New expressway cuts travel time between Yichang’s major rail stations to 15 minutes
2025-12-13 19:12:27
By Hu Yikai.
Huaxi Road opened to traffic on December 10, cutting driving time between Yichang’s two major railway stations to about 15 minutes.
A key route in Yichang's High-Speed Rail New Town, Huaxi Road spans approximately 13.84 kilometers and is designed as an urban expressway. The six-lane road has a speed limit of 80 km/h and features four auxiliary lanes in designated sections.
"The mainline has no traffic lights," said Wang Bo, the project's chief engineer. "Once opened, it will take only about 15 minutes to drive from Yichang East Station to the drop-off platform at Yichangbei Station. Residents from Longquan Town and the High-Speed Rail New Town can also reach the city center without detours, cutting travel time by more than half."
Yichangbei Station is scheduled to begin operations this month. Equipped with nine platforms and 20 rail lines, it can accommodate up to 5,000 passengers boarding and alighting simultaneously during peak hours. With its opening, travel time from Yichang to Wuhan will be shortened from two hours to one hour, while travel time to Shanghai will be reduced from six hours to around four hours.
Huaxi Road is a critical link connecting Yichangbei Station, the High-Speed Rail New Town and the main urban area. It is an important part of the city's expressway network and its cross-Yangtze River loop system.
Xiong Xiaolei, Yi Xinxuan, and Yang Dan also contributed to this story.
Huaxi Road opened to traffic on December 10, cutting driving time between Yichang’s two major railway stations to about 15 minutes.
A key route in Yichang's High-Speed Rail New Town, Huaxi Road spans approximately 13.84 kilometers and is designed as an urban expressway. The six-lane road has a speed limit of 80 km/h and features four auxiliary lanes in designated sections.
An aerial view of Huaxi Road. Photo by Xiong Xiaolei.
"The mainline has no traffic lights," said Wang Bo, the project's chief engineer. "Once opened, it will take only about 15 minutes to drive from Yichang East Station to the drop-off platform at Yichangbei Station. Residents from Longquan Town and the High-Speed Rail New Town can also reach the city center without detours, cutting travel time by more than half."
Yichangbei Station is scheduled to begin operations this month. Equipped with nine platforms and 20 rail lines, it can accommodate up to 5,000 passengers boarding and alighting simultaneously during peak hours. With its opening, travel time from Yichang to Wuhan will be shortened from two hours to one hour, while travel time to Shanghai will be reduced from six hours to around four hours.
Huaxi Road is a critical link connecting Yichangbei Station, the High-Speed Rail New Town and the main urban area. It is an important part of the city's expressway network and its cross-Yangtze River loop system.
Xiong Xiaolei, Yi Xinxuan, and Yang Dan also contributed to this story.
