On May 12, 2026, the first batch of four transfer stations for the expansion and renovation project of the Aksu Bachu section of the Southern Xinjiang Railway - Aksu West Station, Moon Lake Station, Yijianfang East Station, and Duyashan Station - were officially completed and put into use. This marks a crucial step in expanding capacity and increasing speed for this long-term saturated single track railway.

It will make the station the overtaking lane of the railway

The Aba project has a total length of 216.93 kilometers. Prior to expansion, it was a single track diesel railway with a transportation capacity utilization rate of over 99%, operating at full load almost throughout the year. The demand for the export of bulk materials such as coal, chemicals, and cotton in southern Xinjiang continues to rise, and single track railways are already overwhelmed.

The function of the station is equivalent to installing overtaking lanes for single track railways - trains can temporarily stop and avoid, greatly reducing waiting time and significantly improving the overall transportation efficiency of the line. The newly added 8 passing stations are the core means to solve the bottleneck of transportation capacity.

Among the first four stations, the construction period of Fangdong Station and Duyashan Station is particularly tight. Ning Liqun, the person in charge of the S2 section of the Aba project of China Railway 15th Bureau, introduced that the project department has significantly reduced the construction period and minimized interference with existing railway transportation by optimizing the construction organization and accurately adjusting key processes, ensuring the timely opening of the two stations.

After 8 stations are fully connected, the transportation capacity will double and increase

The first batch of four stations have been successfully opened, laying a solid foundation for subsequent projects, "said Li Quanzhi, Deputy Director of the Engineering Management Department of the Korla Railway Construction Command of Urumqi Bureau Group Company. Currently, the four stations of Jin Yinchuan Station, Qilang Station, Keping East Station, and Qilan Station are being completed at full speed and are expected to be put into operation on May 20th. Keywords: railway transportation, transportation

After the full line is completed, the initial transportation capacity of the Aksu to Bachu section will be increased to 20.91 million tons, with an average of 39.2 pairs of trains running per day, nearly doubling compared to before the renovation. According to estimates, after the project is put into operation, the social logistics costs in southern Xinjiang are expected to decrease by 12% to 15%, and the efficiency of exporting characteristic agricultural and industrial and mining products will be significantly improved.Editor/Cheng Liting