BEIJING - A new railway route linking North China's Tianjin municipality and Baoding city started running on Monday, shortening the commute time from about two and a half hours to just one hour.

The railway covers a distance of 158 kilometers with eight stations along the route. Initial operation speed will be 200 kilometers per hour.

The new line, which took over five years to construct, not only links two key cities in the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei metropolitan area, but also connects to other major railway routes across the country.

The railway is expected to boost local industrialization, urbanization and tourism and promote regional integration and economic upgrading.