On October 21, the Weifang to Yantai high-speed railway officially commenced operations, creating a loop of high-speed rail across the Jiaodong Peninsula.

“I’m thrilled that the northern coastal areas of Shandong now have high-speed rail. It means I can easily travel to the ‘treasure cities’ along the route, enjoy hairy crabs in Laizhou, and taste wine in Penglai,” said Li Weixin, a young resident of Yantai. He emphasized how the new railway line significantly eases travel for local residents.

The Weifang-Yantai high-speed railway starts at the Changyi Station in Weifang and runs through Qingdao City, reaching the Zhifu Station in Yantai. The line spans 237 kilometers and is designed for speeds of up to 350 kilometers per hour. It is a crucial part of China’s “eight vertical and eight horizontal” high-speed rail network and serves as a key passage for passenger transport in the northern coastal region of Shandong.

The railway features nine stations: Changyi, Huibei, Laizhou, Zhaoyuan, Longkou, Penglai, Yantai West, Fushan, and Zhifu. The railway authorities plan to operate daily passenger trains, with up to 20 high-speed trains running each day. Travel times from Weifang North Station to Laizhou, Zhaoyuan, and Yantai Stations are approximately 24, 34, and 78 minutes, respectively. Meanwhile, the journey from Jinan East Station to these same destinations takes about 70, 74, and 117 minutes.

Cao Yanying, the director of the Tourism Industry Research Institute at Ludong University, highlighted that the Weifang-Yantai high-speed railway line offers both breathtaking natural scenery, including coastal islands, and unique cultural resources, such as rock carvings and gold culture. The opening of this high-speed rail line is expected to enhance connectivity along the route and significantly boost the local tourism and cultural industries.

Additionally, the Weifang-Yantai high-speed railway connects with the Qingdao to Rongcheng intercity railway to the east and the Weifang to Rongcheng high-speed railway to the west, completing the high-speed rail loop around the Jiaodong Peninsula. Its operation is considered to be of great significance in promoting regional connectivity and in building a “Shandong Peninsula urban agglomeration on rail.”