China: Track-Laying Begins on the Xi’an–Ankang High-Speed Railway

Track-laying work is officially underway on the Xi’an–Ankang High-Speed Railway in Shaanxi Province, China, marking a significant step in the project’s construction.

The line will run approximately 171 kilometres between Xi’an, the provincial capital in the north, and Ankang, a major city in southern Shaanxi. Designed for a maximum operating speed of 350 kilometres per hour, the new route is scheduled to open to passenger services in 2026. Once completed, it will shorten the current rail journey between the two cities from about three hours to under one hour.

The Xi’an–Ankang line is an important section of China’s growing high-speed rail network and forms part of the country’s “eight vertical and eight horizontal” high-speed railway grid. It will connect with the existing Xi’an–Chengdu High-Speed Railway, improving transport links between northern and southwestern China.

The project is jointly managed by China State Railway Group and local authorities in Shaanxi, with construction being undertaken by several subsidiaries of the China Railway Construction Corporation (CRCC).

Work on the line began in 2021 and has involved extensive tunnelling through the Qinling Mountains, a key geographical barrier separating northern and southern China.

Upon completion, Xi’an North and Ankang West stations will serve as the main terminals, with several intermediate stops planned, including Zhashui and Hanyin. The railway will also link with local transport systems in both cities, improving access to regional hubs and facilitating more efficient intercity travel across Shaanxi Province.