World’s longest expressway tunnel opens in China

China has opened the world’s longest expressway tunnel to traffic in the north-western Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region. The 22.13-kilometre Tian Shan Shengli Tunnel was opened on Friday, December 22, allowing vehicles to pass beneath the central Tian Shan mountain range. The tunnel is part of the G0711 Urumqi–Yuli Expressway, which also became operational on the same day.

According to China’s state news agency Xinhua, the tunnel has reduced travel time across the previously difficult mountainous route from several hours to just 20 minutes. The expressway is expected to significantly improve connectivity between cities in northern and southern Xinjiang. Travel time between Urumqi and Korla has been cut from seven hours to around three hours.

Xinhua reported that the expressway links major economic zones such as the Beijing–Tianjin–Hebei region, the Yangtze River Delta and the Guangdong–Hong Kong–Macau Greater Bay Area through China’s existing road network. The corridor is being viewed as a key transport link between eastern China’s economic belt and Eurasian countries.

Construction of the expressway took five years. The overall G0711 Urumqi–Yuli Expressway project, which began in April 2020, stretches 324.7 kilometres and involved a total investment of about 46.7 billion yuan, equivalent to roughly 6.63 billion US dollars. Within an 11-kilometre section of the route, there are 14 bridges and five tunnels, bringing the combined bridge-and-tunnel ratio to more than 90 percent.

Xinhua said the Tian Shan Shengli Tunnel reaches a maximum depth of 1,112.2 metres underground and passes through 16 geological fault zones. It was built to withstand extreme geological pressure, strong earthquake risks, harsh environmental conditions, severe cold and high-altitude challenges.

China Daily reported that all vehicles except medium and heavy trucks are currently allowed to use the tunnel and the full route. The expressway will officially begin trial operations from January 1. The project was constructed by China Communications Construction Company.