South China's Hainan Province moves a step closer to have the world's first high-speed train circling an island when technicians began testing the second half of the loop on Tuesday.
The Western Ring Railway should have been connected with Hainan's existing Eastern Ring Railway by the end of 2015 after a trial run, said a spokesperson with the railway's operator, Yuehai Railway. With an investment of 27 billion yuan (4.27 billion U.S. dollars), the Western Ring has been under construction for two years.
Trains will run at 200 km per hour on the 345-km new stretch, with 16 stops in six cities and counties. With a size of 35,400 square km, Hainan is slightly larger than Belgium. A popular destination for beach lovers, it is expected to receive 47 million visitors this year.
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