How railway changes reshape the landscape of a small county in Xizang

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At around 4,800 meters above sea level, Amdo County in northern Xizang Autonomous Region is one of the highest counties in the world. In 2006, it got its first railway station when the Qinghai-Xizang Railway, the world's highest and longest plateau railway, began operations. The county then became the first stop after trains entered Xizang.

Over the past two decades, the railway has transformed both people's lives and the county's landscape. A comparison of photos from around 20 years ago and today offers a clearer look at the scale of those changes.

Pictures show the dramatic transformation of a major intersection in downtown Amdo County, Xizang Autonomous Region. /CGTN

Pictures show the dramatic changes along a major road in Amdo County, Xizang Autonomous Region. /CGTN

Pictures show the changes in the classrooms of a primary school in Amdo County, Xizang Autonomous Region. /CGTN

Passengers walk along the platform at Amdo Railway Station, one of the world's highest railway stations, on May 25, 2026. Zhang Chao/CGTN

A train travels through Amdo County along the Qinghai-Xizang Railway on May 25, 2026. Tu Ting/CGTN

An aerial view of Amdo County, Xizang Autonomous Region. /CGTN

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