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WUHAN, CHINA - FEBRUARY 01: The Hundreds of high-speed trains at a maintenance base wait to set out on the first day of the 40-day Spring Festival Travel Peak on February 1, 2018 in Wuhan, China. (Photo by Wang He/Getty Images)
CNN  — 

There’s no slowing China’s high-speed rail ambitions.

Beijing has just green lighted a project to build the first underwater bullet train route in China.

The line will connect Ningbo, a port city south of Shanghai, to Zhoushan, an archipelago off the east coast.

The proposed underwater tunnel will be a part of the 77-kilometer Yong-Zhou Railway plan (Yong is the nickname of Ningbo) to boost tourism and create a two-hour-commute zone within Zhejiang Province.

First mentioned in a government transportation plan in 2005, the feasibility study of the Yong-Zhou Railway plan was approved by Beijing in November.

Within the 77 km (47.8 miles) railway route, some 70.92 km of tracks will be newly built, including a 16.2 km undersea section.

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The new rail route will significantly shorten the journey between Zhoushan and Hangzhou.

Line to significantly shorten journey

When completed, the Yong-Zhou Railway will connect Ningbo East Station and Zhoushan (Baiquan) Station by high-speed trains that hit a maximum speed of 250 kilometers per hour.

The new route, connecting to the existing vast high-speed rail network in China, will transport travelers from Hangzhou – capital city of Zhejiang – to Zhoushan in 80 minutes.

The current journey takes about 4.5 hours by bus or a 2.5-hour drive by personal vehicle.

Seven stations are planned for the entire route, including four new stations and three redeveloped ones.

In addition to the undersea tunnel, a road-rail bridge will be built to link parts of the archipelago.

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With a price tag of RMB 25.2 billion (or $3.6 billion), the project is expected to begin next year and is due for completion in 2025.

Zhoushan, some three hours’ drive south of Shanghai, is still relatively under-the-radar among international tourists.

But in terms of business, it’s one of the most noteworthy new state-level areas (or special economic-development zones designated by the Beijing government) in China.

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China's most beautiful abandoned village: Houtouwan, once the most prosperous fishing village on Shengshan Island, has been reclaimed by nature after being deserted for two decades.
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Forgotten village-turned-tourist attraction: Looking straight out of a fairytale, the village has become a tourist hotspot in China in recent years.
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Once a thriving village: Established in the 1950s, the village was once home to more than 3,000 residents.
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Deserted in 2002: Due to its remote and hard-to-access location, its residents started to move out in the 1990s. It was completely depopulated by 2002.
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Viral pictures: A series of photos picturing the forgotten village went viral in 2015, attracting a wave of tourists to Shengshan Island.
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Back in 2015: "Houtouwan of Shengshan hasn't been equipped with the conditions to open to tourists... We urge visitors to preserve its tranquility for now," Chen Bo, a Shengshan Island official, said at the time.
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Off-the-grid: After more than two years of planning, Houtouwan -- despite still being comparatively off-the-grid -- implemented a few new moves to control and monetize the boom.
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Viewing platform: A new viewing platform opened in 2017, offering an overview of the village from afar (for a ticket price of $3).
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Inside the village: Visitors can hike around the hilly village for a fee of $8.
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Contributing to the island's tourism industry: According to local news reports, the village welcomed 90,000 visitors in 2021, raking in RMB3.3 million ($470,000) for the island.
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When to visit: The best time to see the village is summer -- when the vegetation is at its lushest.
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A national scenic area: Shengshan Island is in the Shengsi Archipelago, around 40 miles from Shanghai. Shengsi is the only Chinese archipelago officially declared a National Scenic Area.
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Warning: Visitors are advised to stay out of the empty houses in the village as entering the unmaintained structures can be dangerous.

Ningbo-Zhoushan Port is the busiest in the world in terms of cargo throughput.

Zhoushan is also home to American aircraft maker Boeing’s first overseas factory, which is due to begin operations in December 2018.

But what’s there for regular tourists?

The Zhoushan Archipelago’s Shengsi Islands, officially declared a National Scenic Area in China, have recently been making the rounds on the internet thanks to a series of wild photos of the eerie but stunning abandoned fisherman village of Houtouwan.