A train runs on the Juyongguan Pass segment of the Beijing-Zhangjiakou Railroad, which is decorated by blooming flowers, in Beijing, March 25, 2016.[Photo/Xinhua]

High-speed rail network to spread net wider

According to the plan, the high-speed rail network will cover more than 80 percent of big cities that have a population of over 1 million. Transport network of railway, highways and airlines will cover cities with permanent population of more than 200,000 km.

The number of such big cities was 142 in 2014, according to the statistics released by the Information Office of the State Council on March 19 that year. As cities have grown over the years, it means the high-speed rail network will reach more than 113 big and mega cities by 2020.

By 2016, the length of the network had reached 20,000 km.