Tourists now can take the region's fastest trains and enjoy the stunning views along a new railway route to explore the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, one of the world's most geologically active areas.
China's Tibet Autonomous Region is now running Fuxing bullet trains as the Lhasa-Nyingchi Railway began operations on June 25, marking the start of high-speed train services to all Chinese mainland provincial-level regions.
The Fuxing bullet trains, powered by both electricity and internal combustion engines, will be a customized version of the one which runs at 160 km per hour – the fastest on the plateau region – on the 435km rail track.
For the first time, trains will pass through southeast Tibet, shortening the journey between Lhasa, and Nyingchi by 3.5 hours.
Linking the region's capital Lhasa and Nyingchi, one of Tibet's most popular tourist destinations, the railway also marks the launch of the country's first electrified railroad operating on the Roof of the World.
As over 90 percent of the track are at an elevation of more than 3,000 meters above sea level, the trains have been equipped with oxygen supply equipment.
The Zangmu Railway Bridge is a landmark bridge structure that crosses Yarlung Zangbo River on the high speed railway line between Lhasa and Nyingchi in mountainous Tibet, southwest China. /CFP
The highest point on the rail line is over 5,100 meters above sea level, a record height for any electrified railways worldwide.
There will be a total of nine railway stations on the railway line – Gonggar, Zhanang, Shannan, Sangri, Gyaca, Nang County, Mainling, Gangga, and Nyingchi, and they all have both passenger and freight services.
With relatively lower altitudes, warm climate and captivating views, southeast Tibetan areas like Nyingchi and Shannan are situated along the Yarlung Zangbo River – the longest and largest waterway on the highland, featuring quiet villages, valleys, lakes, waterfalls and other vast yet mysterious landscapes.
Aerial view of the Baksum Tso Lake in Nyingchi, Tibet Autonomous Region, southwest China. /CFP
In addition to breathtaking natural scenery, the areas also boast rich cultural legacy and many "firsts" in Tibetan history, including the first palace, Yongbulakang Palace, and the first monastery, Sangye Monastery – both are located in Shannan.
The Lhasa-Nyingchi Railway is part of the Sichuan-Tibet Railway still under construction, that will connect Lhasa and Chengdu, the capital of the neighboring Sichuan Province. It also shares lines with the planned railway connecting southwest China's Yunnan Province and Tibet.