China rolls out sweeping national rail timetable from 1 July

China will overhaul its national railway timetable on 1 July, bringing significant changes to passenger services across the country, including the addition of a high-speed train route connecting Beijing with Urumqi.

The new Beijing–Urumqi high-speed service is among the most notable additions in the revised schedule, dramatically reducing travel time between the national capital and the principal city of the Xinjiang region in China's far northwest.

The updated timetable reflects China's continued investment in expanding and modernising its high-speed rail network, which is already the largest in the world. Further details of additional routes or amended services under the new schedule are expected to be released ahead of the July start date.