Beijing's iconic Qinghuayuan Railway Station will run its final trains on Monday. The 106-year-old station is closing up shop in order to make room for a new high-speed railway, which will link Beijing and Zhangjiakou. The project is expected to be completed by 2019.
The original station buildings, which are located smack in the middle of Wudaokou, are among the capital’s many cultural relics and will remain intact. The buildings will serve as a memorial for the historic structure.
Qinghuayuan Railway Station was completed in 1910, though it was rebuilt and relocated down the road from the first station in the 1950s. It originally functioned as the first stop out of what is now the Beijing North Railway Station (formerly Xizhimen). The project was a major feat for China because it was the first line to be entirely designed and built by Chinese engineers.
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Many tourists and locals have purchased tickets to take a ride on the line’s last trains on Monday. Tickets have reportedly sold out, China.org.cn reports.
However, despite its historical significance some residents of the area are relieved to see it go. Because roughly 30 trains travel through the station on a daily basis, the area receives a high amount of traffic and noise.
Along with Beijing, Zhangjiakou will host many of the 2022 Winter Games. The new high-speed railway will link the cities (which are roughly 200 kilometers apart), making it possible to travel between the two in less than an hour.
[Image via China Daily]
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