Xinjiang's first high-speed rail starts operation

Train conductor Dai Dan examines tickets on a CRH train in Urumqi, capital of northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, Nov. 16, 2014. The first high-speed rail in northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region became operational on Nov. 16, slashing travel time between the regional capital of Urumqi and the eastern city of Hami by half to three hours. The 530-km rail, with a designed speed of over 200 km per hour, is part of the 1,776-km Lanxin high-speed railway linking Urumqi with Lanzhou, capital of northwestern province of Gansu, which will be put into service by the end of this year. (Xinhua/Jiang Wenyao)