High-Quality Implementation of the 14th Five-Year Plan: Shanxi’s Transportation Sector Accelerates from Start to Takeoff

Since the launch of the 14th Five-Year Plan, Shanxi has significantly enhanced its transportation capacity, service quality, and operational efficiency, making solid strides toward building a strong transportation province. On December 2, Information Office of Shanxi Provincial Government held the 12th press conference in the “High-Quality Implementation of the 14th Five-Year Plan” series, where officials from the Shanxi Department of Transportation highlighted key achievements in the province’s transport development.

Guo Bingfu, Director General of Department of Transportation of Shanxi Province, reported:“During the 14th Five-Year Plan, Shanxi invested 327.9 billion yuan in fixed transportation assets—1.5 times more than the previous period—averaging 1.86 billion yuan daily.”

A total highway network of 147,700 kilometers, including 6,446 kilometers of expressways, achieving expressway access in every county for the first time.

Operating railways extending 6,489 kilometers, with 1,347 kilometers of high-speed lines connecting all cities.

Inland waterways covering 1,557 kilometers, including 279.5 kilometers for tourism and 85 passenger docks.

The opening of Shuozhou Airport, establishing a “one main line, seven branches” civil aviation network.

A postal system featuring 10 provincial distribution centers, 7 regional centers, and 462 county-level hubs, ensuring a fast and stable logistics network.

Over the past five years, Shanxi’s transportation sector has embraced its role as a pioneer in modernization, enhancing capacity, service, and efficiency. The vision of smooth travel for people and seamless flow of goods is becoming reality. Thirty inland ports have developed logistics brands like “Jinshang-Jigang (Shanxi Commerce-Hebei Port),” with routine multimodal rail-road-sea transport; China-Europe freight trains now serve 48 cities across 17 countries; and all-cargo flights such as Taiyuan to Chicago have opened international routes. County-to-village logistics coverage now includes express delivery to all towns and villages, with rural parcel volumes up over 43%. Travel is more convenient and connectivity between regions is increasingly seamless.

Wang Fubao, Deputy Director General of the Department of Transportation, stated:“Logistics is the lifeline of the real economy, linking production with consumption and domestic with foreign trade. Since the 14th Five-Year period, we have focused on lowering costs and improving efficiency, achieving over 25 billion yuan in logistics cost savings.”

On green innovation, Shanxi has made major advances. Transport infrastructure is evolving into a green energy corridor, with clean energy trucks accounting for 58.8%; clean energy buses and taxis exceed 97%. Expressway photovoltaic installations total 311.71 megawatts. Zero-carbon facilities like those on the Yulin-Gaoping Expressway enable self-sufficient green power.

To date, Shanxi has updated five transportation laws, achieved a 99.99% online rate for provincial approvals, and reformed low-altitude airspace below 300 meters, aiming for immediate flight approvals by 2026. Renovations include 574 old bridges and tunnels, health monitoring systems on 76 expressway bridges, and vehicle safety monitoring rates above 99%, ensuring a strong safety foundation.Shanxi’s transportation sector is laying a solid foundation, enhancing service efficiency, and leading green innovation to drive the province’s high-quality development.