The Qinghai-Tibet Railway (Qingzang Railway) is a high-altitude railway that connects Xining, Qinghai Province, to Lhasa, Tibet. The railway is the first to connect Tibet with other parts of China.
The total length of the railway is 1,956 km. Construction of the section between Xining and Golmud rail had been completed by 1984 while that between Golmud and Lhasa began in July 2006. The line includes the Tanggula Pass at 5,072 m above sea level, the world's highest rail track. The 1,338 m Fenghuoshan Tunnel is the highest rail tunnel in the world, at 4,905 m above sea level. There are 675 bridges, totaling 159.88 km, and over half the length of the railway is laid on permafrost. The trains are specially built for high altitude environment and the carriages have an oxygen supply for each passenger.
The Qingzang Railway project involved more than 20,000 workers and over 6,000 pieces of industrial equipment. It is considered one of China's major accomplishments of the 21st century. The construction of the railway was part of the China Western Development strategy to develop the western provinces that are much less developed than eastern China.
The total length of the railway is 1,956 km. Construction of the section between Xining and Golmud rail had been completed by 1984 while that between Golmud and Lhasa began in July 2006. The line includes the Tanggula Pass at 5,072 m above sea level, the world's highest rail track. The 1,338 m Fenghuoshan Tunnel is the highest rail tunnel in the world, at 4,905 m above sea level. There are 675 bridges, totaling 159.88 km, and over half the length of the railway is laid on permafrost. The trains are specially built for high altitude environment and the carriages have an oxygen supply for each passenger.
The Qingzang Railway project involved more than 20,000 workers and over 6,000 pieces of industrial equipment. It is considered one of China's major accomplishments of the 21st century. The construction of the railway was part of the China Western Development strategy to develop the western provinces that are much less developed than eastern China.