STORY: New high-speed line in N China embraces first Spring Festival travel rush | Sunny's Spotlight
SHOOTING TIME: Jan. 26, 2024
DATELINE: Feb. 2, 2024
LENGTH: 00:04:13
LOCATION: Beijing
CATEGORY: SOCIETY

SHOTLIST:
1. various of Daxing International Airport and passengers
2. STANDUP (English): SUNNY ZHOU, Xinhua correspondent
3. SOUNDBITE 1 (Chinese): ZHOU XUE, Railway staff member
4. various of the train
5. STANDUP (English): SUNNY ZHOU, Xinhua correspondent
6. SOUNDBITE 2 (Chinese): WEI XUEHUI, Party chief of Daxing Airport Railway Station
7. SOUNDBITE 3 (Chinese): WEI XUEHUI, Party chief of Daxing Airport Railway Station
8. SOUNDBITE 4 (Chinese): Passenger
9. STANDUP (English): SUNNY ZHOU, Xinhua correspondent
10. various of passengers celebrating the Spring Festival on the train
11. SOUNDBITE 5 (Chinese): Passengers and railway staff members
12. SOUNDBITE 6 (Chinese): ZHOU XUE, Railway staff member

STORYLINE:

STANDUP (English): SUNNY ZHOU, Xinhua correspondent
"Welcome to Sunny's Spotlight. China's Spring Festival travel rush is now underway.
According to official projection, the railway network is expected to handle 480 million passenger trips, a record number up 37.9 percent year on year."
 
STANDUP (English): SUNNY ZHOU, Xinhua correspondent
"I've boarded a train on a railway inaugurated just last month, connecting north China's Tianjin Municipality with the Daxing International Airport in Beijing."
 
SOUNDBITE 1 (Chinese): ZHOU XUE, Railway staff member
"This is the first Spring Festival travel rush since the opening of the Tianjin-Daxing rail line. We have made careful preparations and planning in advance. We have prepared large luggage bags, aiming to facilitate passengers in case of unexpected issues with their luggage. We have also provided information sheets of airport terminals to make it easier for passengers to reach the airport.
Our train is dedicated to serving the coordinated development of the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region. There are stops in Yongqing and Anci, serving passengers from both areas who wish to travel on the Tianjin-Daxing line."

STANDUP (English): SUNNY ZHOU, Xinhua correspondent
"Delving into the Daxing Airport Railway Station in Beijing, a terminal of the railway, I'm here to find out how it is prepared to embrace the Spring Festival travel rush for the first time."
 
SOUNDBITE 2 (Chinese): WEI XUEHUI, Party chief of Daxing Airport Railway Station
"Previously, Daxing airport station mainly catered to passengers traveling between Beijing and Xiong'an. With the opening of the Tianjin-Daxing rail line, our services have expanded even further. Now, passengers from places like Tangshan (Hebei) and Tianjin can also take the train directly to Daxing airport. Currently, Daxing airport station operates 9 pairs of trains, meaning 18 trains are running each day. This significant increase in train services can meet the needs of passengers traveling at different times of the day.
For this year's Spring Festival travel season, we're committed to ensuring that passengers heading to the airport can quickly exit the station. To achieve this, we've added more ground and overhead directional signs for guidance.
We've also upgraded our services for this year's Spring Festival travel season. Now, we've added water heating facilities to all restroom sinks. We've also set up charging devices for mobile phones. Our aim is to ensure a smoother journey for everyone."

As of the end of 2023, the operational mileage of high-speed railways in China had reached 45,000 kilometers.

The Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region, centered around the capital Beijing, is one of the most densely connected regions in the world in terms of rail transit networks.

The development of high-speed railways has profoundly transformed the way Chinese people travel during the Spring Festival travel rush.

SOUNDBITE 3 (Chinese): WEI XUEHUI, Secretary of the CPC Party Branch of Daxing Airport Railway Station
"The Spring Festival travel season has undergone a remarkable transformation. In the past, there used to be fewer trains, so some train tickets were hard to come by. However, nowadays, passengers are more inclined to choose high-speed trains. And passengers have much more diversified transportation options to choose from. We've increased train services, including some overnight high-speed trains during the Spring Festival travel rush, to meet the growing demand."

SOUNDBITE 4 (Chinese): Passenger
"I've been working in Yongqing and commuting between Yongqing and Beijing quite frequently. In the past, I used to drive by myself or take the bus, but traffic congestion was quite common, and it was difficult to anticipate the travel time. Taking this high-speed train is a much better option. It's more comfortable."
 
STANDUP (English): SUNNY ZHOU, Xinhua correspondent
"This railway is the latest move to support the coordinated development of the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region.
And for some regions along the line, it's the first time that residents can access high-speed trains to head home and reunite with family during the Spring Festival."
 
SOUNDBITE 5 (Chinese): Passengers
"Happy Spring Festival and a prosperous Year of the Dragon!"
 
SOUNDBITE 6 (Chinese): ZHOU XUE, Railway staff member
"Wishing you all a happy Spring Festival and a prosperous Year of the Dragon! We also welcome everyone to hop on board our Beijing-Tianjin high-speed trains."
 
Xinhua News Agency correspondents reporting from Beijing.
(XHTV)