EconomyInFocus | World's longest expressway tunnel opens to traffic in Xinjiang -Xinhua
EconomyInFocus | World's longest expressway tunnel opens to traffic in Xinjiang
Source: Xinhua
Editor: huaxia
2025-12-26 21:05:30
An aerial drone photo shows an exterior view of Tianshan Shengli Tunnel on Urumqi-Yuli Expressway in northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, Dec. 26, 2025. (Xinhua/Hu Huhu)
URUMQI, Dec. 26 (Xinhua) -- The 22.13-km Tianshan Shengli Tunnel, the world's longest expressway tunnel, officially opened to traffic on Friday.
Traversing the central Tianshan Mountains in northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, the tunnel slashes what was once a several-hour mountain drive to just 20 minutes.
As a vital artery linking city clusters in northern and southern Xinjiang, the G0711 Urumqi-Yuli Expressway, including the tunnel, entered operation on the same day.
An aerial drone photo shows the exit of the Tianshan Shengli Tunnel on the Urumqi-Yuli Expressway in northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, Dec. 26, 2025. (Xinhua/Hu Huhu)An aerial drone photo shows the exit of the Tianshan Shengli Tunnel on the Urumqi-Yuli Expressway in northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, Dec. 26, 2025. (Xinhua/Hu Huhu)Vehicles wait to pass a toll station for the Urumqi-Yuli Expressway in Urumqi County, northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, Dec. 26, 2025. (Xinhua/Xu Hongyan)A staff member (R) hands a passing card to a driver at a toll station for the Urumqi-Yuli Expressway in northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, Dec. 26, 2025. (Xinhua/Xu Hongyan)A policeman reminds a driver of safety precautions at a toll station for the Urumqi-Yuli Expressway in Urumqi County, northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, Dec. 26, 2025. (Xinhua/Wang Fei)An aerial drone photo shows vehicles near the entrance of the Tianshan Shengli Tunnel on the Urumqi-Yuli Expressway in northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, Dec. 26, 2025. (Xinhua/Wang Fei)An aerial drone photo shows a vehicle driving out from the Tianshan Shengli Tunnel on Urumqi-Yuli Expressway in northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, Dec. 26, 2025. (Xinhua/Hu Huhu)Vehicles drive into the Tianshan Shengli Tunnel on the Urumqi-Yuli Expressway in northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, Dec. 26, 2025. (Xinhua/Xu Hongyan)Vehicles drive through the Tianshan Shengli Tunnel on the Urumqi-Yuli Expressway in northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, Dec. 26, 2025. (Xinhua/Xu Hongyan)An aerial drone photo shows vehicles near the entrance of the Tianshan Shengli Tunnel on the Urumqi-Yuli Expressway in northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, Dec. 26, 2025. (Xinhua/Wang Fei)■
