The Shanghai section of the Beijing-Shanghai high-speed railway began a joint trial on Sunday. The project includes testing the new-generation bullet trains and its power system.

The Shanghai section of the route covers 645 kilometers and connects Zaozhuangxi in Shandong Province to Hongqiao in Shanghai. The track linking Zaozhuangxi and Bengbu in Anhui Province has finished its test run. Trains travelling that section can reach speeds of 486 kilometers per hour. The trial is expected to be completed by May.

The Beijing-Shanghai line is China's longest high-speed rail line. It covers more than 13,000 kilometers and connects two major economic zones in the Bohai Sea Rim and the Yangtze River Delta. The high-speed train is expected to be in operation in June. It will shorten the trip between the two cities from 10 hours to under four hours.

(CNTV.cn February 20, 2011)