The bullet train No.G3966, the first high-speed train of Xi'an-Shiyan high-speed railway, departs from Xi'an East Railway Station in Xi'an, northwest China's Shaanxi Province, June 30, 2026. The Xi'an-Shiyan high-speed railway was officially put into operation on Tuesday. The railway has a designed speed of up to 350 km per hour and a total length of 257 km. It connects Xi'an, capital of northwest China's Shaanxi Province, with Shiyan in neighboring Hubei Province in the country's central region. The line connects to the existing Wuhan-Shiyan high-speed railway, cutting the travel time between Xi'an and Wuhan, capital of Hubei, to 2 hours 41 minutes, down from the previous 4.5-hour detour route. The trip between Xi'an and Shiyan has been slashed from over 6 hours on conventional trains to barely an hour. (Xinhua/Li Yibo)
XI'AN, June 30 (Xinhua) -- A Fuxing bullet train pulled out of the newly opened Xi'an East Railway Station as another train departed from Shiyan East Railway Station in the opposite direction on Tuesday morning. This marked the launch of the Xi'an-Shiyan high-speed railway, a major new transport corridor connecting central and western China.
The railway has a designed speed of up to 350 km per hour and a total length of 257 km. It connects Xi'an, capital of northwest China's Shaanxi Province, with Shiyan in neighboring Hubei Province in the country's central region.
The line connects to the existing Wuhan-Shiyan high-speed railway, cutting the travel time between Xi'an and Wuhan, capital of Hubei, to 2 hours 41 minutes, down from the previous 4.5-hour detour route. The journey between Xi'an and Shiyan has been cut from over six hours on conventional trains to barely one hour.
During China's 15th Five-Year Plan period (2026-2030), the country has planned to work faster to boost its strength in transportation and improve the modern integrated transportation system.
By overcoming formidable natural barriers in one of China's most geologically complex regions and linking the previously isolated mountain regions to the national high-speed rail network, the Xi'an-Shiyan line is poised to transform mobility, industry and tourism across a vast area of central and western China.
The construction began in 2021 with a total investment of 47.68 billion yuan (about 7 billion U.S. dollars). It cuts through the Qinling Mountains, a natural boundary between China's north and south, and the Hanjiang River, a major tributary of the Yangtze River.
For decades, rugged terrain in the Qinling Mountains limited transportation and economic exchanges in many areas.
Mao Lei, chief designer of the project, described the route as a railway running through a "natural geological museum" as the proportion of bridges and tunnels along the line exceeds 90 percent.
The newly built Yunyang Hanjiang River Rail Bridge in Shiyan spans the Danjiangkou Reservoir, which supplies a large proportion of Beijing's drinking water via China's South-to-North Water Diversion Project.
To minimize environmental impact, foundation work on the bridge was carried out during the dry season, and slurry for piling operations was stored on vessels to prevent any discharge into the river. Additionally, dust-control systems were installed at concrete mixing stations to help reduce pollution.
Xiong Kai'e, a resident living along the Hanjiang River, watched the bridge rise outside her home over four years of construction.
"They've been building it for years, but the river has stayed clean, and the fish haven't disappeared," she said. Encouraged by the growing traffic, she recently opened a farmhouse restaurant near the bridge, hoping the railway will bring a fresh wave of visitors.
FROM TRANSPORT ROUTE TO ECONOMIC CORRIDOR
As the final missing section of the high-speed rail corridor linking Fuzhou in east China with Yinchuan in northwest China, the Xi'an-Shiyan line is expected to improve connectivity between inland regions, lower logistics costs and facilitate the movement of people, goods and capital.
Experts believe the railway will strengthen economic ties between western, central and eastern China, while providing new momentum for development along the Yangtze River Economic Belt.
As a pillar industry in Shiyan, the automobile manufacturing generated nearly 103 billion yuan in output value in 2025, accounting for roughly 40 percent of the city's industrial output.
At Jingcheng auto parts company in Yunxi county under Shiyan, more than 3 million differentials are produced annually. These parts supply major automakers and are also exported to the European market.
Its chief engineer Xie Maomao believes the railway will significantly bring Yunxi to its key markets. "The new line will help us reach more customers in Xi'an and further expand our market presence," he said.
Qin Zunwen, a researcher at the Hubei Academy of Social Sciences, said the railway is also expected to accelerate industrial transfer from eastern to western China while improving connectivity across central and western regions.
Beyond industry and logistics, local authorities are betting on tourism as another major growth driver.
In Manchuanguan Ancient Town, a centuries-old trading hub on the Shaanxi-Hubei border, retiree Zhou Zongqi stood outside a historic guild hall on the day the railway opened, sharing stories of the town's past with visitors.
"Weekend visitor numbers used to be only a few thousand," he said. "Now that high-speed rail has arrived, that number could multiply several times. I'm already preparing for a busier summer."
"The Xi'an-Shiyan line is not only a new transportation artery," noted Hu Jiliang, deputy director of the Economic Research Center at Central China Normal University. "It is also a golden tourism corridor that will generate deep and lasting benefits for regional development along its route." ■
(260630) -- SHIYAN, June 30, 2026 (Xinhua) -- A bullet train arrives at Yunxi Railway Station in central China's Hubei Province, June 30, 2026. The Xi'an-Shiyan high-speed railway was officially put into operation on Tuesday. The railway has a designed speed of up to 350 km per hour and a total length of 257 km. It connects Xi'an, capital of northwest China's Shaanxi Province, with Shiyan in neighboring Hubei Province in the country's central region.
The line connects to the existing Wuhan-Shiyan high-speed railway, cutting the travel time between Xi'an and Wuhan, capital of Hubei, to 2 hours 41 minutes, down from the previous 4.5-hour detour route. The trip between Xi'an and Shiyan has been slashed from over 6 hours on conventional trains to barely an hour. (Xinhua/Wu Zhizun)
Passengers queue up to check in at Xi'an East Railway Station in Xi'an, northwest China's Shaanxi Province, June 30, 2026. The Xi'an-Shiyan high-speed railway was officially put into operation on Tuesday. The railway has a designed speed of up to 350 km per hour and a total length of 257 km. It connects Xi'an, capital of northwest China's Shaanxi Province, with Shiyan in neighboring Hubei Province in the country's central region.
The line connects to the existing Wuhan-Shiyan high-speed railway, cutting the travel time between Xi'an and Wuhan, capital of Hubei, to 2 hours 41 minutes, down from the previous 4.5-hour detour route. The trip between Xi'an and Shiyan has been slashed from over 6 hours on conventional trains to barely an hour. (Xinhua/Li Yibo)
The bullet train No.G3966, the first high-speed train of Xi'an-Shiyan high-speed railway, is pictured at Xi'an East Railway Station in Xi'an, northwest China's Shaanxi Province, June 30, 2026. The Xi'an-Shiyan high-speed railway was officially put into operation on Tuesday. The railway has a designed speed of up to 350 km per hour and a total length of 257 km. It connects Xi'an, capital of northwest China's Shaanxi Province, with Shiyan in neighboring Hubei Province in the country's central region.
The line connects to the existing Wuhan-Shiyan high-speed railway, cutting the travel time between Xi'an and Wuhan, capital of Hubei, to 2 hours 41 minutes, down from the previous 4.5-hour detour route. The trip between Xi'an and Shiyan has been slashed from over 6 hours on conventional trains to barely an hour. (Xinhua/Li Yibo)
Passengers wait for their trains at Xi'an East Railway Station in Xi'an, northwest China's Shaanxi Province, June 30, 2026. The Xi'an-Shiyan high-speed railway was officially put into operation on Tuesday. The railway has a designed speed of up to 350 km per hour and a total length of 257 km. It connects Xi'an, capital of northwest China's Shaanxi Province, with Shiyan in neighboring Hubei Province in the country's central region.
The line connects to the existing Wuhan-Shiyan high-speed railway, cutting the travel time between Xi'an and Wuhan, capital of Hubei, to 2 hours 41 minutes, down from the previous 4.5-hour detour route. The trip between Xi'an and Shiyan has been slashed from over 6 hours on conventional trains to barely an hour. (Xinhua/Li Yibo)
An aerial drone photo taken on June 30, 2026 shows the bullet train No.G3970 from Xi'an East Railway Station to Hankou Railway Station departing from Xi'an East Railway Station in Xi'an, northwest China's Shaanxi Province. The Xi'an-Shiyan high-speed railway was officially put into operation on Tuesday. The railway has a designed speed of up to 350 km per hour and a total length of 257 km. It connects Xi'an, capital of northwest China's Shaanxi Province, with Shiyan in neighboring Hubei Province in the country's central region.
The line connects to the existing Wuhan-Shiyan high-speed railway, cutting the travel time between Xi'an and Wuhan, capital of Hubei, to 2 hours 41 minutes, down from the previous 4.5-hour detour route. The trip between Xi'an and Shiyan has been slashed from over 6 hours on conventional trains to barely an hour. (Xinhua/Li Yibo)
(260630) -- SHIYAN, June 30, 2026 (Xinhua) -- An aerial drone photo taken on June 30, 2026 shows a bullet train passing Shending River Bridge along the Xi'an-Shiyan high-speed railway in central China's Hubei Province. The Xi'an-Shiyan high-speed railway was officially put into operation on Tuesday. The railway has a designed speed of up to 350 km per hour and a total length of 257 km. It connects Xi'an, capital of northwest China's Shaanxi Province, with Shiyan in neighboring Hubei Province in the country's central region.
The line connects to the existing Wuhan-Shiyan high-speed railway, cutting the travel time between Xi'an and Wuhan, capital of Hubei, to 2 hours 41 minutes, down from the previous 4.5-hour detour route. The trip between Xi'an and Shiyan has been slashed from over 6 hours on conventional trains to barely an hour. (Xinhua/Wu Zhizun)
The bullet train No.G3966 from Xi'an East Railway Station to Hankou Railway Station is pictured at Xi'an East Railway Station in Xi'an, northwest China's Shaanxi Province, June 30, 2026. The Xi'an-Shiyan high-speed railway was officially put into operation on Tuesday. The railway has a designed speed of up to 350 km per hour and a total length of 257 km. It connects Xi'an, capital of northwest China's Shaanxi Province, with Shiyan in neighboring Hubei Province in the country's central region.
The line connects to the existing Wuhan-Shiyan high-speed railway, cutting the travel time between Xi'an and Wuhan, capital of Hubei, to 2 hours 41 minutes, down from the previous 4.5-hour detour route. The trip between Xi'an and Shiyan has been slashed from over 6 hours on conventional trains to barely an hour. (Xinhua/Li Yibo)
An aerial drone photo taken on June 30, 2026 shows the bullet train No.G3970 from Xi'an East Railway Station to Hankou Railway Station running along the Xi'an-Shiyan high-speed railway. The Xi'an-Shiyan high-speed railway was officially put into operation on Tuesday. The railway has a designed speed of up to 350 km per hour and a total length of 257 km. It connects Xi'an, capital of northwest China's Shaanxi Province, with Shiyan in neighboring Hubei Province in the country's central region.
The line connects to the existing Wuhan-Shiyan high-speed railway, cutting the travel time between Xi'an and Wuhan, capital of Hubei, to 2 hours 41 minutes, down from the previous 4.5-hour detour route. The trip between Xi'an and Shiyan has been slashed from over 6 hours on conventional trains to barely an hour. (Xinhua/Li Yibo)
