China opens world’s longest expressway tunnel
Travel time between Urumqi and Korla halved by new tunnel
URUMQI, Xinjiang – The Tianshan Shengli Tunnel, the world’s longest expressway tunnel at 22.13 kilometres, officially opened to traffic yesterday, marking a historic milestone in China’s infrastructure development.
The tunnel, part of the G0711 Urumqi-Yuli Expressway, now provides a fast, safe route across the central Tianshan Mountains, cutting the journey between Urumqi and Korla from over seven hours to approximately three.
The expressway, spanning 324.7 kilometres with a total investment of 46.7 billion yuan (about US$6.63 billion), connects northern and southern Xinjiang while linking the region with China’s eastern economic hubs and Eurasian trade corridors.
Transforming travel
The Tianshan Mountains, stretching 2,500 kilometres across central Xinjiang, have long separated Urumqi and Korla. Before the tunnel, mountain passes and challenging terrain made travel slow and difficult. The tunnel reduces travel time to just 20 minutes through the mountainous section, facilitating daily commutes, tourism, and business travel.
This improvement is expected to strengthen economic integration across northern and southern Xinjiang, while also boosting trade and cultural exchanges with other parts of China and neighbouring countries.
Engineering feat
Constructed over five years, the tunnel faced extreme engineering challenges. High ground stress, seismic activity, and harsh environmental conditions demanded advanced construction techniques. Engineers also navigated 16 geological fault zones while maintaining strict environmental protections. Despite these hurdles, the project was completed efficiently, earning recognition as a landmark achievement in tunnel engineering.
The 22.13-km Tianshan Shengli Tunnel, the world's longest expressway tunnel, officially opened to traffic on Friday. Read update: https://t.co/DHtnVWUFof pic.twitter.com/MQ4oqhEPDg
— China Xinhua News (@XHNews) December 26, 2025
The G0711 Urumqi-Yuli Expressway, of which the tunnel is a central feature, is now a vital artery for regional connectivity, linking Xinjiang with the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region, the Yangtze River Delta, the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, and the Chengdu-Chongqing region.