Passengers can now travel between the two stations in 30 minutes. Tickets are sold at the price of RMB5, RMB10, or RMB15, depending on the length of the journey. 

A Dujiangyan man who works and resides in Chengdu said that he plans to go home every weekend to visit his family. Before the opening of the train, he visited only once a month. 

The route has 12 stops in total: Chengdu, Anjing, Xipu East, Xipu, Hong Guang, Pixian East, Pixian, Pixian West, Ande, Juyuan, Dujiangyan, and Qingcheng Mountain. Currently, only six are in operation, but the others will be opened once sufficient passenger numbers are reached.

An extension line will run from Dujiangyan and stop at Yingbin Lu, Libing Square, and Lidui Park. The entire line is 66.2 kilometers, and the train runs at speeds of up to 200 kmph. Fifteen trains run in each direction between 7 a.m. and 8:30 p.m. daily, the fastest running from end to end in 30 minutes and the slowest in 50 minutes. 

It is estimated that 150,000 to 160,000 passengers will take the train daily, significantly impacting other means of travel between Chengdu and Dujiangyan. Currently, 2,000 passengers take the bus daily from Chengdu's Chadianzi Station to Dujiangyan. Tickets for that bus are RMB16 each. The toll for the Chengguan expressway to Dujiangyan is RMB20.

At the Dujiangyan station, four automated ticket machines have been installed. Passengers can purchase tickets at the machines with a top-up card, cash, or a bank card.
 

• May 25th, 2010