced to just 25 minutes.
The railway will also enhance connectivity between major hubs, allowing the Qianhai Free Trade Zone in Shenzhen and the Nansha Free Trade Zone in Guangzhou to be within 30 minutes of each other by high-speed rail.
The project not only strengthens regional integration but also supports economic collaboration. By facilitating efficient links between the eastern and western sides of the Pearl River Estuary, the railway is set to become a "golden corridor" that boosts development in the western Pearl River Delta.
In the future, the railway will interconnect with other major lines, such as the Guangzhou-Shenzhen-Hong Kong High-Speed Train and the Shenzhen-Maoming Railway, further enabling a "one-hour living circle" across the Greater Bay Area.
This new rail link promises to transform daily life and business logistics, making it possible, for example, to enjoy a quick bowl of Jiangmen's famous pork shank noodles at lunch and return to Qianhai in time for a sunset view—all within a single day.
Author | Jiang Chang
Photo | CCTV News, Nanfang Plus
Editor | Liu Lingzhi, James Campion, Shen He
