XINING -- A new railway linking Dunhuang city, Northwest China's Gansu province, and Golmud city, Northwest China's Qinghai province, is scheduled to be put into operation in December, authorities said Thursday.

Located in the Mongolian-Tibetan autonomous prefecture of Haixi in Qinghai and Jiuquan city in Gansu, the route is an important connecting line between the Qinghai-Tibet Railway and the Lanzhou-Xinjiang Railway.

Construction for the 509-km railway began in December 2012, with a total investment of 13.48 billion yuan ($1.92 billion). It allows trains to run at 120 km per hour, according to China Railway Qinghai-Tibet Group Co, Ltd.

The company, together with China Railway Lanzhou Group Co, Ltd, established a team for the railway's dynamic testing to ensure it can meet the operational requirements.

The connecting line is of great importance to operating western China's railway network and implementing the Belt and Road Initiative, said the company.