(Yicai Global) Aug. 3 -- China's northeastern Shandong provincial government has started work to install tracks for what will be China's first local-government controlled high-speed railway line. The Jinan-Qingdao is expected to enter operation in 2018, reports the local Qilu Evening News.

The local government started track-laying four months ahead of schedule, with construction set to be completed by the end of December, the report said.

Once operational, the train line, with a total length of 307.9 kilometers, will facilitate a two-hour commute time between two of Shandong's major cities, the provincial capital Jinan and the key port city of Qingdao.

The local government provided 80 percent of total funding needed for the project, while China Railway Group Ltd. [SHA:601390] contributed the remaining 20 percent.

Construction began at the end of 2015, with work carried out by companies including China Railway, China Railway Construction Corp Ltd. (HKG:1186) and China State Construction Engineering Corp Ltd. [SHA:601668].