| Hainan Western Ring Railway | |
|---|---|
_Railway_Station.jpg) Hainan Western Ring railway at the Dongfang railway station | |
| Overview | |
| Native name | 海南西环铁路 |
| Status | Mostly freight services |
| Owner | China Railway |
| Locale | Western Hainan |
| Termini | |
| Continues from | Guangdong–Hainan railway |
| Stations | 6 |
| Service | |
| Type | Heavy rail |
| Services | Only for cross-sea train route |
| Operator(s) | CR Guangzhou |
| History | |
| Commenced | March 1940 |
| Opened | 7 April 1942 |
| Completed | 23 March 1942 |
| Technical | |
| Line length | 363.8 km (226.1 mi) |
| Number of tracks | 1 |
| Character | At-grade |
| Track gauge | 1,435 mm (4 ft 8+1⁄2 in) standard gauge |
| Old gauge | 3 ft 6 in (1,067 mm) |
The Hainan western ring railway (Chinese: 海南西环铁路; pinyin: Hǎinán xīhuán tiělù) is a standard-gauge railway running along the coast of the western half of Hainan Island in South China. It connects the provincial capital Haikou on the island's north coast with Sanya, the major city on Hainan's south coast. The rail line is 363.8 km long; its terminals are Haikou railway station and Sanya railway station. Cargo trains enter this railway from Zhanjiang, Guangdong, at the South Port of the Guangdong–Hainan Railway.
The Hainan Western Ring Railway has a long history, some of its sections dating to World War II. It has achieved its present form upon completing a major expansion and upgrade project in 2005. After that, the Hainan Western Ring Railway (including a few minor side branches) remained the island's only railway until the opening of the Hainan Eastern Ring high-speed Railway in 2010, which connects to the Western Ring at both endpoints.
As of 2019, the Hainan Western Ring Railway is primarily used for freight and has limited passenger service. The new Hainan Western Ring High-Speed Railway, primarily for passenger service, has been constructed along a fairly similar but slightly shorter (344 km) route.