China to build underwater bullet train route

On Thursday, the Chinese government approved a project to build the first underwater bullet train route in the country, said a media report.

The line will be connecting Ningbo, a port city south of Shanghai, to Zhoushan, an archipelago off the east coast.

The proposed underwater tunnel will be a part of the 77-kilometer Yong-Zhou Railway plan to boost tourism and create a two-hour-commute zone within Zhejiang Province.

First mentioned in a government transportation plan in 2005, the feasibility study of the Yong-Zhou Railway plan was approved by Beijing in November.

Within the 77 km (47.8 miles) railway route, some 70.92 km of tracks will be newly built, including a 16.2 km undersea section.

When completed, the Yong-Zhou Railway will connect Ningbo East Station and Zhoushan (Baiquan) Station by high-speed trains that hit a maximum speed of 250 kilometers per hour.

The new route, connecting to the existing vast high-speed rail network in China, will transport travelers from Hangzhou -- capital city of Zhejiang -- to Zhoushan in 80 minutes.

The current journey takes about 4.5 hours by bus or a 2.5-hour drive by personal vehicle.

Seven stations are planned for the entire route, including four new stations and three redeveloped ones.

At a whopping 25.2 billion yuan ($3 billion), the project is expected to begin next year and is due for completion in 2025.

In addition to the undersea tunnel, a road-rail bridge will be built to link parts of the archipelago.

Zhoushan, In terms of business, it's one of the most noteworthy new state-level areas (or special economic-development zones designated by the Beijing government) in China.