China has opened the world’s longest expressway tunnel to traffic in the Xinjiang region, across one of the country’s most challenging mountain areas.
The Tianshan Shengli Tunnel, stretching more than 22 kilometres, is now fully operational as part of the Urumqi–Yuli Expressway.
The tunnel cuts directly through the heart of the Tianshan Mountains, a natural barrier that has long made travel between northern and southern Xinjiang slow, difficult and largely dependent on weather.
Before its completion, drivers had to navigate winding mountain roads that could take several hours and were often closed in winter. With the tunnel now open, the same journey takes around 20 minutes.
Construction of the tunnel began more than five years ago and was widely seen as one of the most complex highway engineering projects ever attempted in the region.
Builders had to work at depths of more than 1,100 metres underground, pass through multiple geological fault zones and deal with extreme cold, high altitude and unstable rock formations.
At peak periods, thousands of workers and engineers were involved, using advanced drilling, monitoring and ventilation systems to keep the project on track.
Officials say the tunnel will significantly change how people and goods move across Xinjiang.
The full Urumqi-Yuli Expressway provides a direct link between the regional capital in the north and key cities and counties in the south, cutting overall travel times between major hubs from more than seven hours to roughly three.
“This project removes a long-standing transport bottleneck between northern and southern Xinjiang,” a regional transport official said, adding that it will make travel safer, faster and more reliable throughout the year.
“It creates conditions for more balanced development and closer economic ties across the region.” He said.
For people who rely on the route for work, the impact is immediate. Long-haul drivers who regularly cross the Tianshan range say winter travel has become far less stressful, with shorter journeys and fewer disruptions caused by snow and ice.
The expressway project, which includes multiple bridges and additional tunnels, represents a major investment in Xinjiang’s infrastructure.
Authorities say it will support industries such as logistics, tourism and agriculture, while also improving access to services for communities in more remote areas.
With traffic now flowing through the Tianshan Shengli Tunnel, the opening stands as both an engineering milestone and a practical change for daily life in Xinjiang and is turning one of the country’s toughest mountain crossings into a fast, year-round route.
Iran will halt its own attacks as long as the United States maintains its pause on strikes, but Tehran remains sceptical of U.S. intentions, a senior ...
Firefighters battled on Sunday to contain wildfires threatening the outskirts of Bordeaux, as authorities expanded evacuation orders and warned the bl...
Rescue teams were searching on Sunday for 17 people still missing after a Vietnamese cargo ship sank in the South China Sea, with 45 crew members resc...
Russian authorities said 11 people, including four children, had been killed by Ukraine in an overnight attack on a holiday camp, accusing Kyiv on Saturday of deliberately targeting civilians.
The U.S. military said it completed a fresh wave of strikes on Iran late on Thursday, marking the 13th consecutive night of American attacks. The latest operation lasted more than two hours, according to U.S. Central Command.
Six candidates vying to become the next United Nations Secretary-General have called for restoring the organisation's credibility, strengthening multilateralism and reforming the UN, during the first public town hall debate ahead of a decisive Security Council vote next week.
Start your day informed with AnewZ Morning Brief. Here are the top news stories for the 25th of July, covering the latest developments you need to know.
Italian Defence Minister Guido Crosetto recently offered the dismissed Ukraine’s Defence Minister, Mykhailo Federov an adviser role in Italy.
Firefighters battled on Sunday to contain wildfires threatening the outskirts of Bordeaux, as authorities expanded evacuation orders and warned the blazes were spreading rapidly during an intense heatwave across southern Europe.
Rescue teams were searching on Sunday for 17 people still missing after a Vietnamese cargo ship sank in the South China Sea, with 45 crew members rescued since the vessel sent out a distress signal the previous evening.
A Romanian F-16 fighter jet pilot shot down a Russian drone over the Black Sea, the defence ministry said on Sunday. It was the latest in a series of airspace breaches by Russia that Romanian President Nicușor Dan called “inadmissible and intolerable.”
More than 16,000 people have been evacuated from their homes to safety in eastern Spain after a fast-moving wildfire in Castellón province spread beyond the capacity of firefighters to contain it.
One person has died and at least 16 others have been injured after a car drove into crowds during Berlin's annual Christopher Street Day (CSD) Pride celebrations, leading to a major police manhunt. Authorities have released an image of 21-year-old suspect Abdul B, who remains at large.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment