The Yangtze River Delta region, one of China's most dynamic areas, is speeding up the development of its transportation system to create more substantial integration.

It plans to build several high-speed railways to achieve a one-or-two-hour economic circle, which refers to a rapid transit system that can bring people from one city in the delta region to another, in just one or two hours.

According to a blueprint from the cross-cities rail traffic network on construction throughout the Yangtze River Delta, passed by the State Council of China last year, five railways will link nearly 10 big cities in East China in the coming years.

Analysts said the Shanghai-Nanjing high-speed railway would greatly accelerate the integration of the cities in the Yangtze River Delta region and speed up economic integration.

However, they said this railway must be constructed in accordance with the transportation network of the whole area of the delta.

Highways have for years been a major form of transportation between Shanghai and neighbouring provinces. The city has been speeding up its expressway network construction in the past five years, building eight expressways with a combined length of about 400 kilometres.

According to the Shanghai Municipal Engineering Administration, the city's current expressway network allows people to enter the network within 15 minutes, switch to any expressway within 30 minutes, and arrive at any spot on the network within 60 minutes.

The new expressway network will provide easier access to the city's two transportation hubs, Yangshan Deep-water Port and Pudong International Airport.

In addition, drivers wanting to enter Shanghai who are coming from other provinces, such as Zhejiang and Jiangsu, will have more route options thanks to the network.

Shanghai plans to build an expressway to Jiangsu via Chongming Island. Meanwhile, the four-lane expressway between Shanghai and Nanjing will be widened to eight lanes.