Changsha makes great strides on transport

Changsha Maglev Express, connecting Changsha South Railway Station and Changsha Huanghua International Airport, cuts traveling time from Langli Station to just 10 minutes. [Photo by Zeng Shiyi/csxnews.com]

　　Changsha county residents have witnessed rapid development of their transport network over the past five years.

　　In that time, for people travelling downtown from the outskirts of the city, life has gotten a lot easier. Five years ago, buses were infrequent and took a long time and taxis were too expensive.

　　Today however, the metro and maglev provide Changsha county residents with special lines, connecting the county with the northern part of the city.

　　Starting construction on Sept 28, 2009, phase one of Metro Line 2 is the main artery traversing the city from the east to west. It opened to the public on April 29, 2014, shortening travel time to less than half an hour.

Changsha county residents take Metro Line 2, the main artery traversing Changsha city from the east to west. [Photo by Zeng Shiyi/csxnews.com]

　　On May 6, 2016, Changsha Maglev Express, China's first domestically built maglev line that uses homegrown technology, started trial operation with trains running at a maximum speed of 100 kilometers per hour.

　　The maglev connects Changsha South Railway Station and Changsha Huanghua International Airport, stopping at three stations on its 20-minute journey. It enables travelers getting on at Langli Station in Changsha county to reach either transport hub within 10 minutes.

The construction site of Langli Station along the Changsha Maglev Express, set in Hangxing town, Changsha county. [Photo by Zhang Di/csxnews.com]

　　Apart from high-speed transport, high density transport infrastructure and highly connected networks have been set up across the county, with urban-rural buses reaching the doors of most households.

　　At present, the total mileage of bus network in Changsha county covers 1,318 kilometers, linking all towns and streets in the region. The efficient transport systems have met the travel demand of a population of 900,000 and have provided a boost to economic development.

Changsha is the first city in Central China's Hunan province to achieve the integration of urban and rural public transportation, with bus lines reaching every town and street in the region. [Photo by Zeng Shiyi/csxnews.com]