Which railway opened in 2011 as the world’s longest high-speed rail route at the time?

The Beijing–Shanghai high-speed railway opened in 2011 as the world’s longest high-speed rail route at the time.

The railway connects Beijing in northern China with Shanghai on the eastern coast over approximately 1,318 kilometres. Its opening on 30 June 2011 created a fast north–south corridor through some of China’s most populous and economically important regions.

The route was engineered for high-speed passenger operation, using extensive elevated sections and major bridges to maintain a relatively direct alignment. It serves or passes near Tianjin, Jinan, Xuzhou, Nanjing, and Suzhou.

The line is distinct from the Beijing–Tianjin intercity railway, which opened earlier and covers a much shorter distance. It is also separate from China’s conventional Beijing–Shanghai railway, although the two corridors serve similar city pairs.