China’s Xi’an–Shiyan high-speed railway officially began operations on June 30, 2026, spanning 257 kilometers and serving seven stations from Xi’an in Shaanxi Province to Shiyan in western Hubei.
Route Traverses Major Geographical Features
The line crosses the Qinling Mountains, linking the Yellow River and Yangtze River watersheds. It follows the Han River through challenging terrain, previously limiting transportation and economic interaction between these regions.
Significant Travel Time Reductions and Connections
Travel time between Xi’an and Shiyan has fallen dramatically from over six hours to about one hour on the fastest trains. The route starts at the newly opened Xi’an Dong station and connects directly with the Wuhan–Shiyan high-speed rail line, creating
a continuous corridor between Xi’an and Wuhan. This corridor enables trains running at 350 km/h to cut the journey between Xi’an and Wuhan from 4 hours 30 minutes to 2 hours 41 minutes.
Engineering Challenges and Key Infrastructure
Construction began in 2021 with an investment of 47.7 billion yuan. Over 90% of the line is built on bridges and tunnels to navigate the mountainous terrain, making it one of China’s most demanding mountain high-speed rail projects. The Yunyang Hanjiang River Rail Bridge is a notable feature, spanning 420 meters with a cable-stayed steel-truss design incorporating a composite girder-truss deck.
China Railway Xi’an Group will operate
the line primarily with CR400AF/BF Fuxing trainsets at speeds of 350 km/h. Lead designer Mao Lei described the railway as operating through a “natural geological museum,” highlighting the route’s challenging and scenic alignment.
