The Shandong section of the Beijing–Hong Kong high-speed railway starts trials on June 10. [Photo/Dazhong Daily]

A key section of the Beijing–Hong Kong high-speed railway entered the trial operation phase in Shandong province on June 10, bringing the country's high-speed rail network a step closer to completion.

The entire Xiong'an–Shangqiu line stretches 552 kilometers, with a designed speed of 350 kilometers per hour. It begins at Hebei's Xiong'an Railway Station on the Beijing–Xiong'an intercity railway and runs through major cities such as Liaocheng, Jining, and Heze in Shandong before terminating at Shangqiu Railway Station in Henan province.

As a vital part of the "eight vertical and eight horizontal" high-speed rail network's Beijing–Hong Kong (Taipei) corridor, the Xiong'an–Shangqiu line is expected to significantly enhance regional connectivity.