Yang Xiuling, a paper-cutting expert from Yuncheng county of Heze, Shandong province, shows some of her work on Sunday. [Photo by Zhang Xiao/For chinadaily.com.cn]

A new high-speed railway section entered service on Sunday in Shandong province, adding the city of Heze to the network.

The 199-kilometer segment connecting Qufu in Jining city with Zhuangzhai town in Heze's Caoxian county is part of the high-speed rail service Rizhao, Shandong and Lankao county in Henan province. It is designed for speeds of 350 km/h, China Railway Jinan Group Co sid.

A passenger at Hezedong Railway Station on Sunday drew a picture of other passengers. [Photo by Zhang Xiao/For chinadaily.com.cn]

The line shortens travel time between Heze and Beijing to three hours, saving at least two hours for passengers, and enhances connectivity of the southern part of Shandong and the plains area of central China. It will promote regional economic and social development, the company said.

"It's impressive that it takes around three hours to get to Beijing from Heze," said Yang Xiuling, a paper-cutting expert Heze's Yuncheng county. Yang travels to Beijing frequently to participate in paper-cutting exhibitions.

A high-speed train reaches Hezedong Railway Station on Sunday. [Photo by Zhang Xiao/For chinadaily.com.cn]

She remembers the first time she traveled to Beijing by train in 2008.

"It was so crowded in the carriages that some passengers stood on one foot. It took us six hours to reach Beijing," she said.

People celebrate the high-speed railway reaching Heze on Sunday. [Photo by Li Baozhu/For chinadaily.com.cn]

The new railway will boost the development of the peony industry of Heze, where it's an economic pillar, said Sun Wenqi, head of a peony cooperative in the city.

"Fresh peonies are expected to reach more homes by high-speed railway," Sun said.