Qinghai-Tibet Railway has been a powerful engine in the development of Tibet

Qinghai-Tibet Railway is a symbolic project of the Western Development Strategy. In the past 7 years, Qinghai-Tibet Railway has exploited its transportation advantages. It has greatly promoted the economy and society development on Tibet Plateau.

Qinghai-Tibet Railway is the highest railway above the sea level. It did a little adverse impact on the plateau ecology, the survival and reproduction of the Tibetan antelopes and some other wild animals since it was put into operation 7 years ago. It is reported that the afforested area along Qinghai-Tibet Railway covers around 5.7 million square meters.

Qinghai-Tibet Railway is located on the Third Pole of the world – Qinghai-Tibet Plateau. The ecological environment here is pretty sensitive and weak. Qinghai-Tibet Plateau is the headstream of the Yellow River, Yangtze River, Nu River and Yarlung Zangbo River. In addition, Qinghai-Tibet Plateau is also the habitat of the precious Tibetan antelopes, Tibetan kiangs, snow leopard and some other rare species. It is hard to restore the vegetation along the Qinghai-Tibet Railway once it is destroyed.

According to statistics provided by relevant department, Qinghai-Tibet Railway has received 62.99 million passengers traveling between Lhasa and several domestic cities since the end of May 2013. The freight amount transited by Qinghai-Tibet trains has reached 297.624 million tons. The annual growth rate of both the passenger transit and freight transit reach 8.9 percent. With the operation of the Qinghai-Tibet Railway, a series of integrative logistics bases were established, such as Lhasa, Nagqu and Golmud. Qinghai-Tibet Plateau has been one of the most popular sightseeing destinations for tourists from different corners of the world. The rapid development of the Tibet tourism greatly stimulated the development of the hotel industry, catering industry and some relevant businesses in different regions in Lhasa. The basic service facilities in were upgraded and completed to meet the demand of tourists.

Taking the trains heading to Lhasa along the Qinghai-Tibet Railway, tourists will have the chance to enjoy the fascinating natural landscapes throughout the journey. Among all the scenic areas along the Qinghai-Tibet Railway, the Qinghai Lake and Hoh Xil are the most noted ones. Qinghai Lake is about 100 kilometers away from Xining. As the largest inland lake and salt lake in China, Qinghai Lake covers an area of 4400 square kilometers. Qinghai Lake has been listed as a national natural reserve. It attracts a large number of tourists both at home and abroad.