This photo taken on June 15, 2024 shows the inaugural railway loop line across the Yangtze River Delta, home to China’s largest city cluster. (Wu Jun/Xinhua Daily)

Departing from Shanghai Railway Station, the G8388 train passes through Suzhou, Wuxi, Changzhou, Nanjing, Hefei, Huangshan, Hangzhou and Jiaxing before arriving at Shanghai Hongqiao Station. The entire journey covers over 1,200 km and takes eight hours and nine minutes.

The delta region, poised to expand by 660 kilometers of railways this year, will feature nearly 9,200 kilometers of high-speed railways by 2025.

This photo taken on June 15, 2024 shows the inaugural railway loop line across the Yangtze River Delta, home to China’s largest city cluster. (Wu Jun/Xinhua Daily)

This photo taken on June 15, 2024 shows the inaugural railway loop line across the Yangtze River Delta, home to China’s largest city cluster. (Wu Jun/Xinhua Daily)

This photo taken on June 15, 2024 shows the inaugural railway loop line across the Yangtze River Delta, home to China’s largest city cluster. (Wu Jun/Xinhua Daily)

This photo taken on June 15, 2024 shows the inaugural railway loop line across the Yangtze River Delta, home to China’s largest city cluster. (Wu Jun/Xinhua Daily)

This photo taken on June 15, 2024 shows the inaugural railway loop line across the Yangtze River Delta, home to China’s largest city cluster. (Wu Jun/Xinhua Daily)

This photo taken on June 15, 2024 shows the inaugural railway loop line across the Yangtze River Delta, home to China’s largest city cluster. (Wu Jun/Xinhua Daily)

This photo taken on June 15, 2024 shows the inaugural railway loop line across the Yangtze River Delta, home to China’s largest city cluster. (Wu Jun/Xinhua Daily)

This photo taken on June 15, 2024 shows the inaugural railway loop line across the Yangtze River Delta, home to China’s largest city cluster. (Wu Jun/Xinhua Daily)