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In late January, Chinese Prime Minister Zhu Rongji and Shanghai Mayor Xu Kuangdi signed a contract with a consortium comprising Transrapid International, Siemens Transportation Systems and ThyssenKrupp Industries AG to construct a commercial-use magnetic levitation system in Shanghai.


The 19-mile Maglev route will link Pudong Shanghai International Airport and Shanghai financial district Lujiazui, with 7-minute end-to-end travel time. Trains will run every 10 minutes at 267 mph. The initial fleet will comprise three six-section trainsets.


The consortium plans to have this first segment operational by early 2003. Extensions under consideration include a 124-mile Shanghai-to-Hangzhou route and an 808-mile connection between Shanghai and Peking.