NANCHANG -- A new high-speed railway connecting a series of popular tourist attractions in east China commenced full operation on Wednesday, which is poised to boost the development of tourism and other industries.

The entire 560-km-long Hangzhou-Nanchang high-speed railway is now operational after the section connecting Huangshan city in Anhui province and Nanchang city in Jiangxi province was officially put into use following over five years of construction.

The Hangzhou-Huangshan section, which kicked off operation in late 2018, has a designed speed of 250 km per hour, while the Huangshan-Nanchang section boasts a designed speed of 350 km per hour.

The railway route passes through a region rich in tourist attractions featuring scenic lakes, mountains, ancient villages and cultural treasures like porcelain and tea.