The long-awaited Shanghai-Suzhou-Nantong Railway will start operation on July 1, The Paper reported on Monday.

The first trains of opposite routes between Nantong and Shanghai are expected to start operation at about 11 am on July 1 and at the same time, the "Shanghai-Suzhou-Nantong Railway" will be officially named.

The Shanghai-Suzhou-Nantong Railway is an important part of the coastal passage in the "eight vertical and eight horizontal" high-speed railway network planned by the national medium and long-term railway network.

The first phase of the project crosses the Yangtze River from Nantong, East China's Jiangsu province and enters Shanghai through Zhangjiagang, Changshu and Taicang in East China's Jiangsu province.

After opening to traffic, the railway will greatly shorten the travel time between Shanghai and Nantong as well as the northern Jiangsu region, which is of great significance to promoting the integrated development of the Yangtze River Delta region.

"For enterprises, what we consider more is the convenience railway freight can bring to the transportation of raw materials and export of products," said Zhu Yufei, deputy general manager of Zhangjiagang Transportation Holding.

He emphasized the great significance the railway may bring to transportation of bulk cargo. In the past they could only rely on water transportation along the Yangtze River. After the opening of the Shanghai-Suzhou-Nantong Railway, products can be transported all over China with enhanced efficiency.

When the Zhangjiagang freight station is completed, the competitiveness of the enterprise will certainly be enhanced, Zhu said.

As the world's first bridge with a span of over 1,000 meters for both highways and railways, the Shanghai-Suzhou-Nantong Yangtze River Bridge is well-prepared for traffic operation. It is the second dual-use bridge in Jiangsu province, after the Nanjing Yangtze River Bridge.