View of Beijing-Urumqi Expressway Photo: Xinhua News Agency

The Wutong Daquan-Mulei section, the so-called "last kilometer" of the Beijing-Urumqi Expressway (G7), was opened to traffic on Wednesday, marking the full operation of the world's longest across-desert expressway, the Xinhua News Agency reported.

The expressway is the seventh national expressway originating from the capital city of Beijing, with a total length of more than 2,800 kilometers. It passes through six provinces and municipalities including North China's Hebei and Shanxi provinces and Northwest China's Gansu Province.

The full connection of the expressway will cut road travel between Beijing and Urumqi, capital of Xinjiang by more than 1,300 kilometers.

It is the second expressway in and out of Northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, apart from the expressway connecting the port city of Horgos and Lianyungang, in East China's Jiangsu Province.

The operation of the G7 expressway is of great significance to further improve the national main road network and alleviate the congestion on the Beijing-Tibet Expressway. The completed project will also help boost the exploration of regional mineral resources and tourism.