The new rail line serves as a vital artery connecting eastern China with the city clusters in the northwest. It has forged an important corridor for economic exchange and created an efficient and convenient bridge for domestic and international travelers to visit the two major revolutionary sites of the Long March in person, and to gain a deeper understanding of China's journey from hardship to rejuvenation, said Wang Tao, a researcher at the China Executive Leadership Academy, Yan'an.

　　The train is an ultra-long cross-line high-speed service, pieced together across seven railway sections and traversing the provinces of Jiangxi, Hubei and Shaanxi. Previously, no direct train or flight connected the two cities, requiring passengers to transfer at least twice. The new service has cut travel time from up to 22 hours to about 11 hours, said Ye Ronggen, an official with China Railway Nanchang Group Co., Ltd.

　　At the end of 2025, the Xi'an-Yan'an high-speed railway opened, formally integrating Yan'an into the national high-speed rail network. On June 30, 2026, the Xi'an-Shiyan high-speed railway began operations, completing the full Wuhan-Xi'an high-speed corridor. With these high-speed links now seamlessly connected, the distance between northwestern and central China has been sharply reduced, and a direct high-speed rail passage between Ruijin and Yan'an has been opened.

　　On board the high-speed train on Sunday were dozens of descendants of Red Army veterans, like Liu Ying, each carrying their family's memories and stories as they headed toward the same destination.