China's Xi'an-Shiyan high-speed railway has launched trials at speeds of up to 385 km/h, marking a key step toward the line's opening.

On Tuesday, a comprehensive inspection train departed from Xi'an East Station in northwest China's Shaanxi Province, traveling through the Qinling Mountains to Yunxi Station in central China's Hubei Province. The run signaled the start of testing at the line's highest speed level, following earlier phased acceleration trials. After multiple rounds of testing, the train successfully reached the target speed of 385 km/h, laying a solid foundation for future operations.

During the tests, the inspection train, equipped with dozens of sensors, cameras and high-precision monitoring systems, collected real-time data on track geometry, pantograph-catenary interaction and communication signal quality. The trials aim to evaluate the performance and reliability of all systems under extreme operating conditions.

The railway runs through the cities of Xi'an, Shangluo and Shiyan, and connects with the existing Wuhan-Shiyan high-speed line. The newly built main line stretches 256 km, with a designed speed of 350 km/h. Of the total length, 170 km lies in Shaanxi and 86 km in Hubei.

Once operational, travel time between Xi'an and Shiyan will be reduced to around one hour. Journeys from Xi'an to Xiangyang are expected to take about two hours, while trips to Wuhan will take roughly three hours.

The new line is expected to further enhance China's high-speed rail network, shorten travel times between Shaanxi and major economic regions such as the Yangtze River Delta and the Pearl River Delta, and strengthen links between the Guanzhong city cluster and the middle reaches of the Yangtze River. It is also expected to support rural revitalization in the Qinba Mountain region and drive economic and social development along the route.