South China's island province Hainan opened a new stretch of track that completes the world's first high-speed train line circling an island.

A test train runs on the Western Ring Railway in south China's island province Hainan, Dec. 29, 2015.[Photo/Xinhua]

The circular line stretches across the beautiful landscapes of 12 different cities at over 200 kilometers per hour. It reduces the travel time from around eight hours to three hours and 10 minutes.

The 345-km west loop high-speed railway was officially put into operation on Wednesday. It has 16 stops in six cities and counties, linking provincial capital Haikou with Sanya, a tropical tourist spot. It began construction in Sept 2013 with an investment of 27 billion yuan ($4.23 billion).

The 308-km eastern ring, also from Haikou to Sanya, was put into operation at the end of 2010 with a designed speed of up to 250 km per hour. It passes Boao, a scenic town where the Boao Forum for Asia is held annually.

With a land area of 35,400 square km, Hainan is slightly larger than Belgium. A popular destination for beach lovers, it is expected to receive 47 million visitors this year.

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