THE construction of Xiongan railway station was started Saturday with the goal of optimizing China’s high-speed railway networks covering Beijing, Tianjin and Hebei Province, according to sources from the China Railway.

With a construction period of 24 months, the station is the biggest one among the five stations along the 92.4-km-long intercity railroad linking Beijing and Xiongan. The other four stations are Huangcun, the new airport, Gu’an East and Bazhou North.

Upon completion by the end of 2020, the station will be connected with the country’s five high-speed railways and intercity railroads, which will allow passengers from Xiongan New Area to travel to Beijing, Tianjin in half an hour and Shijiazhuang, capital of Hebei Province, in one hour.

The project will also make Xiongan New Area a key transportation hub well connected with the central, southern, northwestern, southwestern and northeastern parts of China.

Sources with China Railway said international bidding for the station’s design and construction plans had been completed, while construction experience involving several domestic and overseas integrated traffic hubs have been drawn upon.

A variety of intelligent designs and construction technologies will be applied so that the station will be a signature upon completion, said the sources. (Xinhua)