Taixingshan tunnel drilled through in Shaanxi

Taixingshan tunnel on the Xi'an to Ankang high-speed railway is drilled through Qinling Mountains in Xi'an, northwest China's Shaanxi Province, Jan. 15, 2025. (China News Service/Zhang Yuan)

The tunnel boasts 18.8 kilometers and a maximum depth of 1,298 meters.

Xikang high-speed rail is an important part of the nation's "Eight Vertical and Eight Horizontal" rail network. Linking Xi'an to Ankan, the line, with a designed speed of 350 km/h, will reduce travel time between the two cities from three hours to around one upon completion.

Taixingshan tunnel on the Xi'an to Ankang high-speed railway is drilled through Qinling Mountains in Xi'an, northwest China's Shaanxi Province, Jan. 15, 2025. (China News Service/Zhang Yuan)

Taixingshan tunnel on the Xi'an to Ankang high-speed railway is drilled through Qinling Mountains in Xi'an, northwest China's Shaanxi Province, Jan. 15, 2025. (China News Service/Zhang Yuan)