First High-Speed Rail Starts Operation in Xinjiang

The first high-speed railway in northwest China’s Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region began operating this month from the Urumqi South Railway Station in Urumqi, the region’s capital city. 

The 330-mile rail, on which trains run at speeds of more than 124 miles per hour, is a part of larger high-speed railways that connect to other parts of China. 

A railway that is currently under construction will eventually link Urumqi to Beijing, reducing travel time from the current 41 hours to 16 hours. 

Xinjiang is located in a core area of the Silk Road Economic Belt initiative, with the new railway crossing a vast expanse of the Gobi Desert and serving as a hub for both passenger travel and freight transport. 

The continuing development of high-speed rail lines will allow visitors more convenient connections between China’s incredible destinations.