The Longhai Railway_Jack ZhangThe Longhai Railway_Jack Zhang

Map Creator: Jack Zhang ’19

Built in segments from 1905-1953, the Longhai Railway is one of China’s salient east-west corridors. Crossing the provinces Jiangsu, Anhui, Henan, Shaanxi, and Gansu, the 1,093-mile long railway connects the deep water port Lianyungang with the inland transportation hub Lanzhou. Other cities along the route include Xuzhou, Kaifeng, Zhengzhou, Xian, Xianyang, and Baoji. Throughout its long history, the Longhai Railway has primarily carried freight, though there are many passenger trains on the line as well. Today, the Longhai Railway is entirely dual-tracked, and the section from Xuzhou, Jiangsu to Lanzhou, Gansu, has been electrified. In addition, the Longhai Railway is an integral component of the New Eurasian Land Bridge (or New Silk Road in China) via the Lanzhou-Xinjiang Railway.