Between the mountains in northeastern Sichuan, a steel giant dragon is poised to take off. On February 5, 2026, with the official release of the bidding announcement for the total price contracting of the construction of the new Nanchong Guang'an Railway Station, this red hot land is about to usher in its high-speed railway moment. As the first high-speed railway project announced to start construction in China in 2026, its launch is not only the landing of a notice, but also a strong pulse in the transportation network of the Chengdu Chongqing economic circle.

As early as December 31, 2025, the Sichuan Provincial Development and Reform Commission had approved its preliminary design, locking in a total budget of 19.11 billion yuan. As the backbone channel of the multi-level rail transit plan for the Chengdu Chongqing Economic Circle, it is not only a strategic pivot to improve the regional road network and strengthen the connection between the Yangtze River and the Beijing Kunming corridor, but also a tourism belt with red genes flowing through it. When the travel time from Guang'an to Chengdu is reduced from 2.8 hours to 1.3 hours, and the journey from Nanchong to Chongqing is shortened to 0.9 hours.

According to the bidding announcement, the construction blueprint of the project has been clearly drawn. Behind the construction unit, Sichuan Nanguang Intercity Railway Co., Ltd., is the strong support of Shudao Investment Group and the governments of Nanchong and Guang'an. The project capital and bank loans each account for half of the total, and the funding chain is stable and abundant. This newly built steel artery with a total length of 84.227 kilometers starts from the Qiangjiawan Line Station at the eastern end of Nanchong North Station, winding southeast through Gaoping, Yuechi, Guang'an, and Huaying, and finally connects to the under construction Guang'an East Station of the West Chongqing High speed Railway. The entire line not only has a new Gaoping station, but also cleverly utilizes the existing Nanchong North, Yuechi, Guang'an South, and Guang'an East stations, and utilizes the existing connecting line in the section of Nanchong crossing the Jialing River, balancing new construction and renovation in refined design.

The technical standards highlight the modern background of this railway: high-speed railway, double track operation, and a speed target of 250 kilometers per hour, all of which indicate its efficiency and speed. At the engineering level, the estimated total investment of 19.715 billion yuan has been refined into five precise sections. From the Qiangjiawan Line of NGZQSG-01 section to the Nanchong Gaoping Station Grand Bridge, to the extension of NGZQSG-05 section to the Guang'an East Storage Yard, each section carries a specific mission - whether it is the connection of the Hanba South Link Line, the excavation of the Linjiapo Tunnel, or the renovation of Yuechi Station and Guang'an South Station, they all need to be accurately completed within a total construction period of 48 months. Keywords: Nanchong Guang'an high-speed railway, railway

The project is scheduled to commence on April 16, 2026 and be completed on April 15, 2030. The station front engineering, land acquisition and demolition, three power relocation and related storage yard engineering of five sections will be promoted simultaneously.Editor/Cheng Liting