Train attendants walk past a test train for the Ulaanqab-Huai'an section of Zhangjiakou-Hohhot high-speed rail line, on June 1. [Photo/nm.people.cn]

A train departed Ulaanqab Station for Huai'an in Zhangjiakou, Hebei province on June 1, with the task of performing integrated tests and debugging for the Ulaanqab-Huai'an section of Zhangjiakou-Hohhot high-speed rail line, according to China Railway Hohhot Group.

The test marked the countdown to the official operation of Zhangjiakou-Hohhot Rail.

According to China Railway Hohhot Group, the traveling time from Hohhot to Beijing will be shortened to three hours, with Zhangjiakou-Hohhot Rail's connection to Beijing-Zhangjiakou Rail in the near future.

Zhangjiakou-Hohhot Rail, with a total length of 286.8 kilometers and a designed speed of 250 kilometers per hour, started construction on April 18, 2014.

The Ulaanqab-Hohhot East section of the rail line has been put into operation in August 2017.

According to local authorities, the test route – the Ulaanqab-Huai'an section -- stretches about 114 km.

The integrated testing will include 12 programs in areas including tests performed on the rail track, communications system, signal system and electromagnetic environment.

Officials said the test would provide invaluable technological data for the future running of the rail system.

It is reported that the test section of Zhangjiakou-Hohhot Rail is scheduled to operate at the end of this year.

A test train zips along at the Ulaanqab-Huai'an section of Zhangjiakou-Hohhot Rail on June 1. [Photo/nm.people.cn]

A test train sprints across Ulaanqab in Inner Mongolia autonomous region on June 1. [Photo/nm.people.cn]