Qinhuangdao–Shenyang passenger railway or Qinshen railway (simplified Chinese: 秦沈客运专线; traditional Chinese: 秦瀋客運專線; pinyin: Qínshěn Kèyùn Zhuānxiàn) is a passenger-dedicated high-speed railway between Qinhuangdao, Hebei province and Shenyang, Liaoning province of China, spanning a distance of 404 km (251 mi). Construction started on August 16, 1999. Formally opened on October 12, 2003, it is the first newly built high-speed railway in China, costing CN¥15.7 billion (US$1.9 billion).[1] It is an electrified dual-track railway designed for a top speed of 200 km/h (120 mph). By 2007 its top speed was increased to 250 km/h (160 mph). In 2002, high-speed train China Star achieved a top speed of 321 km/h (199 mph) on Qinshen railway, setting a record for Chinese train speed. Currently, most of the passenger trains between Qinhuangdao to Shenyang are diverted to this railway from Shenshan railway.[citation needed]
