On October 6th, during an insightful interview in Shanghai, we delved into the development of the city’s railway system and its reflection on the ongoing integration of the Yangtze River Delta region.
Cheng Wei, a retired ticketing officer from Shanghai Railway Station, shared vivid memories from her time on the job over a decade ago. “I can still recall all the major train stops from the 1980s: Suzhou, Wuxi, Changzhou, Danyang, Zhenjiang, Nanjing… We had to memorize the departure and arrival times at each station,” she reminisced, revealing her remarkable recall.
As she reflected on her experiences, Cheng painted a picture of the station’s bustling atmosphere. “It was always packed with people. During ticket checks, countless hands would be raised in front of me. We had to work quickly; once I verified the train number, time, and destination, I would just punch a hole in the ticket,” she explained. The terms ‘crowded,’ ‘speed,’ and ‘hard work’ came up repeatedly in our discussion. She pointed out that until the 1980s, Shanghai had only one major passenger railway station, and by 1986, just 29 trains departed daily, leading to long ticket lines that often stretched into the night.
Today, the Shanghai Railway system stands as a critical hub for rail transport in East China and an essential link for coastal and inland shipping. With the onset of reforms and rapid economic growth, the railway infrastructure expanded swiftly, especially following the national strategy to integrate the Yangtze River Delta. “The evolution from manual ticket sales and checks to electronic screens showing train info, and now the ease of purchasing e-tickets on my phone has been nothing short of revolutionary,” Cheng remarked.
Historically, when the People’s Republic of China was founded in 1949, the country had a total railway mileage of just over 21,000 kilometers, with only 1,400 kilometers under the former Shanghai Bureau. At that time, railway technology was basic, using wooden sleepers and simple track systems with trains averaging speeds of around 30 kilometers per hour. Currently, the Shanghai Railway Bureau oversees an extensive network surpassing 14,000 kilometers, including high-speed rail lines that can reach speeds of up to 350 kilometers per hour.
The journey from the first operational railway, the Wusong Railway, to today’s vast railway network showcases the ongoing evolution and growth of Shanghai’s railways, which have continually extended into the Yangtze River Delta, fostering urban clusters and enhancing regional economic integration.
In addition to traditional routes like the Shanghai-Nanjing intercity railway and the Shanghai-Hangzhou high-speed railway, there is currently a major project in the trial phase—the Shanghai-Suzhou-Huzhou high-speed railway—aimed at improving infrastructure connectivity in the region. This development will help reduce transportation pressures on existing railway corridors. Moreover, the second phase of the Shanghai-Suqian Railway, linking Shanghai with northern Jiangsu, is also under construction.
He Jianhua, a researcher and former vice president at the Shanghai Academy of Social Sciences, stressed that transportation should be a priority for the integration of the Yangtze River Delta urban agglomeration. He explained that the essence of integration lies in functionality, emphasizing that industrial unification is key and that the movement of various elements serves as the foundation. “While core functions differ among central cities in the Yangtze River Delta and industries are oriented differently, there is a collective need to promote the free flow of five essential elements,” he stated.
He elaborated on the significance of creating synergies among various resources—technology, industry, talent, and capital—through an efficient and accessible railway system, which would cultivate a larger economic platform capable of retaining quality resources while attracting new ones.
For example, the G60 Science and Technology Innovation Corridor comprises nine cities—including Shanghai, Jiaxing, Hangzhou, Jinhua, Suzhou, Huzhou, Xuancheng, Wuhu, and Hefei—that together contribute approximately one-fifteenth of the national GDP, house one-seventh of China’s high-tech companies, and hold over one-fifth of the companies listed on the Science and Technology Innovation Board, along with 10.2 million market entities.
“To establish a world-class economic platform, Shanghai cannot stand alone; deep integration with neighboring cities is vital. The Yangtze River Delta must continue to consolidate its resources for a more prosperous future,” He Jianhua concluded.
