Beijing - Hong Kong high-speed line: last bit almost done

[lpetrich]

Breakthrough in Hong Kong ERL tunnel | International Railway Journal ERL = Express Rail Link, and it's a 26-km segment between Shenzhen and Hong Kong. It completes a 2.6-km tunnel, and a total of 12.9 km of tunneling, at least the drill-and-blast tunneling. It should open in 2017.

Looking at High-speed rail in China - Wikipedia, most of China's longer HSR lines should also be done by then. Of the 4 NS + 4 EW grid, only Beijing - Shenyang should remain, that one in the Beijing - Harbin line.

[Fan Railer]

Note that this is several years behind schedule... It should have been open by now.

[jstolberg]

Looking at High-speed rail in China - Wikipedia, most of China's longer HSR lines should also be done by then. Of the 4 NS + 4 EW grid, only Beijing - Shenyang should remain, that one in the Beijing - Harbin line.

Applying that 4 x 4 grid concept to the US:

[lpetrich]

Express Rail Link opening pushed back to 2018 | International Railway Journal

MTR says the Express Rail Link project to construct a high-speed line from West Kowloon in Hong Kong to the Chinese border and Shenzhen is expected to exceed its budget by 30%, or $HK 20bn ($US 2.58bn), and the opening will be further delayed until the third quarter of 2018.

[lpetrich]

High-speed rail arrives in Hong Kong | International Railway Journal

HONG KONG was finally connected to China’s 27,000km high-speed network on September 23, when around 500 passengers boarded the 07.00 MTR Vibrant Express from West Kowloon to Shenzhen North, the inaugural service over the 28km Hong Kong section of Hong Kong – Shenzhen – Guangzhou Express Rail Link (XRL).