High-speed railway finally reaches Jiamusi

High-speed rail will finally reach Jiamusi city in eastern Heilongjiang province, as the railway line from Harbin, the provincial capital, will be put into use on Sunday.

The new 343-kilometer line, designed for trains that run up to 200 kilometers per hour, cuts travel time between Harbin and Jiamusi from six hours to about two. There are 19 stops along the route.

Construction of the railway began in July 2014 and testing started in May.

The railway uses CRH5A high-speed trains in order to resist severe weather and ensure safe operation in high altitudes and cold conditions. About 19 cold resistance alterations were made to the trains, as the area may be hit by blizzards and temperatures as low as -40 C.

Ticket sale will start at 9 am on Friday.

Aybek Askhar contributed to this story.