CHINA: Surveying and detailed design work has begun for the construction of a 77 km rail link between Ningbo and the Zhoushan Islands in eastern Zhejiang province. This would include China’s first section of undersea line designed for 250 km/h passenger services as well as freight trains.

According to feasibility studies undertaken last year, the Yang-Zhou Railway will require 71 km of new construction, including a 16·2 km bored railway tunnel between the mainland and Jintang Island and a number of bridges over the sea. There would also be a parallel road tunnel. The line is expected to serve seven stations, of which four will be new and three rebuilt.

When completed the line is expected to offer a journey time of 30 min from Zhoushan to Ningbo and 1 h 20 min to the provincial capital Hangzhou.