A map of the route of the new intercity rail lines (Photo: Chinanews.com)

Two new intercity rail lines connecting the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region spanning almost 80km are to be built within this year.

The first line is called the "Jingtang intercity railway." High speed trains that can achieve a maximum speed of 350 kilometers per hour would be deployed on this railway line.

The total travel time between Beijing and Tangshan, in Hebei province, will be shortened to just 30 minutes.

The other line called "Jingbin intercity railway" will be about 182 kilometers long and connect Beijing with Tianjin's Binhai New Area.

The project will be the first intercity railway connecting Beijing, Tianjin and Hebei.

Tianjin Binhai New Area (TBNA) is under the administration of the Tianjin Municipality. It is mainly composed of 9 functional districts. TBNA is situated north of the North China Plain, between the Shandong and Liaoning provinces, close to Beijing and Tianjin.

The two intercity railways are meant to further stimulate the integration of the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region.

A new intercity railway investment company established collectively by the provincial and municipal governments of Beijing, Tianjin and Hebei plans to complete a total of 27 intercity railway lines criss-crossing the Beijing-Tianjing-Hebei region in the following years.