(Yicai) Dec. 31 -- Beijing’s new Tongzhou Railway Station has opened as a key addition to the capital’s rail network, expanding the connections between the east of Beijing and major cities in Hebei province and Tianjin.

The station, which opened yesterday, will initially run trains on the Beijing-Tangshan and Beijing-Binhai intercity rail links, providing a fast connection between the capital and northern Tianjin, as well as convenient links to Tangshan, Qinhuangdao, and other cities. It is the eighth station in the Beijing Railway Hub.

Beijing's railroad station layout enables convenient and efficient travel and, since 2019, the four stations built outside the Third Ring Road have also eased congestion at the inner-city stations and alleviated traffic on central roads and around stations, according to Zhu Yuechen, a senior engineer at the Beijing Urban Construction Research Institute.

The forecourt design of Tongzhou Railway Station draws inspiration from the sailing culture of the Beijing-Hangzhou Grand Canal. Historically, Tongzhou district was the northern terminus of this ancient canal.

A transfer sign guides passengers to Metro Line 6.

New dedicated bus routes provide convenient connections for travelers, including services to Beijing Capital Airport and Beijing Daxing international Airport.

Passengers wait for their trains to arrive.

Editors: Tang Shihua, Martin Kadiev