The first Chinese middle-low speed magnetically levitated (maglev) rail is to go on trial before the end of the year, authorities said on Saturday.

The 18.5 km track, links the south railway station with Huanghua airport in Changsha, capital of central China's Hunan Province. The track allows maglev trains to run at a maximum speed of 100 km per hour.

The construction of low-cost maglev trains, made by Zhuzhou Electric Locomotive Co. Ltd. in Hunan province, began in May 2014. A total of 3.5 billion yuan (565 million US dollars), or 82 percent of total investment, have been used.

The company said its maglev trains are safer, quieter, and have a smaller turning radius, making them more environmental friendly.

The world's first commercial maglev system operates on a 30-km stretch between downtown Shanghai and the city's Pudong airport. The German-made maglev went into operation on Dec. 31, 2002.