英语新闻丨New high-speed railway line connects Lanzhou and Wuwei

A high-speed railway line from Lanzhou, Gansu's provincial capital, to Wuwei, a city in central Gansu, commenced operations on Saturday, further improving the high-speed rail network in Northwest China.6月29日，兰州至张掖高铁中川机场至武威东段（以下简称兰张高铁兰武段）正式开通运营，对于助力西部大开发形成新格局具有重要意义。The line runs from Lanzhou's Zhongchuan Airport Station and passes through Lanzhou's Yongdeng county and Wuwei's Tianzhu Tibetan autonomous county and Gulang county before ending at Wuwei East Station, China Railway Lanzhou Bureau Group said.中国铁路兰州局集团表示，兰张高铁兰武段自兰州新区中川机场站引出，途经甘肃兰州市永登县，武威市天祝县、古浪县至武威市区，接入武威东站。It serves six stations, spans 193 kilometers and has a maximum operating speed of 250 kilometers per hour. During the initial phase of operation, railway authorities will schedule a maximum of 20 passenger trains a day.中川机场至武威东段正线全长193公里，共设6个站点，开通运营初期，每日开行动车组列车最高达20列。The travel time from Wuwei East Station to Lanzhou West Station will be 1 hour and 56 minutes, shaving 58 minutes from the journey on conventional trains, the group said.To improve service quality and meet diverse travel needs, railway authorities have implemented flexible discounts and market-based fare mechanisms, offering more travel options. Specific fares can be checked on the 12306 ticket booking system.武威东至兰州西站最快1小时56分可达，较目前普速旅客列车压缩58分钟；武威东至中川机场最快1小时11分可达。为提升运营品质、满足旅客不同出行需求，铁路部门实施灵活折扣、差异化的市场化票价机制，为旅客出行提供更多选择，具体票价可通过铁路12306查询。Wuwei resident Han Wenting, who rode the inaugural high-speed train with her two daughters, said she had been eagerly awaiting the opening of the high-speed line in her hometown for a long time.与两个女儿一起乘坐这列高铁的武威居民韩文婷说，她一直热切期待着着家乡高铁的开通。Han said that whenever she had traveled on other high-speed lines for work in the past, she had envied those regions and wondered whether Wuwei would ever have one. Now that her dream has come true, she said she felt excited and proud.韩女士说，之前高铁出差时，她很羡慕那些地区，不知道武威是否有一天能开通高铁。现在她的梦想成真了，她说她（为武威）感到兴奋和自豪。"The new high-speed train will make traveling with my children for vacations and other activities much more convenient, and I am delighted and happy about the rapid development of my hometown," she said.她说：“新的高铁让我和孩子们出去旅游变得更加方便，我对家乡的快速发展感到非常高兴。”Long Haishan, a 28-year-old member of the Tibetan ethnic group born and raised in Tianzhu, is now a high-speed train attendant for China Railway Lanzhou Bureau Group. She said she was honored to take part in the inaugural run of the route through her hometown."The opening of the high-speed railway has brought my hometown and other cities closer, making our travel faster and more convenient," she said. "When I learned that this route would undergo testing, I applied to join it because I wanted to witness the moment that the high-speed railway goes through my hometown."28岁的龙海珊，这名在天祝出生和长大的藏族姑娘，现在是兰州铁路局兰州客运段高铁二队列车员。她表示很荣幸能参与这条线路的首发。她说：“高铁的开通拉近了我的家乡和其他城市，让我们的出行更快捷、更方便。当我得知这条路线要进行测试运营时，我申请主动参加，因为我想见证高铁经过我家乡的那一刻。”Gao Yongsheng, deputy director of Wuwei's Regional Economic Development Research Center, said the new line can further optimize the business environment, expand distribution channels and encourage more enterprises to invest in and develop Wuwei.威市区域经济发展研究中心副主任高勇生在接受记者采访时说，兰张高铁兰武段的开通运营能够有效带动人流物流，进一步优化营商环境，拓宽流通渠道，吸引更多企业来武威投资兴业。The opening of the high-speed railway will also significantly enhance the urban image of Wuwei and surrounding cities and better leverage Wuwei's role as a passenger transport hub, he said.他表示，高铁的开通将大大提升武威及周边城市的城市形象，更好地发挥武威作为客运枢纽的作用。Lanzhou's Zhongchuan Airport Stationn. 兰州中川机场Wuwei's Regional Economic Development Research Centern. 威市区域经济发展研究中心