What’s special about Beijing-Zhangjiakou high-speed railway?

Crew members work on a high-speed train at Beijing North Railway Station in Beijing, capital of China, on Dec. 28, 2019. The high-speed railway line connecting Beijing and Zhangjiakou in north China's Hebei Province will go into service on Monday, China Railway Corporation said Saturday. (Xinhua/Peng Ziyang)

The high-speed railway line connecting Beijing and Zhangjiakou in north China's Hebei Province went into service on Dec. 30.

As a major project for the 2022 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games, the railway line will reduce travel time between Beijing and Zhangjiakou, the co-host city of the 2022 Olympics, from over three hours to 47 minutes.

The railway is 174 km long, with a maximum design speed of 350 km/h. Construction of the Beijing-Zhangjiakou high-speed railway began in the first half of 2016. The railway underwent test runs earlier this month.

The Zhangjiakou station of the high-speed rail adopts a face-recognition entry system and uses automated parking, according to Hu Yonghe with the China State Construction Engineering Corporation (CSCEC), constructor of the Zhangjiakou station.

Photo taken on Dec. 29, 2019 shows the departure hall of Zhangjiakou Highspeed Railway Station in Zhangjiakou, north China's Hebei province. (Xinhua/Mu Yu)

The automated ticket machines at the Zhangjiakou station allow foreign passengers to buy tickets by having their passports scanned and then paying the fee. Compatriots from Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan can use their travel permits or travel passes to purchase train tickets at the hall, Hu said.

The Zhangjiakou station is equipped with an “intelligent brain”, which guarantees efficient operation of the station and data management and allocation of resources. Specifically, the system can monitor departure and arrival information, passenger flow and performance of staff members, providing a more comfortable and safer travel experience for passengers.

The station is also installed with an intelligent lighting system that can switch off and turn on the lights when necessary. The LED display screens at the station, which carry pictures of cultural items and the famous scenic spots in Beijing and Hebei, enabling passengers to learn more about the places they are stopping at.