The Kashgar–Hotan railway or Kahe railway (, abbreviated ), is a single-track, non-electrified, railway in Xinjiang, China between Kashgar and Hotan. The railway is in length and runs along the southern edge of the Taklamakan Desert, connecting all major cities and towns of the Southwestern Tarim Basin, including Shule, Akto, Yengisar, Yarkant (Shache), Poskam (Zepu), Karghilik (Yecheng), Pishan (Guma) and Karakax (Moyu). The line extends the Southern Xinjiang Railway south from Kashgar. Construction began in December 2008. The line opened to freight traffic on December 30, 2010. Passenger service began on June 28, 2011. Beyond Hotan, it continues as the Hotan–Ruoqiang railway.
It forms the Taklamakan Desert railway loop, together with sections of the Hotan–Ruoqiang railway, Southern Xinjiang railway, and Golmud–Korla railway. The proposed Khunjerab Railway, a part of the China–Pakistan Economic Corridor, would one day link to the Kashgar–Hotan railway, allowing Islamabad, Pakistan to directly connect to Hotan and the Chinese railway network.
Station list Station Chinese Distance (km2) Location KashiSouthern Xinjiang railway 0 Kashi Kashgar / Kashi Prefecture Shule 14 Shule County Akto 38 Akto County Kizilsu Prefecture Yengisar 66 Yengisar County Kashgar / Kashi Prefecture Kezile Mayake Tuoluolake Shache County Shache 187 Zepu Poskam County Yecheng 246 Yecheng County Kuoshan Guma / Pishan County Hotan Prefecture Pishan 327 Zanggui 224 Tuan Karakax / Moyu County Moyu 468 HotanHotan–Ruoqiang railway 485 Hotan
See also
List of railways in China
References