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| Kashgar–Hotan railway | |
|---|---|
| Name | Kashgar–Hotan railway |
| Native name | 喀和铁路 |
| Status | Operational |
| Locale | Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region |
| Start | Kashgar |
| End | Hotan |
| Stations | 17 |
| Open | 2010 |
| Owner | China Railway |
| Operator | China Railway Ürümqi Group |
| Line length | 488 km |
| Gauge | Standard gauge (1,435 mm) |
| Electrification | None (diesel) |
Kashgar–Hotan railway The Kashgar–Hotan railway is a 488 km regional heavy rail line in the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region of the People's Republic of China, linking the city of Kashgar with Hotan. The line supplements the Southern Xinjiang railway and integrates with the China Railway network, connecting to corridors that reach Ürümqi, Korgas, Kashgar Prefecture, and the Taklamakan Desert periphery. The railway opened in stages around 2010 and has been central to transport, resource development, and regional planning involving entities such as China Railway Ürümqi Group and local prefectural governments.
The railway project was proposed during discussions among officials from Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps, Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region planning committees, and ministries in Beijing seeking to extend rail access from Aksu and Kashgar to southern oases like Hotan. Feasibility studies referenced infrastructure initiatives tied to the Western Development strategy and the China–Pakistan Economic Corridor planning dialogues. Construction approvals involved the Ministry of Railways and provincial authorities after environmental assessments near the Taklamakan Desert and cultural heritage reviews concerning sites in Hotan Prefecture and Kashgar Prefecture. The line was completed and opened to freight and passenger services in 2010, coinciding with broader transport improvements such as enhancements to the Southern Xinjiang railway and regional highway links to Karakoram Highway approaches.
The route runs east–west along the southern rim of the Taklamakan Desert, originating at Kashgar station and terminating at Hotan station while serving intermediate towns and counties including Yarkant County, Pishan County, Payzawat County, and Moyu County. Major stations include Poskam, Yarkant (Shache), and Keriya, with sidings for freight near mineral prospects linked to Tarim Basin resources. Rail connections allow transfer to routes bound for Kashgar International Airport and road corridors toward Karghilik and Yengisar County, integrating with transport nodes used in regional logistics chains that serve markets such as Urumqi and border crossings at Irkeshtam and Korgas.
Engineering works navigated aeolian sands of the Taklamakan Desert and alluvial soils in the Tarim Basin, requiring sand-control measures used on other projects like the Golmud–Korla railway. Techniques included pile foundations, sand-retaining walls, and vegetation belts inspired by practices in Dunhuang and Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps reclamation projects. Bridges and culverts were designed to cross the Hotan River and seasonal streams near Keriya River while earthworks incorporated stabilisation methods promoted by Chinese rail engineering institutes collaborating with contractors from China Railway Construction Corporation and China Railway Group Limited. Stations were constructed with seismic considerations reflecting data from China Earthquake Administration and building codes administered by Ministry of Housing and Urban-Rural Development.
Operated by China Railway Ürümqi Group, the line provides mixed freight and passenger services, including regional express trains linking Kashgar with Hotan, overnight services to Urumqi via the Southern Xinjiang railway link, and freight movements for commodities such as cotton from Hotan Prefecture and minerals from the Tarim Basin. Rolling stock has included diesel locomotives maintained at depots influenced by standards from China Railway workshops; maintenance scheduling coordinates with rail traffic control centers in Ürümqi. Ticketing and passenger amenities have adapted to serve ethnic minorities in the region, with stations located near markets, bazaars, and administrative centers observed in Kashgar City and Hotan City.
The railway has reduced travel times between southern Xinjiang oases and provincial centers, facilitating trade flows involving Hotan jade distribution, agricultural products like cotton and melons, and inputs for Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps enterprises. It has supported tourism to cultural sites in Kashgar Old City, Id Kah Mosque, and archaeological sites associated with the Silk Road, while affecting local labor markets in counties such as Yarkant and Pishan. Infrastructure investment tied to the railway has been cited in regional development plans alongside projects backed by National Development and Reform Commission policies and provincial financing instruments. Social changes include increased urbanisation in station towns and altered logistics for traditional bazaars frequented by traders from Central Asia and South Asia.
The line holds strategic importance for connectivity across Southern Xinjiang near international frontiers with Pakistan and Afghanistan and routes historically linked to the Silk Road. It enhances mobility for civil administration and emergency response coordinated with regional authorities in Urumqi and has been discussed in the context of stabilisation and development policies overseen by bodies in Beijing. Security measures at stations and along the corridor align with standards implemented across key transport arteries such as the Southern Xinjiang railway and border logistics nodes including Korgas Port.
Planned upgrades consider partial electrification consistent with broader Chinese rail electrification initiatives led by China Railway and integration with high-capacity corridors connecting to Kashgar Special Economic Zone proposals. Proposals include double-tracking select segments, station modernisation influenced by design precedents in Xi'an and Lanzhou, and enhanced freight terminals to serve resource extraction projects in the Tarim Basin. Coordination among the National Development and Reform Commission, Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region authorities, and state-owned enterprises such as China Railway Construction Corporation will shape financing and phasing of improvements.
Category:Rail transport in Xinjiang Category:Railway lines in China