With excellent traffic and transportation conditions for
Hangzhou's tourism, visitors can choose from various safe and convenient means of transportation to enter or leave the city. The Hangzhou Jianqiao Airport is both a main-line domestic airport and a regular international airport. There are now 41 flight lines in operation, including that of Hangzhou-Hong Kong, while the international passenger flight line from Hangzhou to Singapore and the passenger/freight chartered line from Hangzhou to Japan are under construction. In 1997 the airport had a passenger load of 1.1294 million person-times. The project of the Hangzhou Xiaoshan Airport has formally begun construction with the approval of the State Council and the Central Military Committee. In the railway sector Hangzhou's New Passenger Railway Station is now under construction and is expected to complete in the year of 2000. The Hangzhou Eastern Railway Station is being used for the transition, with 6 pairs of special tourist trains in operation and 2 pairs of tourist trains making stopover in the station. Hangzhou has also built passenger wharfs on the canal, with pleasure boats to
Suzhou, Wuxi and other places in operation. The "Paradise" luxurious passenger liner is here to welcome and take passengers. In January 1996 Hangzhou put the Hangzhou-
Ningbo highway into operation, with the Shanghai-Hangzhou highway be expected to be in operation by the end of 1999 thus making Hangzhou a main hub for highways across the province. There are 101 bus and trolley bus lines in the urban area of Hangzhou, with 7 tourist lines leading to scenic spots, facilitating visitors' sight-seeing. There are more than 5,000 taxicabs in total in the city, providing regular services for both local residents and visitors. The city's Head Corporation of Public Traffic has made an investment of 3.2 million RMB in purchase of 8 luxurious buses, manned by tourist guides and waitresses, and put the Around the West Lake sight-seeing bus line into operation.