China’s Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region has achieved a monumental engineering milestone with the inauguration of the world’s longest expressway tunnel on December 26, 2025. The Tianshan Shengli Tunnel, stretching an impressive 22.13 kilometers through the formidable Tianshan mountain range, now serves as the centerpiece of a newly opened expressway that dramatically transforms transportation connectivity across the region.
This engineering marvel effectively bridges northern and southern Xinjiang, creating a direct highway link between the regional capital Urumqi and Yuli County in the Bayingolin Mongolian Autonomous Prefecture. The tunnel’s completion has effectively halved travel time between Urumqi and Korla, marking a significant advancement in the region’s infrastructure development.
While the route immediately opened to most public vehicles upon its December 26 debut, medium and heavy-duty trucks will gain access when the expressway formally begins trial operations on January 1, 2026. The project represents one of China’s most ambitious infrastructure undertakings in recent years, overcoming extreme geographical challenges to create this unprecedented transportation corridor through one of Asia’s most formidable mountain ranges.
The tunnel’s completion not only sets a new global benchmark for engineering achievements but also promises substantial economic and social benefits for Xinjiang by facilitating smoother movement of goods, people, and services across the previously divided region.