High-speed train cuts Shanghai-Kunming travel time by 10 hours

The final section of the Shanghai-Kunming high-speed railway opened on Dec 28, marking the completion of the route eight years after construction began.

The opening of the Guiyang-Kunming section means that travellers will be able to ride the whole length of the high-speed route for the first time from Jan 5, when tickets begin issuing.

It is expected to cut travel times along the route from more than 20 hours to around eight hours, as passengers can travel non-stop between Kunming and Shanghai.

The first of the Shanghai-Kunming lines (also known as the Hukun Line) to open was the Shanghai-Hangzhou section in 2010. Since then, new sections between Hangzhou and Changsha, and Changsha and Kunming have been added.

Trains along the route will cover more than 2,250 kilometers and be the first in the world to travel at an altitude of 2,000 meters or more at between 300 and 350 kilometers per hour.

The whole line of Shanghai-Kunming high-speed railway opens on Dec 28. [Photo/xinhuanet.com]

Employees adjust and test equipment in the Kunming South Station on Dec 27. [Photo/xinhuanet.com]

Kunming South Station. [Photo/xinhuanet.com]