An aerial drone photo taken on Sept. 25, 2025 shows a section of the G8513 expressway linking Jiuzhai Valley and Mianyang City in southwest China's Sichuan Province. (Xinhua/Jiang Hongjing)

CHENGDU, Sept. 29 (Xinhua) -- The opening of the first expressway to directly reach Jiuzhai Valley in southwest China's Sichuan Province on Monday has halved the driving time from Chengdu, the provincial capital, to the UNESCO World Heritage Site to just four hours.

The G8513 expressway, stretching about 246 km from Jiuzhai Valley to the city of Mianyang in Sichuan, features two lanes in each direction and is designed for a speed of 80 km per hour.

An aerial drone photo taken on Sept. 25, 2025 shows a section of the G8513 expressway linking Jiuzhai Valley and Mianyang City in southwest China's Sichuan Province. (Xinhua/Jiang Hongjing)

An aerial drone photo taken on Sept. 26, 2025 shows a section of the G8513 expressway linking Jiuzhai Valley and Mianyang City in southwest China's Sichuan Province. (Xinhua/Jiang Hongjing)

An aerial drone photo taken on Sept. 29, 2025 shows a section of the G8513 expressway linking Jiuzhai Valley and Mianyang City in southwest China's Sichuan Province. (Photo by Liu Huawei/Xinhua)

An aerial drone photo taken on Sept. 25, 2025 shows a toll gate of the G8513 expressway linking Jiuzhai Valley and Mianyang City in southwest China's Sichuan Province. (Xinhua/Jiang Hongjing)

An aerial drone photo taken on Sept. 25, 2025 shows a section of the G8513 expressway linking Jiuzhai Valley and Mianyang City, southwest China's Sichuan Province. (Xinhua/Jiang Hongjing)

This photo taken on Sept. 25, 2025 shows the Baima Tunnel, the longest tunnel along the G8513 expressway linking Jiuzhai Valley and Mianyang City in southwest China's Sichuan Province. (Xinhua/Jiang Hongjing)