A 299-kilometer high-speed railway linking the cities of Xi'an and Yan'an in northwest China's Shaanxi Province is set to commence operations on Dec. 26, China State Railway Group Co., Ltd. announced on Wednesday.

This is the first high-speed railway in the old revolutionary base area of northern Shaanxi, and its milestone launch will inject new momentum into high-quality economic and social development in the region, according to the company.

The Xi'an-Yan'an high-speed railway is designed to handle speeds of up to 350 kilometers per hour and is set to reduce travel time between the two cities to just 68 minutes.

Initially, rail authorities will operate up to 38 trains each day, the company said, noting that the high-speed service will significantly improve the convenience of travel and support rural revitalization in the old revolutionary base area.

Yan'an holds profound historical significance, having served as the base of the Communist Party of China leadership between 1937 and 1947.