A newly completed tunnel along the highway connecting southwest China's Sichuan Province and Tibet Autonomous Region has been opened.

The 8,596-meter tunnel, dug through Mount Erlang in Sichuan, will replace the most dangerous section of the Sichuan-Tibet Highway, where frequent accidents occurred due to landslides, rain and foggy weather.

The construction of the longest tunnel started three years ago costing 470 million yuan (56.6 million US dollars).

The trip will now take less time, be safer and easier, a local official said.