Maglev line opens to tourists in Fenghuang

On July 30, Fenghuang Maglev Sightseeing Express was officially opened for traffic. Fenghuang County has become the only county-level city and scenic area in the country to open a maglev line.

 As a national historical and cultural town, Fenghuang is famous for its well-preserved ancient town and the cultural heritage of the Miao and Tujia ethnic groups. Fenghuang Ancient Town began to be built in 1556, the 35th year during the reign of Emperor Jiajing in the Ming Dynasty. It has survived the vicissitudes of the past with the ancient style. The ancient city is built along the Tuojiang River. Close to the mountains and the waters, the towers, the ancient courtyards and the stone streets are integrated with the natural scenery. The 9.1-kilometer maglev line, which has a designed maximum speed of 100 km/h, covers four stops and is predominantly used as a link connecting the high-speed railway station with the ancient town and nearby scenic areas. At present, tickets are available at 58 yuan and can be used an unlimited number of times during a four-day period.

At a cost of 2.37 billion yuan and taking two years to build, the maglev is expected to add to Fenghuang’s tourism credentials by offering visitors convenient, quiet, low cost and environmentally friendly transportation.

Maglev trains boast advantages of low noise, low energy consumption and zero pollution, which are good for the environment in scenic areas. The maglev line can not only meet the requirements of sustainable development of the tourism industry, but also strengthen the linkage between the scenic areas in Fenghuang County, so as to build the Fenghuang all-for-one tourism landscape axis, ecological corridor and cultural corridor.

Taking Fenghuang Maglev Sightseeing Express can bring tourists a “comfortable and safe” travel experience, so that it can turn “transportation into experience, stations into scenic areas, train tickets into admission tickets”. The design of Fenghuang Lansheng Station resembles the phoenix eye, with a three-storey viewing platform where tourists can enjoy a bird’s-eye view of the Tuojiang River and the ancient town. The ultra-high sightseeing elevator under the station connects with the walkways along the river, becoming another wonderful scene along the Tuojiang River. Tunnels on the line have been fitted with audiovisual shows to entertain travelers between the scenic areas.

According to the builder, Fenghuang Maglev Sightseeing Express has independent intellectual property rights from design, construction, manufacturing to late operation and maintenance. For example, the bridge piers are in the shape of petals, which become part of the landscape and blend with the enchanting scenery of Fenghuang.