Xi’an–Yan’an High-Speed Railway Opens, Ushering in the High-Speed Rail Era for Shaanbei’s Revolutionary Base Area
On December 26, 2025, as the train slowly departed Xi’an North Station, the Xi’an–Yan’an High-Speed Railway officially opened to traffic. This “steel rainbow,” which embodies the ardent hopes of the people in the old revolutionary base area, now spans the banks of the Yan River, marking the official entry of northern Shaanxi’s revolutionary old district into the high-speed rail era.
The Xi’an–Yan’an High-Speed Railway originates at Xi’an East Station, passes through Weinan City and Tongchuan City, and terminates at Yan’an Station, with a connecting line to Xi’an North Station also opening concurrently. The line has a total length of 299 kilometers and is designed for speeds of 350 kilometers per hour. This initial phase of operation includes 10 stations: Gaoling, Fuping South, Tongchuan, Tongchuan North, Yijun, Huangling, Luochuan, Fuxian North, Ganquan North, and Yan’an. Among these, Ganquan North and Yan’an are upgraded and expanded stations, while the remaining stations are newly built. Construction of Xi’an East Station is currently proceeding in an orderly manner.
The straight-line distance between Xi’an and Yan’an is approximately 300 kilometers, and the evolution of travel modes has mirrored the rapid pace of societal development: in the past, journeys on foot or by mule and horse could take five to ten days; with the opening of the Xi’an–Yan’an Railway, travel time was slashed to 12 hours; and the introduction of high-speed trains has since created a “2.5-hour economic circle.” Today, high-speed rail further reduces the travel time between the two cities to about one hour, making “dual-city living” a reality.
The opening of the Xi’an–Yan’an High-Speed Railway will greatly facilitate travel for residents along the line and hold profound significance in supporting rural revitalization in the revolutionary old areas of northern Shaanxi, promoting high-quality regional economic and social development, and fostering a new pattern in the large-scale development of the western region.
