Zhang Gaoli has urged great efforts to be made on the construction of the Beijing-Zhangjiakou high-speed railway network ©Getty Images

Chinese Vice Premier Zhang Gaoli has urged great efforts to be made on the construction of the Beijing-Zhangjiakou high-speed railway network for the 2022 Winter Olympics and Paralympics after visiting the construction site today.

The ¥58.41 billion (£6.57 billion/$8.74 billion/€7.83 billion) railway was approved last November, with the 174 kilometre-long line due to connect Beijing with the northern city of Zhangjiakou in Hebei province.

It will link the three venue clusters for the Games with curling, ice hockey and skating events due to be held in Beijing.

The Yanqing venue cluster, which lies between Beijing and Zhangjiakou, is set to stage alpine skiing, bobsleigh, luge and skeleton.

A ¥6.5 billion (£730 million/$970 million/€870 million) extension to the line was approved in June, from Zhangjiakou city to Chongli resort, the planned home for freestyle skiing, snowboarding, cross country, Nordic combined, ski jumping and biathlon events.

"The Chinese Government attaches great importance to the preparations of the 2022 Winter Olympic Games," Zhang said, according to the Chinese news agency Xinhua.

"We must follow the instructions of Chinese President Xi Jinping and take the constructions of venues and facilities as the most important tasks in the preparations of the 2022 Winter Olympic Games

"The parties concerned should do their utmost in the construction of venues and facilities of the Beijing Winter Games and make contributions in delivering a fantastic, extraordinary and excellent Games."

The high speed railway will link Beijing to Zhangijakou in time for the 2022 Winter Olympics and Paralympics ©Getty Images
The high speed railway will link Beijing to Zhangijakou in time for the 2022 Winter Olympics and Paralympics ©Getty Images

The high speed railway is expected to be completed by 2019.

Chinese officials repeatedly refused to reveal the cost of the railway network when bidding for the Games last year, insisting it was "unrelated to the bid".

This claim can be challenged, particularly because it is envisaged as such a key part of the transport plan for athletes and officials, as well as spectators.

It sits alongside a "balanced" Organising Committee budget of ¥6.5 billion (£730 million/$970 million/€870 million) in projected 2022 value.

There are also questions over whether the journey from Beijing to Zhangjiakou - which takes over three hours by road - would really be reduced to just 50 minutes.

Beijing won the right to host the Games at the 128th International Olympic Committee Session in Kuala Lumpur last year, narrowly defeating only rivals Almaty.