Early on Monday morning, train No D5001 left the station in Harbin, Heilongjiang province, to begin trial runs on China's northern most high-speed rail line.

The 281-km line with eight stops links Harbin, the provincial capital, to Daqing and Qiqihar. Work began in November 2009, but snow and frozen land posed numerous problems during construction.

In recent months, Harbin Railway Bureau has trained crews on safety measures, service etiquette and emergency procedures.