China has opened the 22.13-kilometre Tianshan Shengli Tunnel in Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, recognised as the world’s longest expressway tunnel, which slashes travel time across the Tianshan Mountains from hours to 20 minutes and boosts economic links between northern and southern parts of the region.
The Tianshan Shengli Tunnel, measuring 22.13 kilometres, opened to traffic on 26 December 2025 in China’s Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region as the key segment of the 324.7-kilometre G0711 Urumqi-Yuli Expressway, reducing a previous multi-hour mountain crossing to approximately 20 minutes to enhance connectivity between urban centres in northern and southern Xinjiang.
Tunnel Opens Amid Expressway Launch
The tunnel, running beneath the central Tianshan Mountains, forms part of the G0711 Urumqi-Yuli Expressway that entered service on the same day, with the full expressway spanning 324.7 kilometres and involving a total investment of 46.7 billion yuan, equivalent to about 6.63 billion dollars. According to a report by Chinese state news agency Xinhua, the project took five years to construct and includes an 11-kilometre section with 14 bridges and five tunnels, achieving a bridge-and-tunnel ratio exceeding 90 per cent. The tunnel reaches a maximum burial depth of 1,112.2 metres and supports vehicle speeds up to 100 kilometres per hour.
As reported by Tunnels & Tunnelling for Tunnels & Tunnelling International, the expressway connects with major economic regions including Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei, the Yangtze River Delta, the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, and the Chengdu-Chongqing region through existing road networks.
Engineering Challenges in Tianshan Mountains
Construction of the tunnel faced extreme conditions including high ground stress peaking at nearly 22 megapascals, strong seismic activity, 16 geological fault zones, extreme cold, high altitude, and strict environmental requirements, as it passes through glaciers, grasslands, forested valleys, Gobi desert, and wetlands. According to Huang Dengxia, chief engineer of the fifth section of the Urumqi-Yuli Expressway project under China Communications Construction Company Limited (CCCC), 12 of the fault zones were at the tunnel entrance with fragile rock formations, prompting the team to anchor over 37,800 polyethylene pipe foam concrete components to create a 70-centimetre-thick shock-absorbing layer. Huang noted that this mitigated stress impacts after 80 days to navigate fault zone F6.
Innovative Techniques Overcome Obstacles
Miao Baodong, chief engineer of the Urumqi-Yuli Expressway project, explained that the team added a middle drift between parallel main tunnels and used hard rock tunnel boring machines (TBMs) customised by CCCC, named “Tianshan” and “Shengli,” advancing from northern and southern sides at 20 to 30 metres per day—over five times faster than manual drilling—reducing construction time to 52 months. Mao Jinbo, chief engineer of Section 6, stated that a new “three-tunnel, four-vertical-shaft” method segmented the work, cutting the timeline from 72 to 52 months, while introducing China’s pioneering injection-moulding construction with TBMs. Work on the expressway began in April 2020, with the government committing nearly 13 billion yuan to the tunnel alone, assembling top domestic teams. Li Yalong, a construction team manager, described the difficulties as “unimaginable,” citing high ground stress where a fingernail-sized rock bore over 200 kilograms, risking rock bursts equivalent to a 4- to 5-magnitude earthquake. Song Hailiang, chairman of CCCC, told state broadcaster CCTV that the tunnel set world records as the longest expressway tunnel and for the deepest vertical shaft in a highway tunnel.
Environmental and Economic Integration
The project supports freight movement, tourism, and economic integration between northern and southern Xinjiang while adhering to high ecological standards near Tianshan No.1 Glacier, a Urumqi drinking water source, minimising surface disturbance. Builders used a high-altitude cable bridge over the Urumqi River to avoid riverbed and grassland disruption, despite higher costs, as noted by a construction team member. The tunnel halves travel time between Urumqi and Korla from over seven hours to about 3.5 hours, according to state media. Reporting by South China Morning Post states the tunnel creates a 20-minute drive through the mountains dividing the regions. People.cn reports that the expressway, built by CCCC, addresses fragile rock and high stress challenges innovatively. Beijing Review highlights the milestone as demonstrating China’s ability in complex geological infrastructure. Tianshannet English notes the tunnel reshapes local life while preserving fragile ecosystems.
The Tianshan Shengli Tunnel and Urumqi-Yuli Expressway opened on 26 December 2025, delivering the world’s longest expressway tunnel after overcoming severe engineering and environmental hurdles to connect northern and southern Xinjiang more efficiently.
