Suxiong and Lianghong – Aidai. Double-track project In the 21st century, with local economic growth, the single-track Chengdu-Kunming Railway has become congested. In order to create more capacity, the line is being replaced by a double track-line with longer tunnels and viaducts, although the original track has generally been retained as one of the two tracks between Chengdu and Emei. The Chengdu-Kunming railway double-track project is 900 kilometres long, with a design speed of 160 to 200 kilometres per hour, and a total investment of 55.2 billion yuan. Most of the new line runs near the old line, but on some sections of the route is significantly shortened and straightened. Therefore, the new line will be reduced by nearly 200 kilometres compared to the old 1091-kilometre line. After completion, it will only take about 7 hours from Chengdu to Kunming. Work on the new line commenced in 2010. Double-tracking of the section between Hualongmen and Pengshan was completed in June 2017. The final 384 kilometre-long section between Emei and Miyi is due to be completed in 2023. A northern section of the old line is now called the Emei–Panzhihua railway (shortened to E-Pan railway) and a southern section is called the Yuanmou–Kunming railway (shortened to Yuankun railway). The section of the old line between Huapengzi (south of Panzhihua) and Huangguayuan (north of Yuanmou) has been closed and flooded by the Wudongde Dam. The new line will mainly handle freight. It is proposed that high-speed passenger services between Chengdu and Kunming will be provided by the Chengdu–Chongqing intercity railway (completed in 2015) from Chengdu to Neijiang North, the Southern Sichuan intercity railway (due to open in 2023) from Neijiang North to a new station in Yibin, and the Chongqing–Kunming high-speed railway (approved by the National Development and Reform Commission in 2019) from Yibin to Kunming. See also Daliang Mountains List of railways in China 1981 Chengdu–Kunming rail crash References External links |CCTV-10 Documentary on the construction of the Chengkun railway Railway lines in China Rail transport in Sichuan Rail transport in Yunnan Railway lines opened in 1971