The Kashgar–Hotan railway or Kahe railway (Chinese: 喀什至和田铁路; pinyin: Kāshí zhì Hétián Tiělù, abbreviated Chinese: 喀和铁路; pinyin: Kā-Hé Tiělù), is a single-track, non-electrified, railway in Xinjiang, China between Kashgar and Hotan. The railway is 488.27 km (303.40 mi) in length and runs along the southern edge of the Taklamakan Desert, connecting all major cities and towns of the Southwestern Tarim Basin, including Shule, Akto, Yengisar, Yarkant (Shache), Poskam (Zepu), Karghilik (Yecheng), Pishan (Guma) and Karakax (Moyu).[1] The line extends the Southern Xinjiang Railway south from Kashgar.[1] Construction began in December 2008.[1] The line opened to freight traffic on December 30, 2010.[1] Passenger service began on June 28, 2011.[2] Beyond Hotan, it continues as the Hotan–Ruoqiang railway.
| Kashgar–Hotan railway | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Overview | |||
| Locale | Xinjiang, China | ||
| Termini |
| ||
| Continues from | Southern Xinjiang railway | ||
| Continues as | Hotan–Ruoqiang railway | ||
| History | |||
| Opened | 2010 (cargo) 2011 (passenger) | ||
| |||
If built, the proposed Khunjerab Railway, a part of the China–Pakistan Economic Corridor, would link Islamabad in Pakistan to Hotan and the Chinese railway network. It also forms the Taklimakan Desert railway loop, together with sections of the Hotan–Ruoqiang railway, Southern Xinjiang railway, and Golmud–Korla railway.[3]
Station list
edit| Station | Chinese | Distance (km2) | Location | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kashi Southern Xinjiang railway |
喀什 | 0 | Kashi | Kashgar / Kashi Prefecture |
| Shule | 疏勒 | 14 | Shule County | |
| Akto | 阿克陶 | 38 | Akto County | Kizilsu Prefecture |
| Yengisar | 英吉沙 | 66 | Yengisar County | Kashgar / Kashi Prefecture |
| Kezile | 克孜勒 | |||
| Mayake | 马牙克 | |||
| Tuoluolake | 托洛拉克 | Shache County | ||
| Shache | 莎车 | 187 | ||
| Zepu | 泽普 | Poskam County | ||
| Yecheng | 叶城 | 246 | Yecheng County | |
| Kuoshan | 阔什 | Guma / Pishan County | Hotan Prefecture | |
| Pishan | 皮山 | 327 | ||
| Zanggui | 藏桂 | |||
| 224 Tuan | 二二四团 | Karakax / Moyu County | ||
| Moyu | 墨玉 | 468 | ||
| Hotan Hotan–Ruoqiang railway |
和田 | 485 | Hotan | |
See also
edit
References
edit- ^ a b c d 新疆喀什至和田铁路30日全线通车 货运列车开行 (in Chinese). December 30, 2010. Archived from the original on October 8, 2011.
- ^ 新疆喀和铁路客运通车 (in Chinese). Central People's Government of the People's Republic of China. June 28, 2011.
- ^ Zhang, Kate (17 June 2022). "New railway completes 2,700km loop of Taklamakan Desert in move to integrate Xinjiang with rest of China". South China Morning Post.