A new high-speed railway designed for speeds of up to 350 kilometers per hour began operating on Friday, traversing the mountainous regions of Southwest China. It will significantly cut travel time between the Chongqing-Chengdu city cluster and Central China's Hunan province, the national railway operator, China State Railway Group, said.

The newly opened section, part of the Chongqing-Xiamen High-Speed Railway, runs from Chongqing East Station to Qianjiang in Chongqing. It connects with the operational high-speed railway between Qianjiang district in Chongqing and Changde in Hunan province, via popular tourism site Zhangjiajie, also in Hunan province.

The section will shorten the fastest travel time from Chongqing to Changsha, capital of Hunan, to just three hours and 53 minutes — saving over an hour, further strengthening connectivity between the Chengdu-Chongqing economic circle and the Changsha-Zhuzhou-Xiangtan city cluster. The fastest service has not yet been provided as the country is about to adopt a new national railway schedule from July 1.

Spanning 242 kilometers, the new stretch includes seven stations: Chongqing East, Ba'nan, Nanchuan North, Shuijiang West, Wulong South, Pengshui West and Qianjiang. It connects to the Qianjiang-Zhangjiajie-Changde high-speed railway at Qianjiang Station.

Railway authorities said flexible ticket pricing with varying discounts will be offered to accommodate different passenger needs.

The Chongqing-Xiamen High-Speed Railway is a critical part of China's national rail network. Once fully completed, it will connect Chongqing to Xiamen on the southeastern coast, passing through key cities including Zhangjiajie, Changde, and Changsha in Hunan province; Ganzhou and Ruijin in Jiangxi province; and Longyan and Zhangzhou in Fujian province.

With the newly opened Chongqing-Qianjiang section, the previously operational Qianjiang-Zhangjiajie-Changsha section and the Ganzhou-Xiamen segment already in service, only the Changsha-Ganzhou stretch remains under planning.

"With the opening of the Chongqing section of the Chongqing-Xiamen High-Speed Railway, the fastest travel time from Chongqing to Changsha will be reduced to three hours and 53 minutes, and from Chengdu to Changsha to five hours and 45 minutes — saving one hour and 18 minutes and 50 minutes, respectively, compared to the current schedule," said Zhang Lei, a passenger service official at Pengshui West Station in Chongqing.

"This is the first high-speed rail line with a top speed of 350 kilometers per hour to reach southeastern Chongqing," Zhang added. "It fills a long-standing gap in high-speed rail coverage in the region and greatly improves transport links from Chongqing to the southeast."

"Once in operation, the fastest train from downtown Chongqing to Qianjiang district will take less than one hour, down from the current four hours," he said. "This will play an important role in strengthening China's national high-speed rail network and boosting regional economic growth."

The new railway also connects major scenic spots along the route, including Fairy Mountain, Jinfo Mountain, the Wulong natural rock bridges, the ancient Chiyou Jiuli City and the historic Zhuoshui Ancient Town, creating a continuous travel corridor through some of the region's top attractions.

High-speed train services at Zhangjiajie West Station will also increase, with the number of daily departures rising to 108. Currently, there is no direct high-speed rail link between Chongqing and Zhangjiajie, a major tourist destination known for its striking natural landscapes.

Gao Jing, a Qianjiang native who now works in downtown Chongqing, said the community is eagerly anticipating the line's opening.

"We usually drive home from downtown Chongqing during holidays, which usually takes over four hours," she said. "Now I can take the bullet train instead. It's fast and convenient."