Making rail more attractive in Hunan and Guangxi

In the early 2000s, transport experienced strong growth in China, accounting for 10% of energy consumption. Rail transport accounted for one third of passenger volume (measured in passenger-kilometers), compared to 53% for road and 13% for air transport. Yet rail transport is five to ten times more efficient than the other two modes of transport in terms of energy consumption per unit carried. It was therefore crucial to promote rail transport in order to prevent the development of energy and carbon-intensive transport.

The 1,000-km Xiang-Gui railway line connects Hengyang in Hunan Province with the Vietnamese border. The segment between Hengyang and Liuzhou, in Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Province, used to be connected by a diesel locomotive on a stretch of single-track railway. It dated back to 1930, was in poor condition, and had reached its maximum capacity. The service was therefore poor, and passengers avoided taking the train.

The purpose of the project supported by AFD and launched in 2008 was to provide a sustainable solution to the demand for the transport of passengers and goods on this railway. It sought to support Chinese public policies in the area of transport in order to reduce long-term energy consumption in the sector.

The project involved the construction of a double-track electrified railway line with high-speed capacity (up to 250 kilometers per hour for passenger trains) between Hengyang and Liuzhou. Funding from AFD enabled the procurement of supplies and equipment for electric traction.

• The project helped shift some road traffic towards rail, resulting in significant energy savings. It prevents the emission of 225,000 equivalent tons of CO₂ per year.

• The project increases the range of rail transport services, which is more affordable for the majority of the population. The quality of services has also been greatly improved, especially in terms of travel times.

• The old line is now used for local freight transport.