The Haoji Railway (Chinese: 浩吉铁路), officially known as the Mengxi-Huazhong Railway (蒙西华中铁路), is a major heavy-haul freight railway line in China. It is named after its northern terminus, Haolebaoji (浩勒报吉) in Inner Mongolia, and its southern terminus, Ji'an (吉安) in Jiangxi province.
- Overview: The Haoji Railway is primarily designed for the transportation of coal from the resource-rich western and northern regions of China to the energy-consuming central and southern provinces. It represents a significant strategic infrastructure project aimed at diversifying China's energy transport channels and reducing reliance on coastal shipping routes.
- Route and Length: The railway stretches approximately 1,817 kilometers (about 1,129 miles). It originates in Haolebaoji, Ordos City, Inner Mongolia, and traverses seven provinces and autonomous regions: Inner Mongolia, Shaanxi, Shanxi, Henan, Hubei, Hunan, and Jiangxi, before concluding in Ji'an, Jiangxi. Along its course, it crosses several major rivers, including the Yellow River, Han River, and Yangtze River, necessitating the construction of numerous large bridges.
- Purpose and Significance: Its main purpose is to create a north-south coal transportation corridor, directly connecting major coal production bases in Inner Mongolia, Shaanxi, and Shanxi with consumption centers in central China. This helps alleviate bottlenecks in the existing east-west rail network and optimizes the national energy distribution system. It is one of the world's longest heavy-haul railways dedicated to coal transport.
- Construction and Features: Construction of the Haoji Railway began in 2012, and it officially opened for operation in September 2019. It is a double-track, electrified railway designed for high-capacity freight trains, capable of handling trains with heavy axle loads. The line features advanced signaling and control systems to ensure efficient and safe operations.
- Operator: The railway is operated by China Railway Group, a state-owned enterprise responsible for railway construction and operation in China.