The first high-speed train C3839 arrives in Zhangjiagang on July 1, 2020, marking the official launch of the railway station in East China’s Jiangsu province.[Photo/zjgonline.com.cn]

Since Zhangjiagang Railway Station opened to the public on July 1, 2020, it has seen a total of 1.3 million departures and received 1.27 million arrivals, with an average daily passenger flow of around 6,000 people.

The coming of high-speed trains to the city has transformed locals' lives. More tourists can come to visit Zhangjiagang, and locals are better able to work, study and travel outside the area.

A resident surnamed Wang has been living in Zhangjiagang for more than two years, his hometown is in Jiangxi province. He said in the days before the high-speed train, he had no other choice but to take the coach to go to Shanghai. The high-speed train has made it more convenient to travel to many places, and because of this, some of his friends and relatives have been attracted to the city.

The railway has not only influenced people's lives, but has also helped Zhangjiagang to reap the benefits of the regional integration of the Yangtze River Economic Belt.

In the future, Zhangjiagang will boast one-hour connections to Shanghai, Hangzhou and Nanjing. It will also have links with Beijing and Tianjin in the north, Wuhan and Chongqing in the west, and Xiamen and Shenzhen in the south, making it one of China's strategically crucial transport hubs.