Bikini show in 2014 China Final of Miss Tourism World
Close-up view of August Aerobatic Team
Goddesses married in 2014
Polar region photos raise worldwide awareness of global warming
Get off at the last stop — Beijing Subway in vision
Top 100 beauties in the world!
Gallery: Who is the most beautiful one?
If you like autumn, put your hands in the air!
Fan Bingbing's "Queen style" in new play
Lingerie show at 2014 Miss China
BEIJING, Dec. 19 -- By focusing on passenger needs, and efficient operations, China's high-speed rail (HSR) traffic is expected to continue rapid growth over the coming two decades, said a World Bank paper.
China has the world's largest HSR network, but passenger numbers have been the subject of debate.
A World Bank paper released Friday finds initial traffic volumes are promising, with traffic growing from 128 million trips in 2008 to 672 million trips in 2013. In 2013, China's high-speed rail lines carried more passenger-kilometers (214 billion) than the rest of the world combined, about 2.5 times the volume in Japan and four times the volume in France.
China is a very large country with a high population density, widely spaced large cities, and economic rebalancing strategies go for the long-term success of HSR.
A survey by the World Bank, China Railway Corporation and the Third Railway Survey and Design Institute indicates that a large proportion of high-speed train passengers are between the ages of 25 and 55, with many using the HSR for business travel.
The survey shows the average income of high-speed train passengers was 35 to 50 percent higher than that of conventional train passengers.
"Understanding and addressing passenger needs are critical to achieving the full impact of the HSR network. While initial results are encouraging, HSR remains a major investment that requires high traffic density to be justified economically and financially," said Gerald Ollivier, a World Bank senior transport specialist and co-author of the paper.
"This can be achieved by working closely with cities to develop areas around stations in a way that leverages the gain in accessibility that HSR provides," Ollivier said.
It is important to optimize train frequencies and city pairing, introduce flexible ticket prices reflecting peak and off-peak periods, and introduce convenient e-ticketing services. "By focusing on these aspects, and on the efficient and effective operation of the network, HSR in China can continue to experience substantial growth for many years to come," he added.
The World Bank has provided loans to support six railway projects in China.
Joint anti-piracy drill
Unknown 'monster' fish caught in Shandong
20 years on: Relocated Three Gorges residents through lens
Beautiful Chinese woman
Chestnut girl goes viral online
PLA HK Garrison veterans leave behind beautiful smiles
Victoria's Secret Fashion Show
Representative beauties
Excellent photos of Zhuhai Air Show
Thaw in US-Cuba ties offers broad lessons
China keeping close eye on ruble
Macao’s relations with mainland strong despite Hong Kong protests
Chinese literature steps up going abroad while online literature boomsDay|Week|Month