The Harbin-Mudanjiang high-speed railway project has received approval from the Land and Resource Ministry, according to authorities in the city of Harbin, capital of Heilongjiang province.

The high-speed rail line, scheduled for 2019 completion, will connect Harbin with a group of popular attractions, such as Shuangfeng Forest Farm (known as China's Snow Town), and Jingpo Lake in the city of Mudanjiang.

It is designed for a speed of up to 250 km per hour, with eight stops along the 293-km route, which will cut the travel time to less than two hours between the two major cities.

The construction engineers will encounter numerous challenges along the project route, including the region’s extremely low temperature in winter, and the mountainous areas it has to pass through.

The project also involves construction of 20 bridges and seven tunnels to overcome these difficulties during the construction.

The provincial government is throwing its full support behind the railway, saying that it will lead to the construction of office buildings, as well as commercial and residential facilities, which will boost the region’s economy.