President Hu inspects transport preparations for Beijing Olympics

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Source: CCTV.com | 06-26-2008 14:24

President Hu Jintao has inspected transport preparations for the upcoming Beijing Olympics. The president wants transport facilities and services to meet the high demands of the Games and the public.

Chinese President Hu Jintao rides on a high-speed train to  test Beijing's transport preparations for the upcoming  Olympic Games on June 25, 2008.(Xinhua Photo)

First stop for Hu Jintao on Wednesday was the Beijing South Railway Station. The new terminal is for express lines bound for the neighboring coastal city of Tianjin to the east and the economic hub of Shanghai to the south.

The station employs high-tech and energy-saving applications. It has completed testing and will be ready for passengers a week before the Olympics.

President Hu took a trial ride to Tianjin. The railway is China's first that supports speeds of up to 300 kilometers an hour. During the Games, the shuttle will carry athletes, spectators and other passengers to and from the two cities within half an hour. Tianjin will host some preliminary football matches.

Next was the airport express line that links with downtown at the Dongzhimen subway station.

At the Dongzhimen terminal, the president was briefed on testing operations. He bought a ticket from a vending machine and tested the express train. The 20-minute ride took Hu Jintao to Terminal 3, the world's largest airport building. Launched in March, it can host more than three hundred planes at the same time.