With rail track improvements near completion, Beijing passengers are expected be able to get to Shanghai in about seven hours by train next year.

The 1453 kilometer journey from Beijing to Shanghai normally takes about 12 hours with the fastest train.

The Beijing-based The First newspaper reported Friday that the Beijing Railway Bureau will complete the construction work of new tracks at stations by the end of the year to get ready for the sixth wave of speed improvements on China's railway transportation system.

China's Ministry of Railways has decided to speed up the velocity from current 140 to 160 kilometer per hour to 200 kilometers per hour, covering five major routes: Beijing to Guangzhou; Beijing to Shanghai; the east-west Longhai Route from Lianyungang to Qinghai; central China’s Jiaoji Route; and the Zhegan Route in southern China.

The Beijing Railway Bureau is responsible for the speed upgrade projects of Beijing-Guangzhou, and Beijing-Shanghai routes. The renovation of eight stations and tracks under the Bureau's administrative region will be completed by the end of the year.

(Chiannews.cn August 26, 2005)