Track laying for a high-speed railway linking Beijing and Xiong'an New Area in neighboring Hebei province was completed on Monday, marking a countdown to the full operation of the line, according to the local railway operator.

Scheduled for operation by the end of this year, the Beijing-Xiong'an high-speed intercity railway will shorten travel time between the two places from the current two hours to one hour, said China Railway Beijing Group.

The railway, which stops in downtown Beijing, Beijing Daxing International Airport and Xiong'an, will improve the high-speed railway network in the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region, the company said, adding that it will play a significant role in facilitating the coordinated development of the region and supporting the construction of the Xiong'an New Area.