Hangzhou Bay Cross-Sea Railway Bridge tops 90% progress for 350 km/h trains in China
Work on the Hangzhou Bay Cross-Sea Railway Bridge in eastern China has passed 90% of overall progress, according to the project’s command team. The 29.2 km sea crossing is built for trains running at up to 350 km/h and links Haiyan county, in Jiaxing, to Cixi, a county-level city under Ningbo.
Final weld closes the northern span off Haiyan
Workers completed the final weld on the north channel span on 20 October 2026, about 570 metres offshore from Haiyan, according to China Daily. The milestone means the main structure has entered its final stage, and crews are now moving to the deck and track systems.
The north channel bridge is a cable-stayed structure with a 450-metre main span, which Luo Yunfeng, project commander with Shanghai State Railway Engineering Construction Management, described as the longest span for a high-speed railway bridge with ballastless track under construction worldwide. Wang Yinfeng, deputy project manager with China Railway Major Bridge Engineering Group, said the core challenge is keeping such a long, flexible structure within millimetre-level precision. Strong tides and currents in the bay forced crews to plan steel girder lifts around tidal cycles.
Engineers installed sensor networks that monitor the structure in real time. The system combines digital data and surveying control to correct pier distortion caused by tides.
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How the rail deck avoids ballast stones
The full complex includes three cable-stayed bridges over navigable channels, along with long viaducts built to withstand strong currents and gusts. The line has two parallel tracks that use ballastless technology.
Instead of layers of crushed stone, the method uses reinforced concrete slabs fixed directly to the steel base. This reduces routine maintenance and keeps the metal wheels aligned at high speed.
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Build timeline from October to the next stage
- October 2026: the north channel span is joined, 570 metres off Haiyan, with a 450-metre main span.
- 17 October 2026: the south channel bridge is closed, the first of the three navigation spans to reach that milestone, according to Global Times.
- Late November 2026: the central channel closure is expected, according to China Daily.
- Next stage: installation of continuous high-speed rails and the start of dynamic load tests.
Speeds, cities and track layout for passengers
The bridge is part of the Nantong-Ningbo high-speed railway, which will serve 11 stations. Once open, the railway will bring rail service to Haiyan for the first time and high-speed rail to Cixi, according to the project command.
- Total length of the sea bridge: 29.2 km.
- Maximum design speed: 350 km/h.
- Cities linked: Jiaxing, on the north coast, and Ningbo, on the south coast.
- Track layout: two permanent tracks with three cable-stayed spans over navigable channels.
The railway is planned to be ready for operation by the end of 2027, according to New Civil Engineer.
