The Yangtze River flows onward, carrying the pulse of development along its corridor, while high-speed trains race ahead, ushering in a new chapter of revitalization for the historic revolutionary region. As a key component of the Yangtze River Economic Belt's comprehensive three-dimensional transportation corridor and a vital central section of the Shanghai-Chongqing-Yangtze River high-speed railway, the Hefei-Wuhan high-speed railway connects the two provincial capitals of Hefei and Wuhan, with a designed speed of 350 kilometers per hour. This new line will further streamline connections along the Yangtze River region, injecting fresh momentum into regional coordinated development, the rise of central China, and the revitalization of the Dabie Mountain old revolutionary base area.
From August 12 to 14, a special event titled "High-Quality Development in China: Smart Construction of the Hefei-Wuhan Line, Smooth Travel Along the Yangtze" was successfully held. Guided by the Cyberspace Administration of China and the State-owned Assets Supervision and Administration Commission of the State Council, supported by China Railway Wuhan Group and China Railway Shanghai Group, and hosted by China Railway Construction Corporation (CRCC), with co-organization by China Railway Siyuan Survey and Design Group, China Railway 11th Bureau, China Railway 21st Bureau, and China Railway Construction Engineering Group, the event brought together journalists from central and local mainstream media outlets. The delegation visited Wuhan, Hong'an, and Jinzhai, conducting on-site inspections along the Hefei-Wuhan section of the Yangtze River high-speed railway to witness firsthand CRCC's practices in smart construction, green development, and the integration of red heritage, contributing to the growth of the Yangtze River Economic Belt and the rejuvenation of the old revolutionary base areas.
Advancing the 15th Five-Year Plan Strategy to Unblock the Major Development Corridor Along the Yangtze
Stretching over 2,000 kilometers, the Shanghai-Chongqing-Yangtze River high-speed railway traverses Shanghai, Jiangsu, Anhui, Hubei, Chongqing, and Sichuan, linking the Yangtze River Delta, the middle reaches of the Yangtze River, and the Chengdu-Chongqing urban clusters. It serves as a strategic transportation backbone connecting eastern, central, and western China. As the pivotal central section of this corridor, the Hefei-Wuhan high-speed railway starts from Hefei in the east and ends at Wuhan in the west, spanning a total length of 360.52 kilometers. Once completed, travel time between Hefei and Wuhan will be slashed from approximately two hours to just one hour, accelerating the two provinces of Anhui and Hubei into a "one-hour commuting circle."
Fostering New Quality Productive Forces with Digital and Smart Construction
The terrain along the Hefei-Wuhan high-speed railway is complex, with a mix of existing railways, high-grade highways, lakes, and waterways creating multiple constraints that demand higher standards for survey, design, and construction organization. To tackle these challenges, China Railway Siyuan Survey and Design Group has made the Hefei-Wuhan line a pilot project, establishing an integrated "air-space-ground" smart surveying system. This system leverages technologies such as BeiDou ground-based augmentation, oblique photography, mobile SLAM, and unmanned vessel surveying, while relying on big data platforms for comprehensive transportation and intelligent survey and design. These efforts drive the deep integration of multi-source data with 3D real-world scenes, moving route selection and complex engineering scheme comparisons from "drawing on paper" to "simulation in real scenes."
Digital and smart achievements also extend to the construction frontline. The Jinzhai Shihe River Super Major Bridge adopts an upper-deck steel truss girder structure for the first time in high-speed railway construction, reducing weight by about one-third compared to traditional concrete girders. The Jinjiazhai Precast Beam Yard employs a "1+7+N" smart management system and intelligent equipment to enhance the precision and efficiency of box girder production. The Changling Tunnel utilizes mechanized intelligent equipment such as three-arm rock drilling rigs, wet shotcrete manipulators, and digital lining trolleys, making high-risk tunnel construction more visual, controllable, and intelligent.
Upholding Green Development Principles to Safeguard the Ecological Barrier Along the Yangtze
The Hefei-Wuhan high-speed railway cuts through the heart of the Dabie Mountains, where multiple ecologically sensitive areas and ecological protection red lines are distributed along the route. The project prioritizes ecological preservation and avoidance-first principles, embedding ecological protection requirements throughout the entire process of planning, design, construction, and operation, striving for a harmonious coexistence between railway construction and the natural environment. For ecologically sensitive zones that cannot be bypassed, the project employs ultra-long tunnels to pass beneath protected areas, minimizing surface engineering and vegetation disturbance. When crossing wetlands and water bodies, bridge spans are optimized and the number of in-water piers is reduced to lessen impacts on hydrological environments and biological habitats. A multi-tiered governance system has been established to address noise-sensitive points along the route. Passenger stations along the line simultaneously adopt photovoltaic systems, LED smart lighting, and energy-efficient air conditioning to integrate green and low-carbon concepts into station construction. After completion, the project will further optimize the comprehensive transportation structure by diverting road and air traffic, with an expected annual reduction of 328,000 tonnes of carbon emissions.
Weaving Red Heritage into High-Speed Rail, Accelerating Revitalization of Old Revolutionary Base Areas
Hong'an West Station, located in Hong'an County, known as "China's First County of Generals," officially commenced operations on July 1, becoming the first newly built station along the entire Hefei-Wuhan high-speed railway. The station's design is anchored in the theme "Red Holy Land, Hometown of Generals, Stars Shining Over Hong'an," incorporating elements such as stars and red ribbons into the architectural space, making the red legacy tangible and palpable within a modern transportation setting. With the opening of Hong'an West Station, Hong'an is rapidly transforming from a railway "transit point" to a regional transportation hub, seamlessly integrating into Wuhan's half-hour commuting circle.
High-speed rail brings not only faster travel but also expanded development opportunities. As regional coordinated development deepens during the 15th Five-Year Plan period, the Hefei-Wuhan high-speed railway will further strengthen the flow of people, logistics, and industrial connections between the old revolutionary base area and Wuhan and other cities along the route. This will help red cultural tourism, Dabie Mountain specialty agricultural products, and other resources enter broader markets, converting transportation advantages into development advantages and injecting new momentum into the revitalization of the old revolutionary base areas.