On Dec. 18, 2016, construction workers drilled the first advance hole to explore the geology of Jishou Tunnel, the longest tunnel along Zhangjiajie-Jishou-Huaihua High-speed Railway, which marked the beginning of the construction of the high-speed rail line. 

    The high-speed rail project is expected to be finished in five years. Upon completion, the travel time between Changsha and Fenghuang will be shortened to less than two hours.

    The 246.35-km-long high-speed rail line is designed to run at a speed of 350 km per hour. Eight stations will be set along the line, including the under-construction Zhangjiajie West Station and the existing Huaihua South Station, as well as 6 new stations such as Huilong West, Furong Town, Guzhang North, Jishou East, Fenghuang, and Mayang West.

    According to a technician of China Railway Tunnel Group Co., Ltd., the construction unit of the high-speed rail line, Zhangjiajie-Jishou-Huaihua High-speed Railway is a typical mountainous railway line that runs through Xuefeng Mountain range, Wuling Mountain range, and Yuanma Basin featuring complex geologic structure and varied landform. The extremely complicated geology and hydrologic condition, for instance the wide distribution of karst caves and sinkholes in the area will make the tunnel construction challenging.

   There are 186 bridges with a total length of 67.472 km and 124 tunnels with a total length of 160.493 km along the high-speed rail line. The longest tunnel reaches 12162 meters. 

    High construction requirements in terms of construction safety, environmental protection, and soil and water conservation have been made for the line, since it connects famous tourist attractions, national or provincial forest parks, and natural reserves located in Zhangjiajie and Fenghuang Ancient Town.