(Yicai Global) Sept. 7 -- Workers finished laying tracks for the 343-kilometer Harbin-Jiamusi high-speed railway yesterday.

The railway, which is China's longest high-speed one in a high latitude area and has a designed top speed of 200 kilometers per hour, awaits its opening in June next year.

After it is put into service, the train will reduce the travel time by rail between Harbin and Jiamusi from about 7 hours to less than 2, Chinanews.com reported.

The Harbin-Jiamusi high speed railway is in China's northernmost province of Heilongjiang province. Two-thirds of its track lie in uninhabited wilderness. Investments in the project totaled USD5.43 billion (CNY34.7 billion).

Welding has temperature requirements, so "we had to finish it all before winter," said Li Xiongfei, vice general manager of Harbin-Jiamusi Railway Dedicated Passenger Transportation Line Co.

After its completion, the Harbin-Jiamusi route along with the Harbin-Mudanjiang dedicated passenger transportation line and the Mudanjiang-Jiamusi passenger line will form the framework for Heilongjiang's high-speed railway network. The Harbin-Jiamusi railway will connect to the Harbin-Dalian high-speed railway and join the national network, promoting trade between China and Russia and fostering economic development in Heilongjiang.