Yangtze River Delta rail timetable adds passenger and freight services from October 11
In short
A new rail timetable taking effect at 00:00 on October 11 will raise Yangtze River Delta passenger services to 1,435.5 train pairs and freight services to 1,383 pairs, Shanghai's railway operator said. Both totals are record highs, with seven additional peak-hour commuter trains planned.
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The Yangtze River Delta will see record passenger and freight train totals under China's fourth-quarter 2026 national railway timetable, which takes effect at 00:00 on October 11. China Railway Shanghai Group said passenger services would reach 1,435.5 train pairs, an increase of two pairs, while freight services would reach 1,383 pairs, up 5.5 pairs. CLS, 36Kr and China News Service reported that both totals were historical highs. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
China News Service reported that the timetable uses new capacity from the opening of the Xiong'an–Shangqiu section of the Beijing–Hong Kong high-speed railway and Hefei West station's connection to the main line. Five pairs of cross-line high-speed services are planned, including Hefei West–Beijing West, Hefei–Beijing West, Huangshan North–Beijing West and Shanghai Hongqiao–Xiong'an. Places including Jiuhuashan, Lujiang, Shouxian, Tongcheng and Bozhou will receive direct high-speed services to Beijing for the first time, avoiding detours and transfers or conventional trains. [ 3 ]
The timetable plans seven additional peak-hour commuter trains to serve residents of Shanghai, Jiaxing and Hangzhou: five morning and two evening trains. Services include routes between Shanghai Hongqiao and Hangzhou and between Shanghai South and Hangzhou. Yiwu station's daily passenger-service trains will increase from 226 to 272 following its expansion, according to China News Service. [ 3 ]
The operator said freight routing adjustments and additional trains would shorten transport times and reduce costs. New domestic services include Qiaosi–Duoluokou, expected to add 60,000 tonnes of freight, and Nanxiang–Changchun South, expected to add 84,000 tonnes. A new international service towards Vietnam via Pingxiang is expected to add capacity of 2,000 standard containers. The railway advised passengers and freight customers to check its information channels and station announcements when arranging journeys and shipments. [ 3 ]
Why it matters
The timetable adds direct high-speed access to Beijing for several places in Anhui and more commuter services for Shanghai, Jiaxing and Hangzhou, China News Service reported. Freight changes aim to shorten transport times and lower costs, with an additional China–Vietnam service also planned.
Key facts
- The fourth-quarter 2026 national rail timetable starts at 00:00 on October 11. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
- Yangtze River Delta passenger services rise by two pairs to 1,435.5 pairs and freight services by 5.5 pairs to 1,383 pairs. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
- Seven extra peak-hour commuter trains are planned, comprising five morning trains and two evening trains. [ 3 ]