The Changsha Maglev Express () is a medium-low speed

magnetic levitation Magnetic levitation (maglev) or magnetic suspension is a method by which an object is suspended with no support other than magnetic fields. Magnetic force is used to counteract the effects of the gravitational force and any other forces. The ...

, or ''

maglev Maglev (derived from '' magnetic levitation''), is a system of train transportation that uses two sets of electromagnets: one set to repel and push the train up off the track, and another set to move the elevated train ahead, taking advantage ...

'' line in

Changsha Changsha (; ; ; Changshanese pronunciation: (), Standard Chinese, Standard Mandarin pronunciation: ) is the Capital city, capital and the largest city of Hunan Province of China. Changsha is the 17th most populous city in China with a popul ...

, China. This is China's second maglev line, after Shanghai Maglev, and the first domestically built maglev line that uses indigenous technology. The line stretches over 18.55 kilometers and runs between

Changsha Huanghua International Airport Changsha Huanghua International Airport is the airport serving Changsha, the capital of Hunan province, China, and the Greater Changsha Metropolitan Region comprising the nearby cities of Zhuzhou and Xiangtan. As of 2021, it was one of the ...

, Langli station and the high-speed railway station

Changsha South railway station Changsha South railway station () is a metro station and a railway station of Wuguang Passenger Railway and Hukun Passenger Railway. The station is located in Lituo Subdistrict, Yuhua District, Changsha, Hunan, China. It is a hub and the con ...

. The original rolling stock was designed for a speed of up to , however, but operated with a maximum speed of . In July 2021 the new model entered service operating at a top speed of , which reduced the travel time by three minutes. Construction started in May 2014, trial running on 26 December 2015, and finally start trial operations on 6 May 2016. Since the beginning of construction in May 2014, the project has received an estimated investment of 4.6 billion yuan ($749 million). In June 2020, an extension of the line was announced to connect to the under construction T3 terminal building on the east side of the airport. The line will be elevated for and underground line for . Two underground stations are planned for the extension. Construction was due to commence in November 2020 and will take four years to complete.

Opening timeline

Stations

File: Maglev construction 1.jpg, Maglev track under construction in front of Changsha Huanghua International Airport (2015) File: Maglev construction 2.jpg, Maglev track under construction along the airport highway (2015) File: Changsha Maglev Express Huanghua Airport Staion.jpg, Platform of Huanghua Airport Station (2016) File: Changsha Maglev Express Train Interior.jpg, Interior of Changsha Maglev train (2016)

Operating hours

The first train departs from Huanghua Airport station or Changsha South railway station at 7:00am. The last train leaves Changsha South railway station at 10:00pm or Huanghua Airport station at 10:30pm. The current service interval is 11 minutes 40 seconds and each train completes the whole journey in 19 minutes 30 seconds.

References

{{Rapid transit in Asia Rail transport in Hunan Maglev Railway lines opened in 2016 2016 establishments in China Airport rail links in China Monorails Monorails in China