Xi'an-Ankang High-Speed Railway Opens, Cutting Travel Time to Under an Hour

The high-speed railway connecting Xi'an and Ankang in Shaanxi province has officially commenced operations, significantly improving connectivity across the Qinling Mountains. The 171-kilometer line, designed for speeds of up to 350 kilometers per hour, cuts travel time between the provincial capital and southern Shaanxi from around three hours to under one hour. Featuring a 94.6 percent bridge-and-tunnel ratio, the project completes a critical vertical link in China's national high-speed grid and anchors Shaanxi's provincial rail network.

By drastically reducing travel times across the rugged Qinling mountain barrier, the new railway integrates the Qinba mountain region directly with the Guanzhong economic plain. The corridor improves domestic logistics and tourism access, supporting regional economic rebalancing and rural revitalization initiatives in southern Shaanxi while establishing a higher-capacity passenger route toward southwestern China.

Commercial operations officially began on the Xi'an-Ankang high-speed railway on the morning of September 28, marked by the departure of a Fuxing bullet train from Xi'an East Railway Station, according to Xinhua. The newly commissioned line covers a total length of approximately 171 kilometers and is designed for operational speeds of up to 350 kilometers per hour. Traversing the three municipal jurisdictions of Xi'an, Shangluo, and Ankang, the line includes five passenger stations along its route. With the opening of the line, rail transit time between Xi'an and Ankang has dropped from approximately three hours to under one hour. Traversing the rugged Qinling mountain range, the railway was constructed under severe geographical and ecological constraints. Bridges and tunnels account for 94.6 percent of the total line length, representing the highest proportion of tunnels among all high-speed rail lines crossing the Qinling Mountains to date, state media reported. Zhang Ruitao, chief designer of the project at China Railway First Survey and Design Institute Group Co., Ltd., noted that the alignment faced major engineering hazards including rock bursts, unstable surrounding rock formations, and sudden water and mud incursions. Engineers addressed these risks through advanced geological forecasting, curtain grouting support, expansive soil stabilization techniques, and tiered rock-burst mitigation systems. Construction protocols were also designed to protect ecological red lines within the Qinling conservation zone. In addition to local commuter and business travel, the line is expected to facilitate leisure travel into scenic areas along the Qinling-Bashan corridor, including Niubeiliang National Forest Park, Zhashui Karst Cave, and Mount Tayun. Regional operators anticipate an influx of tourism traffic into southern Shaanxi from the provincial capital. Nationally, the Xi'an-Ankang railway constitutes a key component of both the Baotou (Yinchuan)–Haikou corridor and the Beijing–Kunming corridor under China's mid-to-long-term high-speed rail development program. Within Shaanxi, provincial transport planners view the route as the final vertical segment completing the province's hub-and-spoke rail network centered on Xi'an.