September 30, Beijing – China has inaugurated four major high-speed railway lines in a single day. These new railways connect various regions, spanning from Xiong’an in Hebei Province to Shangqiu in Henan, from Xi’an in Shaanxi to Ankang, from Yichang in Hubei to Xingshan, and from Harbin to Yichun in Heilongjiang. The new railways are expected to enhance transportation connectivity across China’s regions, significantly contributing to regional economic development, according to China’s news agency Xinhua. China holds the world’s largest high-speed rail network.
The Xiong’an–Shangqiu section in northern China covers a distance of 552 kilometers. The railway links the new Xiong’an area with various cities in Hebei, Shandong, and Henan before reaching Shangqiu. According to China Railway Beijing Group, after the operation of this route, travel time from Xiong’an to Shangqiu will be reduced to just 2 hours and 27 minutes. The newly launched Xi’an–Ankang railway in northwest China measures 171 kilometers. Designed to traverse the complex geography of the Qinling Mountains while addressing environmental protection concerns, this route has a design speed of 350 km/h, enabling travel from Xi’an to Ankang in around 45 minutes.
In central China, the Yichang–Xingshan segment also overcame significant geographic challenges during construction. This railway passes through the Daba Mountains, featuring a 16.9-kilometer-long deep tunnel and multiple large bridges at high elevations. The line will connect the Yangtze River traversing Shanghai–Chongqing–Chengdu high-speed railway and the Chengdu–Chongqing high-speed railway. China Railway Wuhan Group states that this connection will further accelerate economic activities in the Yangtze River Economic Belt.
The Harbin–Yichun high-speed railway operating in northeast China spans 318 kilometers and is the northernmost high-speed railway built in China to date. The Yichun West Station is located at approximately 47 degrees north latitude above sea level. According to China Railway Construction Group, this station is the country’s first high-speed railway station constructed on permafrost, or permanently frozen ground. The new railway connecting Harbin and Yichun will reduce travel time between the two cities from about seven hours to two hours. This expansion enhances China’s high-speed rail network by extending access to northern and relatively less connected regions.
Supporting Tourism Promotion Expected Ahead of China’s National Day, these railway lines are also anticipated to promote tourism. The new routes link major cities with tourist destinations such as the Three Gorges Dam in Yichang and forested areas around Yichun. According to China State Railway Group, approximately 284 million passengers are expected to travel during the Mid-Autumn Festival and National Day holidays from September 23 to October 8. China is accelerating the expansion and upgrading of its high-speed rail network to meet the growing needs of its domestic market and industry. By the end of 2025, the total length of railway lines in operation is projected to reach 165,000 kilometers, including over 50,000 kilometers of high-speed rail.
