China is building the world's longest highway tunnel in Xinjiang

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An aerial drone photo shows the Urumqi-Yuli Expressway in Hejing County, northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, Dec. 26, 2025. The 22.13-km Tianshan Shengli Tunnel, the world's longest expressway tunnel, officially opened to traffic on Friday.

Traversing the central Tianshan Mountains in northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, the tunnel slashes what was once a several-hour mountain drive to just 20 minutes.

As a vital artery linking city clusters in northern and southern Xinjiang, the G0711 Urumqi-Yuli Expressway, including the tunnel, entered operation on the same day. (Xinhua/Hu Huhu)

Traversing the central Tianshan Mountains in northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, the tunnel slashes what was once a several-hour mountain drive to just 20 minutes.

As a vital artery linking city clusters in northern and southern Xinjiang, the G0711 Urumqi-Yuli Expressway, including the tunnel, entered operation on the same day. (Xinhua/Xu Hongyan)

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Vehicles wait to pass a toll station for the Urumqi-Yuli Expressway in Urumqi County, northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, Dec. 26, 2025. The 22.13-km Tianshan Shengli Tunnel, the world's longest expressway tunnel, officially opened to traffic on Friday.

Traversing the central Tianshan Mountains in northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, the tunnel slashes what was once a several-hour mountain drive to just 20 minutes.

As a vital artery linking city clusters in northern and southern Xinjiang, the G0711 Urumqi-Yuli Expressway, including the tunnel, entered operation on the same day. (Xinhua/Wang Fei)

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Vehicles drive into the Tianshan Shengli Tunnel on the Urumqi-Yuli Expressway in northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, Dec. 26, 2025. The 22.13-km Tianshan Shengli Tunnel, the world's longest expressway tunnel, officially opened to traffic on Friday.

Traversing the central Tianshan Mountains in northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, the tunnel slashes what was once a several-hour mountain drive to just 20 minutes.

As a vital artery linking city clusters in northern and southern Xinjiang, the G0711 Urumqi-Yuli Expressway, including the tunnel, entered operation on the same day. (Xinhua/Xu Hongyan)

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An aerial drone photo shows vehicles near the entrance of the Tianshan Shengli Tunnel on the Urumqi-Yuli Expressway in northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, Dec. 26, 2025. The 22.13-km Tianshan Shengli Tunnel, the world's longest expressway tunnel, officially opened to traffic on Friday.

Traversing the central Tianshan Mountains in northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, the tunnel slashes what was once a several-hour mountain drive to just 20 minutes.

As a vital artery linking city clusters in northern and southern Xinjiang, the G0711 Urumqi-Yuli Expressway, including the tunnel, entered operation on the same day. (Xinhua/Wang Fei)

JdYXuSWBr9i5QaQi.jpg


An aerial drone photo shows vehicles near the entrance of the Tianshan Shengli Tunnel on the Urumqi-Yuli Expressway in northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, Dec. 26, 2025. The 22.13-km Tianshan Shengli Tunnel, the world's longest expressway tunnel, officially opened to traffic on Friday.

Traversing the central Tianshan Mountains in northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, the tunnel slashes what was once a several-hour mountain drive to just 20 minutes.

As a vital artery linking city clusters in northern and southern Xinjiang, the G0711 Urumqi-Yuli Expressway, including the tunnel, entered operation on the same day. (Xinhua/Wang Fei)

EIpuqRUNma3hoSii.jpg


Vehicles drive through the Tianshan Shengli Tunnel on the Urumqi-Yuli Expressway in northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, Dec. 26, 2025. The 22.13-km Tianshan Shengli Tunnel, the world's longest expressway tunnel, officially opened to traffic on Friday.

Traversing the central Tianshan Mountains in northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, the tunnel slashes what was once a several-hour mountain drive to just 20 minutes.

As a vital artery linking city clusters in northern and southern Xinjiang, the G0711 Urumqi-Yuli Expressway, including the tunnel, entered operation on the same day. (Xinhua/Xu Hongyan)

China Focus: World's longest expressway tunnel opens to traffic in Xinjiang

China Focus: World's longest expressway tunnel opens to traffic in Xinjiang-
english.news.cn
 

China Opens World's Longest Tunnel in Xinjiang Province - See How It Reduces Hours of Travel to Minutes​

China has inaugurated the world's longest Tianshan Shengli tunnel, measuring 22.13 kilometers, in Xinjiang province, which cuts through the Tianshan Mountains. Let's check how it will reduce travel time and make commute easier.​

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China opens world's longest - Tianshan Shengli tunnel - in Xinjiang province.

New Delhi: China has unveiled world's longest Tianshan Shengli tunnel and opened it for traffic in the Xinjiang province. The tunnel is 22.13-km-long and traverses through the central Tianshan Mountains in northwest China's Uygur region.

According to Song Hailiang, chairman of China Communications Construction Company, the tunnel has “set two world records”.

“It is the longest expressway tunnel in the world and has the deepest vertical shaft for a highway tunnel,” Song said.

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How China's New Tianshan Shengli Tunnel Will Boost Travel​

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  • The Tianshan Shengli tunnel, which traverses through the central Tianshan Mountains in northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, has reduced a treacherous mountain journey of several hours to about 20 minutes, official media reported.
  • The tunnel is a key part of the G0711 Urumqi-Yuli Expressway, which also became operational on Friday, the state-run Xinhua news agency reported.
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According to Song Hailiang, chairman of China Communications Construction Company, the tunnel has set two world records.
ALSO READ | Why China Is Recalibrating Its India Strategy: Pentagon Report Sounds Alarm
  • The expressway serves as a major transport artery linking city clusters in northern and southern Xinjiang.
  • Stretching 2,500 km, the Tianshan Mountains span central Xinjiang, separating the provincial capital Urumqi, the largest city in the north, from Korla, the largest city in the south.
  • With the opening of the expressway, travel time between Urumqi and Korla has been reduced from around seven hours to about three hours, the report said.
  • China's latest engineering marvel passes through 16 major geological fault zones.
  • The tunnel reduces the driving time from Urumqi to Korla from seven hours to 3.5 hours.
  • The over 22-km long tunnel cuts through the Tianshan range, a trip that used to take hours now takes 20 minutes. The project started building in 2020 and has been completed at a cost of $6.6 billion.
The expressway, constructed over five years, is 324.7-km-long with a total investment of 46.7 billion yuan (about USD 6.63 billion).
www.timesnownews.com

China Opens World's Longest Tunnel in Xinjiang Province - See How It Reduces Hours of Travel to Minutes

China has inaugurated the world's longest Tianshan Shengli tunnel, measuring 22.13 kilometers, in Xinjiang province, which cuts through the Tianshan Mountains. Let's check how it will reduce travel time and make commute easier., World News, Times Now
www.timesnownews.com
 
Fresh drive experience the new highway the the world longest tunnel

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China Just Opened the World’s Longest Expressway Tunnel at 9,842 Feet Above Sea Level!​

China has opened the world’s longest expressway tunnel, the Tianshan Shengli Tunnel, cutting through the Tianshan Mountains.
Emily Carter
December 27, 2025

China Just Opened Opens The World’s Longest Expressway Tunnel
Credit: Xinhua | Indian Defence Review

Engineers in China have achieved a record-breaking milestone with the completion of the Tianshan Shengli Tunnel, the world’s longest expressway tunnel, slicing through one of the harshest mountain ranges on Earth. Built at an altitude of nearly 10,000 feet, the tunnel not only redefines infrastructure engineering but also reshapes travel and trade routes across western China.

A Feat Of Engineering Beneath The Tianshan Mountains​

The Tianshan Shengli Tunnel, stretching 13.75 miles (22 kilometers), lies at the heart of the Urumqi–Yuli Expressway in the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region. Its construction marks a new chapter in China’s relentless pursuit of mega infrastructure projects.

This high-altitude marvel was completed in just five years despite temperatures plunging to minus 43.6°F, a challenge that could have doubled construction time under conventional methods. The project’s chief engineer, Song, explained that “it is the longest expressway tunnel in the world and has the deepest vertical shaft for a highway tunnel.”

The South China Morning Post reported that this new expressway slashes travel time between Urumqi and Korla from nearly seven hours to just 3.5 hours. More importantly, it paves the way for faster movement of goods between the industrial north and agricultural south of Xinjiang, bolstering China’s national “dual circulation” strategy aimed at balancing domestic and global trade.

Innovative Construction Under Extreme Conditions​

What sets the Tianshan Shengli Tunnel apart is not only its scale but the ingenuity behind its construction. Engineers developed a “three tunnels plus four shafts” system to overcome the brutal geography of the Tianshan Mountains. Instead of one massive bore, three parallel tunnels were excavated, one main tunnel flanked by two auxiliary passages.

These side tunnels served crucial roles: they allowed continuous geological assessments ahead of the main bore, provided safe access for workers and machinery, and offered emergency ventilation and evacuation routes. The four vertical shafts, some plunging 2,300 feet deep, connected directly to the surface, enabling work from multiple points simultaneously.

Transforming Connectivity Across Xinjiang And Beyond​

The tunnel’s opening is far more than an engineering victory, it represents a strategic shift in how China connects its remote western territories. The Xinjiang region, bordered by eight countries including Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, and Pakistan, is a key junction in the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). By cutting travel time in half, the Tianshan Shengli Tunnel strengthens regional integration and economic activity along these critical trade routes.

Energy exports, manufacturing supplies, and agricultural goods now flow more efficiently across the province. As South China Morning Post highlighted, the expressway’s impact will be felt across multiple sectors, reducing logistical bottlenecks, improving supply chain resilience, and reinforcing China’s infrastructure-led development in its western frontier.

Engineering Triumph In A New Era Of Infrastructure​

The Tianshan Shengli Tunnel is not just a record holder; it’s a symbol of China’s ability to merge innovation, scale, and speed in tackling seemingly impossible engineering challenges. With the world’s longest expressway tunnel and deepest highway shaft, it stands as a testament to both technological ambition and strategic foresight.

Projects like these underscore how China continues to redefine global standards for large-scale infrastructure. As the nation continues to expand its network of expressways, ports, and railways, the Tianshan Shengli Tunnel will likely be remembered as one of the landmarks that bridged not just mountains — but economic and cultural divides across Asia.

indiandefencereview.com

China Just Opened the World’s Longest Expressway Tunnel at 9,842 Feet Above Sea Level!

China has opened the world’s longest expressway tunnel, the Tianshan Shengli Tunnel, cutting through the Tianshan Mountains.
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WuweiExpressway and the world's longesthighway tunnel-Tianshan Victory Tunnel​

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China Opens World’s Longest Expressway Tunnel Through Tianshan Mountains​

The Indian Express

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China has opened the world’s longest expressway tunnel, the 22.13-kilometre Tianshan Shengli Tunnel, to traffic in the Xinjiang region, marking a major engineering milestone.

The tunnel, which cuts through the snow-covered Tianshan mountain range, significantly reduces travel time across the region. What was once an hours-long drive through treacherous mountain terrain can now be completed in just about 20 minutes.
 
Uyghur guide tells Taiwanese tourists while passing throught the world longest tunnel, "it's not because drilling through Tianshan Mountains is easy, it's because on the other side of Tianshan Mountains are the people needed to be connected."

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