A new high-speed railway linking the Inner Mongolia and Ningxia Hui autonomous regions has begun full operations, significantly reducing travel times and strengthening transport links across northern and northwestern China.

The Baotou-Yinchuan high-speed line officially entered full service on Tuesday after its first train departed Baotou at 10:08 am. The 519.3-kilometer route connects Baotou in Inner Mongolia with Yinchuan, the capital of Ningxia, and includes 13 stations.

Designed for trains running at speeds of up to 250 km per hour, the line reduces travel time between the two cities from about six hours down to two hours and 38 minutes. A section of the railway between Yinchuan and Huinong district of Shizuishan in Ningxia opened in October 2024.

Han Zhenmin, director of the 12306 customer service center of China Railway Hohhot Group, said that to start things off, the station will have 12 high-speed trains scheduled to operate daily. Flexible discounts and market-based pricing will be introduced to meet different travel needs, he added.

The launch was marked by trains decorated with cultural symbols from cities along the route, turning the inaugural journey into a roving display of local heritage.

For passengers, the impact was immediate. Li, a resident of Baotou traveling to Yinchuan, said the new line has made family visits much easier. "My daughter is studying at a university in Yinchuan," she said. "I used to take an overnight train. Now the trip is fast and convenient."

The new railway also carries broader strategic significance. Together with the Beijing-Baotou and Yinchuan-Lanzhou lines, it forms part of the Beijing-Lanzhou corridor within China's national high-speed rail network. Once fully integrated, travel time between Yinchuan and Beijing is expected to be reduced from around 19 hours to about six.

"The opening of the Baotou-Yinchuan high-speed railway makes rail connections between Northwest China and North and Northeast China more convenient," said Ma Hongyue, director of the transportation project center of Ningxia's development and reform commission. "It will effectively promote coordinated development and economic growth in the western region."

The railway will also help Ningxia integrate more deeply into the national high-speed rail network, enhance its level of openness, and support higher-quality development under the new pattern of western development, Ma said.

Stations along the route have stepped up services to cope with increased passenger flows. Baotou Railway Station has streamlined entry and exit routes and introduced assistance measures for elderly passengers and those without online ticketing access. Yinchuan Railway Station said it conducted emergency drills and staff training ahead of the launch.

"Multiple rounds of training on passenger service etiquette and operational knowledge have also been carried out among staff members," said Shen Xingtao, deputy director of Yinchuan Railway Station.