Chinese authorities will likely commission an extension to the high-speed magnetic levitation railway line built in Shanghai by Transrapid, according to the German industrial consortium behind the technology.

"From what we hear from our Chinese partners, a 35 kilometer (22 miles) extension is what's being planned first off," Hans-Christoph Atzpodien, a senior official at Transrapid consortium member ThyssenKrupp said.

The Transrapid is a venture between steel and engineering firm Thyssen and industrial conglomerate Siemens. Atzpodien said the extension should link the existing 30 kilometer stretch between the city's financial centre and the Pudong airport to Shanghai's second airport Hongqiao.

He added the extension should cover the Shanghai-South railway station as well as a stop for the site for the World Expo in Shanghai, which the city is due to hold in 2010.

Atzpodien noted that a decision on the project, which he said would hopefully be completed by 2010, could follow soon, because it would largely be made by Shanghai alone.

Transrapid had been hoping to secure a contract to build a 200 kilometer extension, but Atzpodien said there would likely be no quick decision made on that front.

Source:佚名