At the start of the new year, the much-watched Quanzhou-Xiamen-Zhangzhou Intercity Rail (R1 Line) project has made new progress. The bid results for its feasibility study and supporting special topic compilation and construction project were recently announced, with China Railway Eryuan Engineering Group Co., Ltd. winning the bid.

The scope of this tender is to complete the feasibility study for the Quanzhou-Xiamen-Zhangzhou Intercity Rail (R1 Line) project, as well as the various special topic research reports required for the feasibility study stage, and to submit the project feasibility study report in accordance with the approval results of Party A's management and relevant government departments and obtain approval. Research years: initial stage 2030, near term 2035, long term 2045.

The Quanzhou-Xiamen-Zhangzhou Intercity Rail (R1 Line) project route starts from Quangang in Quanzhou, passes through the Hui'an, Fengze, Jinjiang, and Nan'an areas of Quanzhou, passes through the Xiang'an, Huli, and Haicang districts of Xiamen, and goes through Longhai, Longwen, and Xiangcheng in Zhangzhou to the research endpoint Jingcheng. The total length of the route is about 206 km (including 99.8 km in Quanzhou, 51.2 km in Xiamen, and 55.2 km in Zhangzhou).

The near-term construction line is 167 km long (including 70.2 km in Quanzhou, 51.2 km in Xiamen, and 45.8 km in Zhangzhou), from Quanzhou East Station in Quanzhou to the endpoint West Lake Station in Zhangzhou. Based on preliminary work, 24 stations are initially considered (including 11 in Quanzhou, 4 in Xiamen, and 9 in Zhangzhou), with an average station spacing of 7 km, a maximum station spacing of 16.4 km (Xiamen New Airport to Xiamen East), and a minimum station spacing of 2.4 km (Zhangzhou Administrative Center to People's Square). Conditions for interconnection with the national railway are reserved at Nan'an Shuitou and Xiamen Haicang. The estimated investment is about 80.8 billion yuan.

The key research contents for the 167 km near-term construction line include: the connection of railway hubs, airport hubs, rail transit, and related urban supporting projects along the route, and the connection of comprehensive transportation planning and comprehensive development projects around stations.