China Launches High-Speed Rail Linking Long March Landmarks
China launched its first direct high-speed rail service between Ruijin in Jiangxi Province and Yan’an in Shaanxi Province on Sunday, connecting the starting point and final destination of the historic Long March in a symbolic infrastructure milestone. The G3998 Fuxing bullet train departed Ruijin Station in the morning, covering the approximately 1,850-kilometer route across Jiangxi, Hubei, and Shaanxi provinces in about 11 hours and 32 minutes, according to Xinhua News.
A Historic Connection
The new rail link ends the era of no direct fast rail connection between the Long March departure point and its destination. Ruijin, known as the “cradle of the Republic,” was where the Central Red Army began its epic retreat in October 1934. Yan’an, called the “cradle of New China,” became the revolutionary base from which the Chinese Communist Party ultimately prevailed in the Chinese Civil War.
Previously, travelers between the two cities required multiple transfers. The new direct service passes through key stops including Nanchang, Wuhan, and Xi’an, integrating regional culture, revolutionary heritage, and travel experience along the route.
Bridging Revolutionary Heritage and Modern Development
Ye Ronggen, deputy director of the passenger transport department at China Railway Nanchang Bureau Group, said the route will transform travel for residents of the old revolutionary areas. “In the past, traveling from Ruijin to Yan’an required multiple transfers; now with direct high-speed rail, people in the old revolutionary areas can travel more conveniently,” Ye told Lianhe Zaobao.
Ye added that the route builds a bridge for deepening red culture and tourism cooperation between the two cities while promoting the revitalization of old revolutionary areas.
The launch comes as 2026 marks the 90th anniversary of the Long March victory. Wang Tao, a professor at the China Executive Leadership Academy Yan’an, said the line’s opening “is both a look back at history and a bold march toward a new future,” as reported by Tencent News.
Red Tourism Boom
The new connection arrives amid a surge in “red tourism” — travel to revolutionary heritage sites — across China. Yan’an expects more than 50 million visitors in 2026, with the city experiencing record passenger flows during the May Day holiday following the opening of the Xi’an-Yan’an high-speed rail in December 2025, as Shaanxi Daily reported.
The Ruijin-Yan’an service follows a broader pattern of direct high-speed rail connections to Yan’an launched over the past year. The Xi’an-Yan’an line opened in December 2025, bringing China’s total high-speed rail operating mileage above 50,000 kilometers, according to Lianhe Zaobao’s earlier report. A Shaoshan-Yan’an direct service launched on July 1, 2026, marking the 105th anniversary of the Chinese Communist Party’s founding, as Huasheng Online noted.
Economic Implications for Revolutionary Regions
The high-speed rail link is expected to facilitate linked tourism between Ruijin’s red heritage sites and Yan’an’s established research and study bases. The two-way flow of people, goods, and information is projected to boost rural industry development and increase incomes along the route.
The rail line also symbolizes China’s broader strategy of modernizing infrastructure in revolutionary old areas while honoring their historical significance. As the China News Service reported, the route connects the “cradle of the Republic” with the “cradle of New China,” allowing passengers to experience both the historical heritage and development vitality of cities along the way.
What to Watch
With the Ruijin-Yan’an route now operational, attention turns to how the new connection will reshape tourism patterns between eastern and northwestern China. The route’s success may also signal further high-speed rail expansions linking other historically significant sites across the country, as China continues to extend its world-leading rail network into previously underserved regions.
For residents of the old revolutionary areas, the direct service represents more than a transportation upgrade — it is a tangible link between past and present, connecting the arduous journey of the Long March with the rapid development of modern China.