Workers have finished laying half the track for a new subway line between downtown Beijing and the capital’s second airport, the contractor, China Railway No 2 Group, said.

The city government said trains on the 41-kilometer line will have a top speed of 160 km/h and travel at an average speed of 110 km/h, making it the fastest subway line in China.

It will take only 19 minutes to travel the whole route.

The airport, in Daxing district, and new line are both scheduled to open next year.

Each seven-carriage train on the line will be able to carry 448 passengers.