File photo shows the Shandan Horse Ranch Railway Station of the Lanzhou-Xinjiang Railway being built in Shandan county, Zhangye city, Northwest China's Gansu province. [Photo/VCG]

A high-speed railway station near a horse ranch with a history of more than 2,000 years in Northwest China's Gansu province went into operation on Sunday.

Situated at an altitude of over 3,000 meters, the Shandan Horse Ranch station is located in Shandan county in the city of Zhangye along the Lanzhou-Xinjiang high-speed railway line.

The expansion project of the station, which did not have passenger transport services before, started construction in March this year. A passenger terminal building covering an area of 1,080 square meters, two platforms and other facilities, were built as part of the project.

Eight trains, heading for several cities including Lanzhou, Xi'an and Urumqi, will now stop over at the station.

Yang Yifeng took the train eastward to Tianshui, Gansu, a trip of five and a half hours now.