The 345-km Western Ring Railway in Hainan was put into operation on Wednesday, completing the world's first high-speed train line circling an island. The western stretch, with a designed speed of 200 km per hour, has 16 stops in six cities and counties, linking provincial capital Haikou with Sanya, a tropical tourist spot.The western stretch, with a designed speed of 200 km per hour, has 16 stops in six cities and counties, linking provincial capital Haikou with Sanya, a tropical tourist spot. With a land area of 35,400 square km, Hainan is slightly larger than Belgium. A popular destination for beach lovers, it is expected to receive 47 million visitors this year. (Photo: Xinhua/Xing Guangli)
