Maglev on trial run in central China (6)

CHANGSHA, Dec. 26 -- A trial run of China's first domestically designed and manufactured magnetic levitation line in Changsha, Hunan Province, began on Saturday.

The maglev shuttles between Changsha's south railway station and the airport, with one stop in between. It takes about ten minutes to complete the 18.55-km journey, according to a statement from operator Hunan Maglev Transport Co.

The maglev line uses "Zhuifengzhe" (wind chaser) trains designed and manufactured by railway manufacturing giant CRRC in Hunan's Zhuzhou.

The 48-meter-long train can carry 363 people in three carriages. It can achieve a maximum speed of 100 km per hour.

The domestically produced moderate-speed maglev line costs about 195 million yuan (about 30 million U.S. dollars) per kilometer, not including relocation fees. It is highly economical in terms of construction and maintenance costs, according to the statement.