China Opens World’s Longest Expressway Tunnel Through the Tianshan Mountains

The Tianshan Shengli Tunnel, translated as “Tianshan Victory Tunnel” opened to vehicles, claiming the title of the world’s longest expressway tunnel at an impressive 22.13 kilometers (about 13.75 miles).

This twin-tube marvel, carved deep beneath one of Asia’s most rugged mountain ranges, forms the centerpiece of the newly completed Urumqi–Yuli Expressway (G0711), a 324.7-kilometer corridor that now links the bustling regional capital of Urumqi in the north with southern hubs like Korla and Yuli.

For generations, crossing the Tianshan meant braving a perilous, winding route prone to blizzards, dense fog, rockslides, and seasonal shutdowns. Drivers often endured journeys stretching seven hours or more, navigating narrow passes at high altitudes where conditions could turn deadly in minutes.

Today, that same crossing has been compressed into roughly three hours overall, with the tunnel itself taking drivers just 15 to 20 minutes at highway speeds, a seamless passage through stable, climate-controlled darkness.

The tunnel’s technical achievements are staggering. Reaching a maximum depth of 1,112 meters below the surface, it traverses 16 major geological fault zones while contending with extreme challenges: intense ground pressure, seismic risks, sub-zero temperatures, thin air at elevation, and rigorous environmental safeguards to protect the fragile alpine ecosystem.

Construction crews operated around the clock for five years, deploying massive tunnel-boring machines that chewed through rock with precision, followed by teams installing reinforced concrete linings, extensive ventilation networks, power cables, and sophisticated monitoring arrays.

Every advance was logged meticulously, rock stability, gas levels, temperature fluctuations—leaving little to chance.Safety remains paramount in such an extended underground environment. The design incorporates cutting-edge features: powerful ventilation to maintain fresh air, automatic fire detection and suppression, multiple escape passages, real-time surveillance cameras covering every meter, emergency communication systems, and strategically placed bays for breakdowns.

To ease the psychological strain of prolonged enclosure, engineers incorporated subtle design cues—gradual shifts in lighting intensity, calming color transitions, and frequent visual reminders of nearby help, to keep drivers alert and comfortable during the transit.

The human stories emerging from the opening are telling. Veteran truckers describe the relief of trading icy, fog-shrouded hairpins for smooth, dry pavement and steady temperatures. Logistics companies are already rerouting fleets for greater efficiency, shaving costs and delivery times.

Yet not everyone celebrates unreservedly: some family-run diners and rest stops along the old mountain highway have seen their customer base vanish as traffic disappears underground, a classic trade-off of progress.

At a reported cost of around ¥26.8 billion (roughly $3.8 billion) for the tunnel alone, within a broader ¥46.7 billion expressway investment, the project embodies China’s relentless drive to knit its vast, diverse territory together. By piercing natural barriers, it accelerates the flow of goods, people, and opportunities—opening inland regions to coastal markets, easing family reunions across provinces, and fostering balanced economic growth in historically isolated areas.

Still, mega-infrastructure like this prompts reflection. As the tunnel stands as a testament to human ingenuity and ambition, questions linger about the long game: How will such colossal structures endure decades of use, harsh weather, and potential shifts in energy demands or climate patterns?

Maintenance will demand ongoing vigilance, just as the opening-day fanfare fades into routine Tuesdays when a single stalled vehicle could ripple through kilometers of confined space.In the end, the Tianshan Shengli Tunnel does more than break a record—it redefines distance in one of the world’s most challenging terrains.

What was once a grueling barrier between north and south has become a swift, reliable conduit, quietly binding regions that geography long kept apart.

Quick Facts at a Glance

• Length: 22.13 km — world’s longest expressway tunnel
• Location: Central Tianshan Mountains, Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region
• Opening Date: December 26, 2025
• Time Savings: Tunnel transit ~15–20 minutes; full north-south corridor reduced from ~7+ hours to ~3.5 hours
• Key Engineering Notes: Twin tubes (two lanes each), max depth 1,112 m, crosses 16 fault zones, deepest highway vertical shaft globally
• Broader Role: Core segment of Urumqi–Yuli Expressway; enhances trade, mobility, and regional connectivity across Xinjiang

This achievement joins China’s growing roster of record-setting infrastructure feats, each one subtly redrawing the map of how people and economies move through an immense country.

Signpost NewsDesk

Signpost News is an Imphal-based media house that focuses on delivering news and views from Northeast India and beyond.