A feasibility report for the Hangzhou-Huangshan railway project has been completed and was approved by experts at a special conference held in western Zhejiang’s Chun’an county on September 29.

The 263.5 kilometer long railway with a designed speed of 200 kilometers per hour will begin in Hangzhou, the capital of Zhejiang Province, and end in Huangshan, in central China’s Anhui province. Travel time on the proposed railway will be 78 minutes, local media reported.

Experts from the Ministry of Railway said at the conference that the new railway is a "golden tour railway", connecting famous cities, rivers, lakes and mountains.

Hanghzou is well-known for its natural beauty and cultural heritage, and is one of China’s hottest tourist destinations. The city is over 2,000 years old.

Huangshan is home to Huangshan Moutain, a UNESCO World Heritage Sites, and is also famous for its scenery. It is also home to many of China’s rare and threatened animals.

Other impotant scenic spots along the railway include the Fuchun River and the Thousand Islets Island in Chun’an county.

Experts predict the railway will help boost local tourism and promote economic cooperation between western Zhejiang and southern Anhui.

Seventy percent of the money for the railway, whose total cost is estimated to be 39.28 billion yuan, will come from the Ministry of Railway. The rest of the cost will be shared by governments of Zhejiang and Anhui.

Officials in charge of the project say the construction of the railway will begin with this year and is scheduled to be completed in four years.

By Guo Changdong