Qinghai-Tibet Railway Commemorative Album

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Publish Date: 2006-07-01
Features: The Qinghai-Tibet Railway is 1,956 kilometers long, with 960 kilometers of its elevation exceeding 4,000 meters above sea level. Among these, 550 kilometers traverse the plateau's permafrost zone. Its highest point is at an elevation of 5,072 meters, the snow-capped Tanggula Pass, which is hailed as the "Railway Closest to the Sky" and the "World's Highest Railway." The construction of the Qinghai-Tibet Railway was a major strategic decision made by the Party Central Committee and the State Council at the turn of the new century. It is one of the four major landmark projects of China's 10th Five-Year Plan and the top priority of the Western Development Project.
The Qinghai-Tibet Railway starts in Xining City, Qinghai Province, and ends in Lhasa City, Tibet Autonomous Region, covering a total distance of approximately 1,956 kilometers. The section from Xining to (Golmud) is about 846 kilometers and was completed in 1984. The upcoming section from Golmud to Lhasa will begin from the Golmud Railway Station in western Qinghai Province, cross the Nanshan Pass, and ascend to the plateau's interior. It will pass through stations such as Nacita, Wudaoliang, Tuotuo River, and Yansiping, then cross the Tanggula Mountains to enter the Tibet Autonomous Region. From there, it will proceed through Anduo, Nagqu, Damxung, and Yangbajing before reaching Lhasa, the capital of the Tibet Autonomous Region. The route largely parallels the Qinghai-Tibet Highway.
The Qinghai-Tibet Railway traverses protected areas such as Kekexili, the Three (Sanjiangyuan), and Qiangtang. Due to its unique environmental design and construction, it is also known as China's "Eco-Railway."