China opens four high-speed rail sections, expanding national network

China, which has the world's largest high-speed railway network, opened four major high-speed rail sections to passengers yesterday (28 September), improving connections between several regions and making travel faster and more convenient.

The new sections link Xiong'an in Hebei Province with Shangqiu in Henan Province, Xi'an with Ankang in Shaanxi Province, Yichang with Xingshan in Hubei Province, and Harbin with Yichun in Heilongjiang Province.

Covering northern, northwestern, central and northeastern China, the new rail links are expected to improve regional connectivity, support tourism and contribute to local economic growth.

In northern China, the 552-km Xiong'an-Shangqiu railway passes through several cities and areas in Hebei, Shandong and Henan provinces before reaching Shangqiu.

Han Yong, deputy director of the passenger transport center of China Railway Beijing Group Co., Ltd., said the fastest train journey between Xiong'an and Shangqiu will take about 2 hours and 27 minutes.

The new route is expected to strengthen links between Xiong'an New Area and major markets in northern and central China, he said.

In northwest China, the 171-km Xi'an-Ankang section crosses the Qinling Mountains. Engineers had to deal with difficult geological conditions while taking measures to protect the environment.

With trains designed to travel at up to 350 km per hour, the line reduces travel time between Xi'an and Ankang to about 45 minutes.

The Yichang-Xingshan section in central China also passes through mountainous terrain. The railway crosses the Daba Mountains through a 16.9-km deep-buried tunnel and over a major high bridge.

China Railway Wuhan Bureau Group Co, Ltd., which operates the line, said the railway connects two major high-speed routes — the Shanghai-Chongqing-Chengdu high-speed railway along the Yangtze River and the Zhengzhou-Chongqing high-speed railway.

The connection is expected to support economic development along the Yangtze River Economic Belt.

In northeastern China, the 318-km Harbin-Yichun section is the northernmost high-speed railway built in the country.

Yichun West Station, the line's terminal station, is located at about 47 degrees north latitude. Shi Qinwei, head of the station project at China Railway Construction Group Co, Ltd., said it is China's first high-speed railway station built in a permafrost region.

The railway connects Harbin, a popular winter tourism destination, with Yichun, known for its forests and summer tourism. It cuts travel time between the two cities from about seven hours to around two hours.

The line also extends China's high-speed railway network farther into its northern regions.

Opening just before the National Day holiday, the new railways are expected to increase tourist travel between major cities and attractions along the routes, including the Three Gorges Dam in Yichang and the forests of Yichun.

China State Railway Group Co., Ltd. expects about 284 million passenger trips during the Mid-Autumn Festival and National Day holiday period from 23 Sept to 8 Oct.

China has continued to expand and improve its high-speed rail network to meet growing travel demand and support economic activity.

By the end of 2025, the country had 165,000 km of operational railway lines, including more than 50,000 km of high-speed rail.

Railway fixed-asset investment reached 511.8 billion yuan, or about $75.9 billion, during the first eight months of the year, up 1.5% from the same period a year earlier, according to China State Railway Group.

Under national development plans, China aims to expand its high-speed rail network to 70,000 km by 2035. The planned network will include eight north-south lines and eight east-west lines, connecting major cities, urban clusters and important economic regions across the country.