Construction of the Chongqing-Lichuan Railway officially began on 27 December. This Rmb26.18bn line runs 260km from Chongqing North railway station to Liangwu railway station of Lichuan city, Hubei province. When completed in 2012 it will have a designed speed of 200 kph, reducing the journey time from Chongqing to Wuhan to four hours. The project is funded by the Ministry of Railways and Chongqing Municipal Government.
Chongqing will initiate construction of four new railways in 2009: to Guizhou, Wanzhou, Chengdu and a second line to Huaihua, according to the meeting between Wang Hongju, mayor of Chongqing, and Liu Zhijun, Minister of Railways on 28 December.