Jinan has made remarkable progress in improving its transportation infrastructure and expanding its transportation network over the past five years, local media reported on Dec 22.

During the 13th Five-Year Plan period (2016-20), more than 250 billion yuan ($38.25 billion) went toward the construction of transportation infrastructure, 3.6 times that of the 12th Five-Year Plan period (2011-15).

The construction of major expressways and railways connecting to other cities has been accelerating. The Jinan section of the Zhengzhou-Jinan high-speed railway is expected to open to traffic by 2023.

To date, the length of high-speed railway in the city has reached 284 kilometers, an increase of 52 percent from the end of the 12th Five-Year Plan period.

More than 300 lines connect Jinan to 254 cities across China. It takes just three hours to reach Shanghai and 90 minutes to reach Beijing.

Jinan Yaoqiang International Airport has 204 air routes connecting 120 cities. In 2019, the passenger throughput at the airport reached 17.56 million, an increase of 85 percent over the end of the 12th Five-Year Plan period.

The construction of waterways has also been speeding up, and the restoration project on the Xiaoqing River and the construction of Jinan port has been started.

The construction of public transportation infrastructure has stepped up as well. The city added 23 new bus stations and 19 bus lines during the period. The total length of bus lines reached 10,807 kilometers, double the length at the end of the 12th Five-Year Plan period.

Looking forward, Jinan will continue to make efforts to build a comprehensive traffic system covering water, land and air transportation and improve the quality of transportation services.