The Rizhao-Lankao high-speed railway opens on July 18, reducing travel time dramatically by adding another major line linking central and eastern China. [Photo/Guanhai News]

The new high-speed railway linking eastern China's Shandong province and Central China's Henan province opened on July 18, significantly reducing travel time by adding another major line linking central and eastern China.

The Rizhao-Lankao high-speed railway has reduced the travel time from Qingdao North Station to Zhengzhou East Station to three hours and 40 minutes, 46 minutes less than before.

The Rizhao-Lankao high-speed railway is an important link in the national "Eight Vertical and Eight Horizontal" high-speed rail network.

The project spans 494 kilometers, starting from Rizhao West Station, passing through Shandong's Rizhao, Linyi, Jining, and Heze as well as Henan's Shangqiu and Kaifeng, and connecting to the Zhengzhou-Xuzhou High-Speed Railway at Lankao South Station. The sections from Rizhao to Linyi and Linyi to Qufu were opened in 2019, while the sections from Qufu to Heze and Heze to Zhuangzhai were opened in 2021. The opening of the Zhuangzhai in Shandong's Heze to Lankao section marks the full operation of the Rizhao-Lankao high-speed railway.