Work starts on biggest station of subway line linking city's airports

Xinhua

Construction has started on the largest station of an express line to connect Shanghai's Hongqiao and Pudong airports.

The Sanlin South Station in the Pudong New Area is being built some 42 meters beneath the ground, to be one of the deepest subway stations in the city upon completion.

Covering over 20,000 square meters, the station will have four underground levels serving two rails of the airport express line and a branch connecting to Shanghai South Railway Station, the construction company said on Friday.

According to long-term planning, another two Metro lines, Line 19 and the Fengxian Line, will also interchange at the station.

Excavators are digging the 700-meter-long construction site for the mega subway station. Noise and dust are being strictly controlled to avoid affecting the nearby Sanlin campus of the High School Attached to Shanghai Normal University.

Nine shields are currently digging across the city for construction of the express line. Another three shields will join the project early this year.

The 68.6-kilometer express line is expected to shorten travel time between the two airports to less than 40 minutes from current 90 minutes on completion in 2024. The line will have nine stations across Xuhui and Minhang districts as well as the Pudong New Area. Its three main parts will be Puxi, Pudong and the cross-river sections.

It will run through Hongqiao transport hub, Qibao ancient town, Huajing Town, Sanlin Town, Zhangjiang High-Tech Park, Shanghai International Resort, Pudong International Airport and its planned new terminal building, and Shanghai East Railway Station.

Currently, passengers can take Metro Line 2 or a shuttle bus between the two airports. This takes between 70 and 90 minutes, depending on whether commuters use the maglev in addition to the Metro.

As one of the country's first batch of 11 demonstration city railways approved by the development and reform commission, the nation's top planning body, the express line will be able to connect in the future with the national railway system and the intercity transport network of Yangtze River Delta region.

The express line will not only benefit transit passengers at both airports, but also make it more convenient for citizens to travel around the city. It will further improve the pivotal and service functions of both airports to the Yangtze River Delta region, according to the city government.

The line will also improve the city's business environment, enhance Shanghai's core competences and support the national strategy of integrated development of the Yangtze River Delta region.

The line's designed speed will be 160 kilometers per hour. About 88 percent of the project will run underground. Above ground, travel will be on elevated rails.