The Xi'an–Yan'an high-speed railway officially opened to service on Friday, dramatically shortening travel time between the two cities, and is poised to significantly boost the popularity of "red tourism" in the region.
Stretching 299 kilometers, the new line links Xi'an -- the capital city of northwest China's Shaanxi Province and home to the world-famous Terracotta Warriors -- with Yan'an, the sacred Chinese revolutionary heartland perched on the loess hills of northern Shaanxi.
Yan'an gained international attention through American journalist Edgar Snow's 1937 classic "Red Star Over China," which depicted the region as one of China's poorest areas but also as a beacon of hope, with the Communist Party of China (CPC) leading the country toward independence and liberation.
Designed for speeds up to 350 km/h, the railway slashes journey time between Xi'an and Yan'an from roughly 2.5 hours to just one hour.
Local authorities along the line are seizing this opportunity to boost the cultural tourism market by tapping into their revolutionary heritage, rich historical legacy, and stunning natural landscapes.
The Yan'an municipal culture and tourism bureau has rolled out multiple themed itineraries, exclusive discounts for high-speed rail passengers, and direct shuttle services to major attractions.
"The opening of the Xi'an-Yan'an high-speed railway will make weekend getaways and micro-vacations the new norm. We will also introduce high-speed rail-exclusive offers and cross-regional combo tickets to upgrade our 'red tourism' offerings and build Yan'an into a one-stop, high-quality cultural tourism destination," said Ma Nan, assistant to the general manager of Shaanxi Tourism Group's Yan'an subsidiary.
The opening of this line has brought China's high-speed rail mileage to over 50,000 km, exceeding the total of all other countries combined.
Newly opened Xi'an-Yan'an high-speed railway to boost CPC heritage tourism in Shaanxi
The Urumqi–Yuli Expressway, which traverses the Tianshan Mountains in northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, opened to traffic on Friday after more than five years of construction, significantly enhancing regional connectivity and enabling faster, more efficient movement of goods and services across the region.
The expressway is a core component of the G0711 national highway network, spanning 324.7 kilometers.
Stretching 2,500 kilometers, the Tianshan Mountains span central Xinjiang, separating Urumqi, the largest city in the north, from Korla, the largest city in the south. With the opening of the expressway, travel time between these two cities is reduced from seven hours to about three hours.
As a key component of the expressway and the world's longest expressway tunnel, the 22.13-km Tianshan Shengli Tunnel officially opened to traffic on the same day.
The tunnel's construction incorporated multiple cutting-edge technologies and innovations, including advanced survey and design methods for ultra-long tunnels and intelligent construction techniques.
"We have established a relatively systematic, comprehensive, and highly efficient management system for major engineering technological innovation across the entire expressway, and have accumulated extensive construction and management experience in delivering mega-projects under extreme environmental conditions," said Song Hailiang, chairman of the China Communications Construction Group.
The expressway connects Urumqi with the northern city belt and the southern urban clusters of Xinjiang, linking the Junggar Basin and the Tarim Basin. It enables rapid transportation between Urumqi, Kashgar, and Khorgos, strengthening Xinjiang’s role as a strategic hub for both the domestic market and international trade.
"With the expressway now operational, business opportunities are flowing in, and many inland companies are coming to sign agreements with us," said Yu Ruihong, chairwoman and general manager of the Xinjiang Ruiyuan Dairy.
"The Urumqi–Yuli Expressway significantly improves Xinjiang's connectivity with the eastern coastal regions and the New International Land–Sea Corridor, supporting the development of a modern, comprehensive, three-dimensional transportation network and high-quality Belt and Road cooperation," said Zhou Rongfeng, director general of the Highway Bureau of the Ministry of Transport.
Urumqi-Yuli Expressway boosts Xinjiang's trade connectivity, strengthens regional integration
